"Oh, Miss Nelson, how can father and Aunt Elizabeth be so cruel and unjust?"
"Hush, dear! whatever your father does, you must not speak of him so."
"But don't they both know him better? Did he ever in all his life do anything dishonorable or mean?"
"Maggie, I fully believe in him."
"Of course you do, dear darling Miss Nelson."
"I wish," continued Miss Nelson, "that we could really find out who took the miniature."
Miss Nelson was looking at Marjorie while she spoke, and now she was surprised to see a wave of crimson slowly dye the child's cheeks, and cover her brow.
"Why do you look like that, Maggie?" asked the governess. "Do you suspect anything?"
Maggie was silent for a moment. Then she looked up in her frank way.
"I don't really know anything," she said.