, not even knowing the name, or
the number of the house.

Lady Nearn was very kind, but I don't think she quite took in that it
was really naughty of them to have come out without leave. You see, Anne
hadn't got to think it naughty herself, yet. She fetched the brooch just
to show Anne--though, indeed, from the way Anne spoke of it, she was
sure it wasn't it, and of course it wasn't!

Anne could nearly have cried with disappointment.

Then it did strike Lady Nearn to ask how they were going home again. It
was quite dark by now. She couldn't send a servant with them, for the
house was rather upset--three of the children were ill.

'Indeed,' she said, 'I must write to Mrs. Warwick to explain. I hope no
harm will come of it, as you have only seen the twins, who are quite
well, so far, and separated from the others.'

But all the same she seemed anxious to get them away, and she suddenly
rang the bell and told George--who must have looked rather astonished to
see the 'school brats' such friends with his mistress--to run round to
the stables and tell the coachman to call at the house on his way to
fetch Lord Nearn from somewhere or other. That was how Anne and Serry
came home in a carriage.

We didn't hear the whole ins and outs of the story at once, but we made
the girls tell it us over afterwards.

Just now Anne could hardly get through with it; for she began crying
when she understood how frightened mums had been, and begging her to
forgive her.

Mums did, of course--she always does. And then she sent us upstairs to
finish our tea. But as we left the library I heard her say to herself--

'I wonder what Lady Nearn can be going to write to me about.'

Serena was quite jolly, and as hungry as anything.

'All's well that ends well,' she said, tossing her hair.

Anne turned upon her pretty sharply. I wasn't sorry.

'Serry,' she said, 'I know you're not to blame like me, for I made you
come. But you might see now how wrong it was, as I do. And "ends well"
indeed! Why, we've given mums and all of them a dreadful fright, and we
haven't found the brooch.'

And--but I must tell that in a new chapter. No, it wasn't 'ends well'
_yet_, by a long way.

'If only you'd asked _me_, Anne,' said Miss Maud Wisdom.

CHAPTER VI

THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW

I was alone with mums in her room the next morning when her letters were
brought up. The poor little thing had a headache and was very tired,
and, for once, she