"I didn't think of mother when I took the brooch," Celia murmured.
"No; I expect you only thought of yourself, and how the diamonds would suit you. I can understand that. But didn't you remember afterwards that God had seen you? That is the thought that would have haunted me. I never thought much about Him till Joy spoke of Him so seriously to me; since then I can't help remembering He sees me, and sometimes I feel frightened and miserable, and wish I was a better girl. But I'm vain, and foolish, and fond of dress, and light literature, and I'm much afraid there's no good in me at all!"
Lulu was in a wonderfully humble frame of mind. Truth to tell, Celia's confession had frightened her, by showing her what vanity and deception might lead to. She was really shocked at her friend's conduct, and anxious beyond measure that the butterfly brooch should be replaced in Sir Jasper safe, to which end she, at the risk of appearing inhospitable, raised no protest against Celia's arrangement for leaving, but allowed her to post her letter, and was actually relieved in mind when it was gone.
"Celia has decided to go on Saturday," she informed her father, later in the day; "she thinks it is time she went home, as she has been here more than a fortnight, and she would like a little while with her brother before he returns to school. She says she has had a most enjoyable visit."
"She shall come again," Mr. Tillotson replied, smilingly, "but next time she had better leave the butterfly brooch at home."
[CHAPTER XX.]
A RECONCILIATION.
"SO to-morrow your sister returns," remarked Miss Pring. She was nipping the dead roses from around the porch at Home Vale whilst she talked to Joy Wallis, who stood by watching her. "She has had a pleasant visit at T— I've no doubt; but you'll be glad to have her home again. What fast friends she and Lulu Tillotson have become! They looked like sisters on the flower show day both dressed in white. By the way, where did Celia get her grand brooch?"
"What grand brooch do you mean?" Joy inquired. "She has a small gold one like mine, but you can't mean that—"
"No, indeed! The one to which I refer is in the shape of a butterfly, studded with diamonds—imitation diamonds, of course, but very showy they looked, I assure you."