ome along, Soph, or we'll, leave you behind."

Elsie hurried along with nervous haste, and the others had to exert
themselves to keep up with her, but just as they reached the door the
tea-bell rang.

The children exchanged glances of fright and mortification.

"What shall we do?" whispered Elsie.

"Dear! if we were only dressed!" said Sophy. "Let's go in just as we are;
maybe no one will notice."

"No," replied Elsie, shaking her head, "that would never do for me; papa
would see it in a moment and send me away from the table. It would be
worse than waiting to dress."

"Then we will all go upstairs and make ourselves decent, and afterwards
take the scolding as well as we can," said Harold, leading the way.

Chloe was in Sophy's room, waiting to attend to her child. She did not
fret the little girl with lamentations over her tardiness, but set about
adjusting her hair and dress as quickly as possible.

Elsie looked troubled and anxious.

"Papa will be very much vexed, and ashamed of me, too, I am afraid," she
said with tears in her eyes. "And, Sophy, what will your mamma say? Oh!
how I wish I had come in sooner!"

"Never mind," replied Sophy; "mamma won't be very angry, and we'll tell
her the sun wouldn't shine, and so how were we to know the time."

Elsie was ready first, but waited a moment for Sophy, and they went down
together. Her first sensation on entering the room and seeing that her
father's chair was empty, was certainly one of relief. When her eye
sought Mrs. Allison's face, it was quite as pleasant as usual.

"You are rather late, little girls," she said in a cheerful tone, "but as
you are usually so punctual, we will have to excuse you this once. Come,
take your places."

"It was cloudy, you know, mamma, and we couldn't see the sun," said
Harold, who was already at the table.

"Very well, Harold, you must try to guess better next time. Rose, help
Elsie to some of that omelet and a bit of the cold tongue."

"No, thank you, ma'am; papa does not allow me to eat meat at night," said
the little girl resolutely, turning her eyes away from the tempting dish.

"Ah! I forgot, but you can eat the omelet, dear," Mrs. Allison said;
"and help her to the honey, and a piece of that cheese, Rose, and put
some butter on her plate."

It cost Elsie quite a struggle, for she was as fond of good things as
other children, but she said firmly, "No, thank you, ma'am, I should like
the omelet, and the honey and t