"A perfectly awful feeling went over me. I know I must have turned pale, for I had to pour my handkerchief wringing wet with cologne. Why, just you think! Did you ever have anything so terrible happen to you? Why, those rings cost more money than I had in this world! And Cora's grandfather gave her the red ring, that died!
"I hunted and hunted, under the bed and under the rugs, and pulled the things out of the drawers. And I knew papa would have to pay for them, and he'd think I was very expensive! He would have to cure ever so many sick people for it, and ride in the night for days and days to pay for those rings! 'Specially the beautiful red one with white currants round it. And she thinking so much of her grandpa that died! I knew she'd never forgive me, but always go around with her head thrown back; and how I should feel!
"I wished then I'd obeyed mamma, and not borrowed what didn't belong to me. It was just awful to have mamma and Miss Pike know it. I wished I needn't be obliged to tell."
[CHAPTER XII.]
THE HUNT.—FLAXIE'S STORY, CONTINUED.
"When Miss Pike came in from reading to Kittyleen's mother I was crying in the bed.
"First I wanted to say I was crying about my silver mug that Kittyleen dented all up, hitting it against the grate; and so I was—a little. I could always cry about that! But my truly tears were for the rings, and I wouldn't let myself be so mean as not to tell the truth. Besides, I wanted Miss Pike to help me find them, you know.
"Then I told her; I made myself tell. And she said, 'Ah, little Mary, you've been borrowing again!'