ine, Mrs. Hoyle, came to call. She was
the aunt whom we have already mentioned as being given to insincerity;
she was not well off, and had a tendency to flatter people; but
Priscilla was fond of her notwithstanding, and she had never detected
her in any insincerity towards herself. She was sent into the
drawing-room to entertain her aunt until her mother was ready to come
down, and her aunt, as usual, overwhelmed her with affectionate
admiration. 'How pretty and well you are looking, my pet!' she began,
'and oh, what a beautiful frock you have on!'

'The little silkworms wore it before I did, aunt,' said Priscilla,
modestly.

'How sweet of you to say so! But they never looked half so well in it,
I'll be bou---- Why, my child, you've dropped a stone out of a brooch or
something. Look--on the carpet there!'

'Oh,' said Priscilla, carelessly, 'it was out of my mouth--not out of a
brooch, I never wear jewellery. I think jewellery makes people grow so
conceited; don't you, Aunt Margarine?'

'Yes, indeed, dearest--indeed you are _so_ right!' said her aunt (who
wore a cameo-brooch as large as a tart upon her cloak), 'and--and surely
that can't be a _diamond_ in your lap?'

'Oh, yes, it is. I met a fairy this morning in the lane, and so----' and
here Priscilla proceeded to narrate her wonderful experience. 'I thought
it might perhaps make papa and mamma value me a little more than they
do,' she said wistfully, as she finished her story, 'but they don't take
the least notice; they made me put the jewels on the fire--they did,
really!'

'What blindness!' cried her aunt; 'how _can_ people shut their eyes to
such a treasure? And--and may I just have _one_ look? What, you really
don't want them?--I may keep them for my very own? You precious love!
Ah, I know a humble home where you would be appreciated at your proper
worth. What would I not give for my poor naughty Belle and Cathie to
have the advantage of seeing more of such a cousin!'

'I don't know whether I could do them much good,' said Priscilla, 'but I
would try my best.'

'I am sure you would!' said Aunt Margarine, 'and now, dearest sweet, I
am going to ask your dear mamma to spare you to us for just a little
while; we must both beg very hard.'

'I'll go and tell nurse to pack my things now, and then I can go away
with you,' said the little girl.

When her mother heard of the invitation, she consented quite willingly.
'To tell you the truth, Margarine,' she sai