Show THE STOLEN PEARS I Miss Ellen Mayo was gazing with anything but an amiable look at her young niece herjrosty eyes even colder than usual It is strange things should disap pear 6omystcriously Biscuits from off the table fruit it i any happens to be left it this room and now my pears those I prize so much are beginning to folio1 in tne same manner Are you sure you have not touched them 7 QuIte sure Aunt Ellen you know I would not steal or tell an untruth about it Christie replied firmly I do not know whether I ought to believe you and yet it seems impossible a child having everything she desires should help herself slyly But then children are so greedy 10 Miss Ellen added ad-ded grimly Christie flushed painfully and her blue eyes filled with tears of wounded pride It hurt her that her aunt should suspect her of having taken the fruit innocent as she was Mind I shall question the servants and unless matters arecleared and jou proved guiltless I shall be obliged to mistrust your word Miss Mayo continued con-tinued sharply noting the shamed color in her nieces cheeks Christie sighed and leaving her aunt slate went into the gardeu avoiding that part ol the orchard where MUs Ellens pear trees stood 1 wonder who has taken them It is strange and yet bow could any one unused to our ways know Aunt Ellen I kept her cakes and biscuits in that room 7 It is not surprising she blames uiCr the servants hare been Su long in the family are all such steady old peo pie while I am scarcely more than a stranger given into her charge she thought sadly Aa she s puzzled over this mystery the sound of stealthy footsteps coming down the gravel path fell on her ears making her shriuk feanully behind a big tree Presently the form of a young girl robed in a neat print dress emerged from the screening trees Christie recognized ner in a moment it was the daughter of a poor woman living in one of Miss Ellens cottage who came dally to the house with fresh eggs or to fetch needlework for her mother Chnstie watched her curiously noting how cautiously the girl picked her way through theshrubsgmng quick glances around at every step She saw her peer intu the long French windows leading to Miss Marys own morning room then satisfied entered A suspicion gradually growing rose in Christies heart and she waited breathlessly for Hattc to appear She did not have long to wait Soon the cottage girl crept noiselessly ou of the window and sped swiftly across the path into the orchard Unable to resist her curiosity Christie Chris-tie moved quietly after her taking care to keep out of sight Peering through a screen of green foliage hidden well from view she saw Hattie pause beneath Miss Ellens cherished cher-ished pear tree and gently shake some of the luscious fruit to the ground Indignant Christie started forward and clutched Hattiea hand as it closed round one of the pears Then it is you who are a thief and Aunt Ellen never thought to blame you How dared you steal into our house and take things that did not belong to you 7 how rob Does your mother know you one who has always been so kind to herHattie horror Hattie gave a little shriek of and stood gazing at Christie openmouthed open-mouthed powerless to move or speak Tell me why did you do this 1 do not know Oh indeed I never I she meant to steal If mother knew would kill me I Hattie gasped at last Is it you also who have taken cakes and things continually from the sitting room 7 roomYes Hattie said humbly ft Did you not know it was wrong 1 Ont I today my aunt accused me of the theft and I should have suffered for your guilt Christie replied I It was such a temptation and thought the pears would never be missed miss-ed there are so many in the orchard But not like these My aunt prizes her fruit greatly and lets no one but herself gather these As Hattie lifted her teardimn eyes an expression of horrified te pair cross ed herface and she olntched Christies dress with desperate force Oh Miss Christie here comes your aunt Please dont tell her it was I who touched the pears Let me go before she sees me But then auntie will think I an the thief Christie murmured shrinking away from those clinging fingers She couldnt think that miss you are her own niece rather would she suspect one of her servants Dont tell Miss Christiefor my mothers sake dont tell Christie felt her heart soften and unable un-able to resist that pleading voice she consented to Hnttiea prayer Go if yon wish toand I willDromi not to betray you though in return I you must also promise never to steal again Indeed I wont if yon will only forgive for-give me this once Thank you Miss Christie you are so good Hattie cried fervently lifting her face to Christie Chris-tie Before Miss Ellen had time to arrive she had flown leaving Christie to bear her aunts anger alone for the child knew bow impossible it was for her to escape A triumphant smile wreathed Miss Mayos thin lips as she advanced towards to-wards her nieces Chnstie So Miss Christie I have caught you in the act Im not snrprijedtbough I did have a better opinion of my sisters child than to imagine her both a thief and a storytellerl she began sternly gazing from the fallen fruit to Christies flushed face I The child looked up a pleading expression ex-pression in her face I know you mast think me guilty I aunt everything is so against me yetI yet-I am innocent I Innocent And you expect me to believe your word after what I have seen I suspected what you were doing i out here so came to make sure You cannot < iare not deny having stolen the pearsl I I Christie burst into tears and turning slowly away walked towards the house her heart was very heavy and she regretted I re-gretted having given a promise which i would cause h r much pain and trouble For three days the child was kept locked up in a dark room heronry food dry bread but on the third day Miss Mayo buddenly entered her prison and taking Christie in her arms kissed her many times Forgive me my child for having doubted yon I know now I have judged you wrongly Hattie has con fessed all showing what anoble heart my niece his to bear thus anothers guilt Yon will not scold Hattie nor leave off being kind to her mother Christie asked anxiously No dear bur your sake 1 have forgiven for-given her and I think Hattie hiss been punished already at seeing you suffer j So peace being restored Christie was again set free |