“Nonsense; this little lady says she has just come from Mothland, and that she is our Lily whom the Moths stole because she told a falsehood [[195]]over the breaking of the clock. Surely there aren’t two Lilys?” and the farmer looked beneath the sofa, under the table, and even up the chimney; but Scarlet Mantle, the moment she saw Lily enter the room, vanished through the window, and of course was not to be found.
“Well, this is a queer go, wife.”
“Most extraordinary,” responded the mother, gazing with a doubtful look upon the real Lily, who stood quietly looking from one to the other.
“Oh, this is Sis,” exclaimed Teddy. “There’s the bump on the nose which I made with my ball last week. You’re Lily, who smashed the clock, aren’t you?” he asked, looking up in her face.
“Indeed, Teddy dear, I’m your little sister, and it was I who broke the clock, and the Moths took me away, and gave me this big, frightful tongue, because I said I didn’t. You see here——”
And she put up her hand to her mouth, but lo! the ugly member had vanished. How glad she felt that it was gone! The mere effort to do right had brought its own reward. And as she repeated again, more earnestly, “I broke the clock, and I want you to forgive me,” her father saw she was really his own little girl, and giving her a hearty kiss of forgiveness, seated her in her own accustomed [[196]]place at table, and they were very happy once more.
That night Lily slept soundly in her own room, in her own cosy bed, and she thought it much better than dancing till she was tired round the Moth circles by the river-bank.
And so thought the Scarlet Mantle! [[197]]