their hearts
against their gentle little cousin in the unkindest way; they would
scarcely speak to her, and chose to make a grievance out of the fact
that one or other of them was obliged, by their mother's strict orders,
to be constantly in attendance upon her, in order to pick up and bring
Mrs. Hoyle all the jewels that Priscilla scattered in profusion wherever
she went.

'If you would only carry a plate about with you, Priscilla,' complained
Belle one day, 'you could catch the jewels in that.'

'But I don't _want_ to catch the jewels, dear Belle,' said Priscilla,
with a playful but very sweet smile; 'if other people prize such things,
that is not my fault, is it? _Jewels_ do not make people any happier,
Belle!'

'I should think not!' exclaimed Belle. 'I'm sure my back perfectly aches
with stooping, and so does Cathie's. There! that big topaz has just gone
and rolled under the sideboard, and mother will be so angry if I don't
get it out! It is too bad of you, Priscilla! _I_ believe you do it on
purpose!'

'Ah, you will know me better some day, dear, was the gentle response.

'Well, at all events, I think you might be naughty just now and then,
Prissie, and give Cathie and me a half-holiday.'

'I would do anything else to please you, dear, but not that; you must
not ask me to do what is impossible.'

Alas! not even this angelic behaviour, not even the loving admonitions,
the tender rebukes, the shocked reproaches that fell, accompanied by
perfect cascades of jewels, from the lips of our pattern little
Priscilla, succeeded in removing the utterly unfounded prejudices of her
cousins, though it was some consolation to feel that she was gradually
acquiring a most beneficial influence over her aunt, who called
Priscilla 'her little conscience.' For, you see, Priscilla's conscience
had so little to do on her own account that it was always at the service
of other people, and indeed quite enjoyed being useful, as was only
natural to a conscientious conscience which felt that it could never
have been created to be idle.

Very soon another responsibility was added to little Priscilla's
burdens. Her cousin Dick, the worldly one with the yellow boots, came
home after his annual holiday, which, as he was the junior clerk in a
large bank, he was obliged to take rather late in the year. She had
looked forward to his return with some excitement. Dick, she knew, was
frivolous and reckless in his habits--he went to the theatre