piece of patch-work and began to _sew_. Betty was the
only one who had guessed it.

The next charade was easier. Every one wrote "music" on his card, after
the two acts in which plaintive _mews_ floated up from the rocks and the
Gibbs family were taken _sick_. All but Jim, who, in the high silk hat
he had worn before, took the part of doctor.

"If they are all as easy as this," thought Betty, "I can surely take one
of the prizes," and she waited eagerly for the next word. In the first
act 'Tildy Gibbs came out with an envelope in her hands, and all of a
sudden Betty's heart gave a guilty thump as she thought of the letter
she and Eugenia had left lying on the hall table. They had forgotten
their promise.

"But it is Eugenia's fault every bit as much as it is mine," she
thought, looking across the semicircle, where Eugenia sat serenely
unconscious of forgotten promises. "She's just as much to blame as I am.
Oh, well, I'll mail it first thing in the morning."

But her conscience kept troubling her. "Your godmother asked if she
could trust you, and she said it was important. You know you promised.
There's time yet to slip away and post that letter before the mail train
goes by."

But Betty would not listen to her conscience. She resolutely turned her
attention to the charades, until all at once she seemed to hear Miss
Allison's voice saying, "I like this little hand. It will keep a promise
to the utmost." Then Keith's conversation of the night before came back
to her about his motto and his badge. But more than all, the thought of
being worthy of her godmother's trust in her impelled her to keep her
promise.

It was a hard struggle that went on in the little girl's mind just then.
From the puzzled glances around her she was sure that she was the only
one who had guessed all the charades correctly; therefore she stood the
best chance of winning the first prize, and she wanted it--oh, how she
wanted it!--for Mrs. Sherman had said that it was a book. And yet--her
sacred promise! If she kept it, she would lose her only chance. It was
twilight in the woods, and it would be dark before she could get back to
the picnic-grounds. It wouldn't be right to ask any one else to go with
her, and miss the chance of winning the prize, too. Still, there was
that promise, and it must be kept--to the utmost. All these thoughts
went on, swaying her first to one decision and then another.

She half rose from the rug where she was sitti