id that these gardens were taken
without leave; they were not given at all."

"I have heard you say more than once," answered Emily, with an easy
smile, "that it is the privilege of the giver to forget. I never had a
very good memory."

"But they confessed themselves that they _took_ them."

"Well, John, then if you said they were to apologize," answered Emily,
giving them just the shadow of a smile, "of course they must;" and so
they did, the little boys with hot blushes and flashing eyes, the little
girl with innocent unconsciousness of shame. Then "Mrs. Nemily" rather
spoilt the dignity of the occasion by taking her up and kissing her;
upon which the child inquired in a loud whisper--

"But now we've done our _apologize_, we may keep our gardens, mayn't
we?"

At this neither she nor John could help laughing.

"You may, if papa has no objection," said Emily, suddenly aware of a
certain set look about Miss Fairbairn's lips, and a glance of reproof,
almost of anguish, from her stern blue eye.

Miss Fairbairn had that morning tasted the sweetness of hope, and she
now experienced a sharp pang of jealousy when she saw the children
hanging about Emily with familiar friendliness, treading on her tucks,
whispering confidences in her ears, and putting their flowers on the
clean chintz of her ottomans. These things Justina would have found
intolerable if done to herself, unless in their father's presence. Even
then she would have only welcomed them for the sake of diverting them
from Emily.

She felt sure that at first all had been as she hoped, and as it ought
to be; and she could not refrain from darting a glance of reproof at
Emily. She even felt as if it was wrong of John to be thus beguiled into
turning away when he ought to have been cultivating his acquaintance
with her mind and character. It was still more wrong of Emily to be
attracting his notice and drawing him away from his true place, his
interest, and now almost his duty.

Emily, with instant docility, put the little Anastasia down and took up
her knitting, while Miss Fairbairn, suddenly feigning a great interest
in horticulture, asked after John's old gardener, who she heard had just
taken another prize.

"The old man is very well," said John, "and if you and Mrs. Walker would
come over some morning, I am sure he would be proud to show you the
flowers."

Miss Fairbairn instantly accepted the proposal.

"I always took an interest in that old man,"