d not to see that it was properly
fastened. A very valuable thing, I suppose it is?'

'It's more than valuable,' said poor mother. 'It's an heirloom, _quite_
irreplaceable. I do not know how I shall ever have courage to tell my
father-in-law. No, I can't blame my maid. I told her not to touch it, as
the General had fastened it himself all ready. But how _can_ it have
come undone?'

At that moment Anne and Hebe, who had been having a little refreshment
no doubt, came into the front drawing-room where we were. They saw there
was something the matter, and when they got close to mother and saw what
she was holding in her hand, for the lady had given it back to her, they
seemed to know in a moment what had happened. And Anne's mouth opened,
the way it does when she's startled or frightened, and she stood
staring.

Then I knew what it meant.

CHAPTER III

WORK FOR THE TOWN-CRIER

'Oh, those girls,' I thought to myself; 'why did I leave them alone in
mother's room with all her things about?'

But Anne's face made me feel as if I couldn't say anything--not before
all those people; though of course I knew that as soon as she could see
mother alone she would tell, herself. I was turning away, thinking it
would be better to wait--for, you see, mother was not blaming any one
else--when all of a sudden Maud ran up. She was all dressed up very
nicely, of course; and she's a pretty little thing, everybody says, and
then she's the youngest. So a lot of people had been petting her and
making a fuss about her. Maud doesn't like that at all. She's not the
least bit conceited or spoilt, and she really is so sensible that I
think it teazes her to be spoken to as if she was only a baby. Her face
was rather red, I remember; she had been trying to get away from those
ladies without being at all rude, for she's far too 'ladylike' to be
rude _ever_. And now she ran up, in a hurry to get to her dear Anne as
usual. But the moment she saw Anne's face she knew that something was
wrong. For one thing, Anne's mouth was wide open, and I have told you
about Anne's mouth. Then there was the pin in mother's hand, the
hair-pin, and no top to it! And mums looking so troubled, and all the
ladies round her.

'What is it?' said Maud in her quick way. 'Oh--is mums' brooch broken?
Oh, Anne, you shouldn't have touched it!'

Everybody--mother and everybody--turned to Anne; I _was_ sorry for her.
It wasn't like Maud to have called it out, she is