of my own alone
with "my pink pet," for that was the only "real" name I ever gave to the
shell, and no longer in the least regretted Miss Trotter or Lady
Mirabelle, though I often "amused" my present favourite with stories of
the sayings and doings of its predecessors in my affections.

Of course my pink pet accompanied me home. There was great consultation
with my shell as to the nineteen others to be chosen, and there was one
moment's breathless suspense when my aunt told me to show her my
selection, and I gravely did so, watching her face the while.

What if she should refuse to me the gift of the one, for which I would
gladly have gone without all the others?

"You have made a very modest choice, Lois," she said at last. "Are you
sure you wouldn't like any others better? These are rather rare shells,"
she added, touching a little group of two or three that generally
figured as my pink pet's maids of honour, "but these, and this, and
this--are common enough."

"But this is the only one of the sort in the cabinet," I replied,
reddening with vexation, for my favourite had been one of those Aunt
Lois had described as "common." Actually, at the risk of losing my
beautiful shell, I could not help standing up in its defence.

"Why, that's the one I thought so pretty, isn't it?" said Emilia, coming
forward. "Lois thinks it worth its weight in gold, aunt. She keeps it in
an old pill-box, and----"

"You're _very_ unkind, Emilia," I exclaimed angrily; "you've no business
to pry into what I do."

"Hush--hush! my dear," said Aunt Lois in her fussy way, yet not
unkindly, and looking at me with some curiosity. "Give me my spectacles,
and let me see this remarkable shell better. Yes--you are right, your
young eyes are sharper than mine, it _is_ a rare shell. I think there
were only two of them in the cabinet, and one must have been broken,
though I did not know it."

Oh, how I trembled! Supposing Aunt Lois were to say she could not spare
this one precious specimen! Emilia put my thoughts into words for me,
for which I did not thank her.

"If it is the only one," she said, "of course Lois won't expect you to
give it to her." She glanced at me reproachfully. My eyes fell, but I
did not speak.

"I would not on any account go back from my promise," said my aunt. "If
the child has a special fancy for the shell, let her have it by all
means, even were it far more valuable than it is."

I could hardly speak, so great had be