ght, and felt thankful that she had
had strength given to resist a temptation to which she now felt she
would have done very wrong to yield. So she went back to her shady
seat with a light heart, and stitched away diligently, not repining
although she heard the merry voices of the party, borne to her from
the river.

As her mother had not returned by the time her task was completed,
she went in and got tea ready; and then calling up two of the gentlest
cows, she had milked them by the time Mrs. Ford appeared, tired and
dusty from her long walk. Her pleased surprise at Bessie's thoughtful
industry in getting through so much of the work which she thought was
still before her, was in itself sufficient reward for the self-denial;
and Bessie felt what a shame it would have been if her mother,
fatigued as she was, had had everything to do on her return, while
_she_ was away on a pleasure-party.

Of course Mrs. Ford was soon informed of Nancy's visit and invitation.
"Oh, my child!" she exclaimed, "I am so glad you refused to go. Mrs.
Thompson, in the village, was just telling me about these cousins of
Nancy's, and says they are the wildest set in Burford, and that their
society wouldn't do Nancy any good. So, if you had gone, I should have
been very sorry. I'm so glad you didn't!"

How glad Bessie was that she had been enabled to resist the
temptation! But she felt she could not take the credit to herself; so
she said:

"I had the greatest mind to go, mother, but something told me I
shouldn't, just as I was almost going."

"Well, it's all the same to me, as you didn't go. And you were a real
good girl, Bessie, to stay!"

What a safeguard is a definite duty conscientiously pursued! If Bessie
had not had her task of sewing to finish, with the feeling that it was
her duty to do it, she might have been more easily led away against
her better judgment.

Nelly Connor had had her temptation, too, the same evening. Her mother
had sent her to take home some clothes she had been washing; and as
Nelly was carrying the basket, she noticed a pretty pink printed frock
lying on the top, which looked as if it would exactly fit her. How
nice it would be, she thought, if she had such a frock to wear to the
picnic! Then came one of the evil suggestions which the tempter is so
ready to put into the heart: what if she should keep it till the
picnic was over, and wear it just that once? She could hide it, and
put it on somewhere out of he