"Yes; of course I did. She was wearing it to school; and I told her the girls would laugh at her, and advised her to carry the watch home; but she wouldn't, and she put it in that hole. I was wondering, yesterday, whether she remembered to take care of it. But to go and say that Florry Lester took it! Tilly Mansfield, you deserve to be whipped! And what were the rest of you about, I should like to know?" said Emma, with increasing anger. "What were you all thinking about, to treat Florry so? The best girl that ever lived in the world, I do believe!"
"You needn't lay it all on us, Emma," answered Priscilla. "We never should have thought of such a thing, if you hadn't told Tilly yourself how Florry stole your mother's plant."
"I am sure I shouldn't," said Tilly, gathering courage; "but you did tell me yourself how Florry stole the plant."
It was now Emma's turn to blush. "I know I did; and it was a great shame," said she; "but didn't I tell you not to say anything about it?"
"As if that would do any good," remarked Emily. "If you don't want secrets told, you shouldn't tell them yourself."
"And while you were about it, why didn't you tell the rest,—how sorry Florry was, and how she gave mother her beautiful fuchsia to make amends?" cried Emma.
"Hush!" said Jenny Fleming. "Here comes Florry. She has been up to your house, Tilly."
Florry had indeed been up to see Tilly, and to beg her to try and remember when she had worn the watch last. Tilly had gone to school, however; and Florry, finding that she was likely to be late, had asked the housekeeper's permission to come the back way. She was walking slowly and looking on the ground, and, as she raised her eyes at the stile, she saw the girls all standing round, and Tilly with the watch and chain in her hand.
Emma sprang to meet her friend, threw her arms round her neck, and kissed her.
"Oh, Florry, can you ever forgive me!" she exclaimed. "It was all my fault; but please do forgive me and make up friends."