left," she said, only thinking of
the triumph of carrying home the means of repairing the deficiency by
her own unassisted sagacity.

"I will ask her, miss. I am sure I never thought Dan would go for to do
such a thing," mourned Judith, though, even as she spoke, there came
back on her recollections of times when she had tried to be blind and
deaf. "But if Mrs Carbonel would let me pay for it, miss, I should be
easier in my mind. I have a shilling, though no doubt that is not the
worth of it." And she began feeling for a little box under her pillow,
never mentioning that she had already paid Dan a shilling for it.

"No, no; nonsense, Judith! Of course my sister would not take it for
the world; but if any one could find another bit, just to patch up the
part above the book-case, it would be nice."

"I will do what in me lays, Miss Sophy," answered Judith.

So Sophy took her leave and trotted home, very proud of her discovery,
which she communicated in an eager voice as the phaeton drew up at the
front door.

"Oh, Edmund, I have found the rest of the drawing-room paper!"

"Hush! not so loud, my dear," said Dora, getting out of the back seat,
and Edmund, being busy in telling the groom to attend to something in
the harness, did not heed at first.

"Did you know, Dora?" asked Sophy, in a lower voice, being struck by
something in her repressive manner.

"Yes; but I did not tell, because Edmund was so much vexed, and it was
of no use now."

Dora really hoped no one had heard, as Mary was busy with her parcels,
and she was too fond of Judith not to wish to shield her family; but it
was too late. The captain came in with, "What's this about the
drawing-room paper?"

Sophy was delighted to pour out the history of her discovery, and tell
how it appeared on the screen that sheltered poor Judith Grey.

"Exactly as I supposed," said Captain Carbonel. "I always believed that
fellow was a thief."

"But it is not poor Judith's fault," exclaimed the sisters, with one
voice.

"She knew nothing about it. She wanted to pay the shilling for it,"
said Sophia.

The captain laughed a little.

"And she is going to search for a bit to go up there!" continued the
girl more vehemently; and he laughed again.

"Yes," said Mary, "if you only saw something of her, you would be
convinced that her whole character is very different from that of the
rest of the family."

"Don't you be taken in by plausibility," said the cap