d.

"A key! a door key!" cried Herbert, stooping to pick it up. "Why, Meta,
what key is it? and what are you doing with it?"

"I never heard that it had any particular name," she answered tartly,
snatching it from him and restoring it to her pocket, while her cheeks
flushed crimson.

The others exchanged surprised glances, but said nothing.

"But what door does it belong to? and what are you doing with it?"
persisted Herbert.

"Talk of the curiosity of women and girls!" sneered Meta: "men and boys
have quite as much; but it's against my principles to gratify it."

"Your principles!" laughed Herbert "You, prying, meddling Meta; talking
about other people's curiosity! Well, that's a good one!"

"You insulting boy! I'll tell mamma of you," retorted Meta, beginning to
cry.

"Ha! ha! I wish you would! tell her my remarks about the key, and she'll
soon make you explain where it belongs, and how it came into your
possession."

At that Meta, deigning no reply, put her handkerchief to her eyes and
hurried away toward the house.

"There, she's gone to tell mamma," said Harry.

"Not she," said Herbert, "she knows better; she'd only get reproved for
telling tales, and be forced to tell all about that key. She's been at
some mischief, I haven't a doubt: she's always prying, and meddling with
what she's been told not to touch. Mamma says that's her besetting sin."

"And what does she say is yours?" asked Rosie, looking him steadily in
the eye.

Herbert colored and turned away.

His mother had told him more than once or twice, that he was quite too
much disposed to domineer over, and reprove his younger brother and
sisters.

"Well, I don't care!" he muttered to himself, "'tisn't half so mean a
fault as Meta's. I'm the oldest, and Harry and the girls ought to be
willing to let me tell them of it when they go wrong."

The key, which belonged to a closet in Mr. Lilburn's dressing-room,
seemed to burn in Meta's pocket. She was frightened that Herbert and the
others had seen it.

"They all looked as if they knew something was wrong," she said to
herself, "and to be sure what business could I have with a door-key.
Dear me! why wasn't I more careful. But it's like 'murder will out;' or
what the Bible says; 'Be sure your sin will find you out.'"

She was afraid to meet her mother with the key in her possession, so
took so circuitous a route to reach the house, and walked so slowly that
the others were there some time b