er lips tightly
together. "Forgotten all about what I sent her for, of course," she said
sourly. "I thought that new broom was sweeping too clean."

When Bella returned in about ten minutes' time, carrying a basket full of
roots, and a sage-bush on the top, her aunt came to the door to greet her.

"How about that sage I asked you to look for?" she began, but when her eye
fell on the basket the rest of her scolding died away,--"Oh, so you've got
some. Well, it isn't too late," she stammered, trying not to look
foolish, and to speak graciously. It was Bella's turn to colour now.
She had completely forgotten all about her aunt and the supper.
"There wasn't a bit, Aunt Emma, and--and I forgot to come in and tell you,
but I am going to plant some fresh things in the herb-bed. Tom's digging
it over, and I am going to look after it. I asked Aunt Maggie to give me
a root or two, and you can have some of the sage leaves before I plant it;
but "--and she put down her basket, and began to grope in the bottom of
it--"Aunt Maggie sent you a bottle of dried sage, and one of parsley.
She dried them herself. She said if you hadn't got any at any time, they
might be useful,"; and she put the two little bottles into her aunt's hand
with great joy, looking up at her to read her approval in her face.

But Miss Hender's face showed nothing of the sort. "I don't believe in
such new-fangled notions," she said ungraciously; "here, give me a bit of
that," breaking off a sprig of sage, "I want something that's fit to eat,
and has got some goodness left in it!"

The light and pleasure died out of Bella's face. It always hurt her to
hear her Aunt Maggie, or anything of Aunt Maggie's, spoken contemptuously
of, and sudden anger at such petty spitefulness swelled up in her heart,
for it was petty of her aunt, and it was spiteful, and Bella knew it.
Indeed, every one knew it, but no one dared say anything to the foolish
woman, for fear of making matters worse.

In her pleasure, though, at the sight of the work Tom had done in her
absence, Bella recovered herself, and this time she did not forget her
aunt or the supper, but coming upon a few onions she gathered them into
her basket and sent them in by Margery.

By the time Miss Hender came to the door again to call them all in to
supper and bed, the sage bushes and thyme, the roots of mint and borage,
were standing sturdily erect in the newly-turned bed, which was neatly
outlined by large