Aunt Mary | Page 8

'I need not inquire further: I am sorry to say
I have had some sad experience of deception in my eldest daughter, and
have observed in her that silly vanity, that makes outside show a cover
for inward defects. Go!' he added sternly to Mabel; 'I have nothing
more to say to you to-night. It nearly sickens me to think that I have a
daughter base enough to conceal faults, which she is not afraid of
committing.'
With conscious shame and distress, Mabel quitted the dining-room; and
Julia also was retreating, when her papa told her to remain, as he had
something to say to her.
Though Julia felt very sorry for her sister, and would have been glad to
speak a word of comfort to her, yet she was so anxious to hear from her
papa something about the lost brooch, that she was not at all reluctant
to remain; so planting herself by her mother's side, she stood patiently
to listen to what further Mr. Ellis had to say.

'Did you know, Julia, that Mabel had on your mamma's brooch when
you went for a walk?' inquired papa.
Julia hung down her head, yet she answered truthfully;
'Yes, papa, I did know, for I begged her not to wear it.'
'And when she persisted in doing so, why did you not appeal to your
mamma?'
To this question there came no response, so Mr. Ellis continued:
'Let me warn you, my little girl,' he said kindly, 'never to connive at
faults in your brothers or sisters; it is to them a cruel kindness, which
both they and you may live to be sorry for in after life.'
As Mr. Ellis said this, he drew from his waistcoat-pocket the glittering
trinket, which had been the innocent cause of so much anxiety, and
placing it in his wife's hand, said:
'Now, my dear, I advise you to be more careful of your jewels, or you
may lose far more precious ones than this brooch.'
As he made this remark he nodded to Julia, though Mrs. Ellis well
understood what her husband meant.
'Now, my little girl, you may go and join the children, while I tell
mamma how I came by the brooch.'
CHAPTER V.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
Julia was very glad indeed to see the brooch again, and glad also to
receive a dismissal, as she longed to tell her sister the good news.
'And now, my dear,' said Mr. Ellis, when they were alone, 'I suppose
you want to learn the particulars respecting the lost and found.'

'Indeed I do, Arthur,' replied his wife; 'it seems a marvellous thing to
me how the brooch should have come into your possession, or indeed
how it was found at all.'
'Well, it all came about without any magic, as you shall hear,' said her
husband. 'You remember the young lady, Miss Vernon, who was
staying a short time in the winter with our friends the Maitlands, and
whom we were invited to meet?'
'Oh yes, I remember her quite well; I thought her so very pretty, and
she sang so delightfully. But what of her?' inquired Mrs. Ellis.
'Well,' replied the gentleman, 'that lady is now a Mrs. Norton; she is
married to a friend of mine--an old friend, I should say, for we went to
school together.'
'Then he must be considerably older than the lady,' said Mrs. Ellis, 'for
I think she is not twenty yet.'
'You are right there, my dear,' said her husband; 'I dare say Norton is
twice her age: but he is a fine-looking man--and,' added Mr. Ellis, with
a significant smile, 'he has plenty of money, Ada: you know what a bait
that is for the ladies.'
'No, I don't know any such thing, Arthur,' replied the lady, warmly; 'and
I don't like to hear such things said. Men much oftener marry for
money than women do.'
'Well, we will discuss that point some other time, my dear,' said Mr.
Ellis; 'but now for my story:
'As I was walking through the Strand this morning, who should I meet
but the couple we were speaking of. I did not know them at first, but as
they stopped short, and prevented my passing, I soon recognised both
lady and gentleman, though it is many years since I saw the latter.
'After the usual congratulations and shaking of hands had been gone
through, my friend said:

'"Well, I certainly did not expect to meet you here, Ellis, though,
strange to say, you are the very person we came out to call upon; for,
strangely enough, I have in my possession a brooch, which, I feel sure,
must belong to your good wife, as it has her name, Ada Ellis, engraven
on the back. Am I right?" added