fort Pease. She hurried as fast as she could, but her
feet felt like lead, and it seemed to her that she should never reach
home. But when at last she came in sight of the lighted kitchen
windows her heart gave a joyful leap, for she saw her mother's figure
moving behind them, and knew that Matilda's story was not true in her
case.

When she reached the door she leaned against it a minute. She was so
out of breath, and her knees seemed failing under her. Then she
opened the door and went in.

Her father and mother and grandmother were all in there, and they
turned round and stared at her.

"Comfort Pease," cried her mother, "what is the matter?"

"You didn't fall down, or anythin', did you?" asked her grandmother.

Then Comfort burst out with a great sob of confession. "I--took--it,"
she gasped. "I took my gold ring that Aunt Comfort gave me for her
name--and--I wore it to school, and Miss Tabitha pinned it in my
pocket, and I lost it. And Matilda she gave me the gold dollar her
Uncle Jared gave her to buy me another, and we walked a mile and a
half apiece to Bolton, to buy it in Gerrish's, and I couldn't; and I
was afraid something had happened to mother; and I'm sorry." Then
Comfort sobbed until her very sobs seemed failing her.

Her father wiped his eyes. "Don't let that child cry that way,
Em'ly," said he to Mrs. Pease. Then he turned to Comfort. "Don't you
feel so bad, Comfort," he coaxed. "Father'll get you some peppermints
when he goes down to the store to-night." Comfort's father gave her
a hard pat on her head; then he went out of the room with something
that sounded like an echo of Comfort's own sobs.

"Comfort," said Mrs. Pease, "look here, child. Stop crying, and
listen to what I've got to say. I want you to come into the parlor
with me a minute."

Comfort followed her mother weakly into the best parlor. There on the
table stood the rosewood work-box, and her mother went straight
across to it and opened it.

"Look here, Comfort," said she; and Comfort looked. There in its own
little compartment lay the ring. "Miss Tabitha Hanks found it in the
road, and she thought you had taken it unbeknownst to me, and so she
brought it here," explained her mother. "I didn't let you know
because I wanted to see if you would be a good girl enough to tell me
of your own accord, and I'm glad you have, Comfort."

Then Comfort's mother carried her almost bodily back to the warm
kitchen and sat her before the fire