out and came back again without any apparent adventure. She
had five pounds in her pocket, and thought herself rich beyond the
dreams of avarice. What a delightful fairy-gift had been handed down
to her by her dear dead father! She did not miss the brooch in the
least, but she valued the small sum she had obtained for it
exceedingly.

But while Maggie thought herself so secure, and while the pleasant
jingle of the sovereigns as she touched them with her little hand
comforted her inexpressibly, things quite against Maggie Howland's
supposed interests were transpiring in another part of the school.

It was a strange fact that on this special afternoon both the queens
should be prostrated with headache. It is true that Queen Maggie's
headache was only a fiction, but poor Queen Aneta's was real enough.
She was lying down in her pretty bedroom, hoping that quiet might
still the throbbing of her temples, when the door was very softly
opened, and Merry Cardew brought in a letter and laid it by her side.

"May I bring you some tea upstairs, Aneta?" she said. "Is there
anything I can do for you?"

"Oh no, darling," said Aneta. "I can't eat or drink; but if I stay
very still I shall be better by-and-by. Leave me now, dear; all I want
is perfect quiet."

"I am so sorry for you, Aneta," said Merry.

"What are you doing downstairs?" said Aneta as the girl turned away.

"Well, Maggie has a headache too."

"Oh!" said Aneta.

"So we are without our queens," continued Merry; "but Maggie's girls
have taken possession of our sitting-room, and we are all in the
schoolroom. We're having great fun and are very happy, so don't worry
about us at all, Aneta."

"I won't," said Aneta, closing her eyes, while a feeling of drowsy
relief stole over her.

Her anxiety with regard to Maggie was really making her ill. Her sense
of responsibility with reference to the Cardew girls seemed to oppress
her usually calm spirit. She could not conceal the fact from herself
that Merry loved Maggie, most passionately. The knowledge, therefore,
that Maggie was not downstairs gave her such a sense of comfort that
she dropped into a doze, and when she awoke a short time afterwards
her headache was gone.

Yes, her headache had departed, but there lay by her pillow what is a
great treasure to all schoolgirls--an unopened letter. She looked at
the handwriting, and saw that it was from her aunt, Lady Lysle. Aneta
was very fond of Lady Lysle; and, sitting