n the card pinned up against the
wall, "LOOKING UNTO JESUS," which she could now spell out herself. Had
she not been told to "look to Jesus" when unhappy or naughty, and He
would deliver her? She knew now that she could speak to Jesus
anywhere; so, springing out of bed and kneeling down, she simply but
heartily asked Him to help her to be good. Then, putting on her
clothes with all the haste she could, for fear she might be tempted to
change her mind, she ran off unobserved, carrying with her the coveted
frock, which she handed, without a word, to the servant who was
sweeping the steps, and who, recognising her, supposed her stepmother
had forgotten to send it home with the rest of the washing.

Nelly ran off with a heart so much lighter, that she did not mind even
the box on the ear which she received on her return for being out
"idling about," instead of lighting the fire for the breakfast. She
felt she had deserved much more than that, and she contentedly
accepted it as a slight punishment for her wrongdoing.

That day, when Mrs. Connor was working at Mr. Raymond's, Mrs. Steele,
showing her the frock which was now completed, told her it was to be
given to Nelly on condition of her being allowed to go to the picnic.
Mrs. Connor of course grumbled a good deal about the inconvenience of
having to spare Nelly for a whole afternoon, but the frock tempted
her; and reflecting that the opportune arrival of this frock would do
away with any necessity for getting Nelly a new one for a long time to
come, she ungraciously gave her consent that she should go.

When Nelly came that evening for her lesson, Lucy gladly informed her
that she was to be allowed to go to the picnic, and presented her with
the frock which had been provided for her. Lucy was prepared for her
look of surprise, but not so for her covering her face with her hands
and bursting into tears. With some trouble she drew from her a
confused account of the cause of her trouble--the sin she had been led
into, and which touched her generous nature all the more now that the
frock she had been wishing for was so opportunely provided.

Lucy was at first somewhat shocked that Kelly had been capable of
taking such a liberty with what was not her own, not being able to
realize the strength of such a temptation to a child whose possessions
were so few; and she privately resolved not to tell Stella, who would
scarcely have thought how nobly she overcame the temptation.