Show cf J T was a pretty Ill brooch G 0 Gwen v w e en n 1 t L liked it best o of l bS 11 all the gifts sheI she I had haul received in honor of her birthday perhaps perhaps per perU haps because it was the first brooch she had L 9 ever possessed It was of silver and shaped like t a crescent with little gold starS stars star S upon its smooth L surface Uncle t Ben Den had been beer I Ithe the giver and Gwen had bad thanked hi him I Iby by throwing her bel arms about his neck neelu and half smothering him with I kisses Wont the girls at it m mother lher she asked as its she clasped ii itin it itin b bin in the frill at her neck and turned her hem head from side to side before the look ionic ing Ada Jephson wears a a. I brooch but it isn't so pretty as this I Ij j is v vI I would rather you did not wear II it I at school said Mrs Burton Durton I dont don't t of ornaments for little girl gina except on special occasions But nut mother Im I'm eleven now now- no nearly quite grown up with he her L most dignified air Mother smiled and passed her lien hand hanc I caressingly over oven tho the waving hair Not quite dearie deane Shall I take I Icare care of j jar treasure Oh Ott no mother please I want t to keep it in my my own little work work box box il Ill I'll I Ibe be very careful of it it II So Gwen was allowed to take the tho a tiny card card board board box s containing the thi a silver crescent to her own room anc and there she she locked locked it safely away vay in he her r new work box work fathers fathers father's gift gilt But Dut ox on a athe the following morning when she was vas S ready to go to school she the felt that sh she a must take just one peep at her tier brooch How it glistened in the sunlight The Thi a little gold stars seemed to twinkle a as S she gazed at them Ulem Once more Gwen Gore a fastened it in her lace collar and admired ad mired the effect in the mirror She a thought how delightful it would bo to t a wear it in school l it v rl d 0 girls think i fl l. l r Mother did it a thought Gwen as aT she i replaced th the a brooch in its wool cotton bed She Sh only said she would rather I didn't didn wear it every day I wish I might Ii take it for once Gwen dear make haste You Yoi I Ivill will vill be late called Mrs Burton Gwen hven hesitated while a crimson flush I S J tAPI t y C 1 5 5 it- it W WHERE ERE DID YOU GET THIS ruts rose to her cheeks checks Then she quickly locked up the cardboard box but this thi 5 I time it contained nothing but cotton wool The crescent had been slipped I into her pocket Gwen wore Given wore her brooch that morning morn ing lug was duly admired by her hex school school fellows fellows They gathered about abon Ii her tier in the playground and Gwen with an air of consequence told of the many presen presents ts she had received on the previous dayI day I I should like a brooch like that said Susie Carter wistfully She was wasa a no pale pate child not so well welt dressed as asher asher asher her companions Poor Susie had no parents and her aunt with whom she lived was vas not always kind to her Oh Ohl 1 you cannot expect such things said Gwen She did not really mean to be unkind unkind she she was only thoughtless thought thought- but less less but Susies Susie's lips trembled as she turned away When Gwen went home to dinner she hid the brooch in her pocket meaning to run upstairs afterward and put it IL away She had not felt exactly comfortable all morning and andas was as ashamed to meet her mothers mother's yes ryes But when dinner was over mother sent her to the chemists chemist's for some cough mixture for tor Daisy the of the household year old pet and then it was so late that she was obliged to run off to school at once I Wheres your brooch Gwen asked Beaty Clarke as the girls girts trooped out of ot the schoolroom at 4 Beaty and Gwen were particular friends and always walked home homo to gether Two Iwo other girls who were vere going the tho same way came up at that I moment and the four tour walked walked- along with arms entwined in schoolgirl ra fashion hion It is in pocket Gwen's Gens my was re re- ply I forgot to it this p put on afternoon afternoon after after- noon and I shant wear car it every day you know leno I only brought it this thic morning for lor you alt all to look a. al aV Are ClAre there four lour gold stars on it o five asked Edie Denson Benson Im sura I r counted five when you had it on but Florrie says there are only four II j jIm Im I'm not but 1 sure w wp can s soon soel said Gwen drawing her hand from Beatys Beaty's arm Why with Why with It-with with a a. look o of ot alarm its alarm its not in my ray l t t'S Oh It must be be cried Beaty re 1 S S. r But it isn't really and oat oata oa ut can cana a a. handkerchief two of f slate j pencil a ball of shaded wool and a thimble The pocket held nothing more Gwen turned it inside out but nothing appeared save a few biscuit crumbs M 1 What shall I do What will mother say and Gwen beg began n to cry Where could you have lost it j wondered Edie e J J I dont don't know I dont don't believe I put my hand in my any pocket once all the af I do think she added sod sad denly that Susie Carter must roust ha hav taken it fr r f L LWell Oh Gwen rr- rr Well I do She was sitting next to me and you know now how she stared at it this morning j shall hall you tell Miss Thompson 1 i It wouldn't do any good because I have no proof But I shall just ask Susie I cant can't help thinking she ha has got it Of 01 course shell she'll deny it But unless 1 find it I shant shan't speak to her hel again It c couldn't have got out of my pocket by itself itselL It was down at the tho bottom It I Gwen went sorrow sorrowfully tully home and made a sobbing confession to hen berl mother that evening Mrs Burton seemed less concerned at the loss of the brooch than at the thought of her daughters daughter's disobedience and she did not at all share Gwen's suspicion of oi Susie I You are too hasty dear she said j If Ada Jephson were to lose her hel brooch you would not like her bel to accuse accuse ac ac- ac cuse you of taking it You have havo no grounds for suspecting ting Susie Do not say anything to her lien So Gwen did not accuse Susie of stealing her brooch as she had meant to do but poor Susie did not have a. a pleasant time of it the following following follow follow- ing week Gwen would not speak to to her and Beaty and Edie turned their heads aside whenever she approached th them m. m She was shunned in the tho playground playground playground play play- ground and could only look on at th this th games instead o of joining in them On the Saturday afternoon it rained so Gwen was forced to remain indoors and ana Daisy coax coaxed d her into the play play-i room to take part in a a. dolls doll's wedding I Daisy had seven dolls and the the were wera all ull dressed in their best with scraps ana and ribbon fastened to their garments garment i ins Motho 1 b at t I JY couple of pears peats and aud a a. tiny ice to serve as a a. wedding wedding cake J Which of ot them is going to be bened s t ned ried asked Gwen smiling at the a 1 z of waxen beauties My dear Queen Dorofea Dorotea Don you see her bel veil And look at ather ather her crown lisped Daisy I Gwen started and looked more moro closely at the tho doll Queen Dorothea Dor 1 othea certainly wore a a. veil veil veil-a. a piece of white muslin descending to the hem of o her pink gown an antI and fasten I Ito to her flaxen hair bail was the tho crown crown- silver crescent brooch studded with gold stars Where did you get this demanded Gwen removing the tho ornament without without without with with- out regard to her majesty's feelings I it said Daisy opening opening- wide her blue eyes Dont take tako it Gwenny its it's mine I t it on th the floor downstairs one day a long ago bout ago bout twenty or else a week I It Its Iqs is my brooch that Uncle lIen Den gave me the said Gwen decidedly j Daisy broke into such a piteous wail wall that mother came running upstairs to find her pet sobbing out that Queen Dorofea had lost her crown and andl couldn't be now now not not never Daisy was soon consoled with a n crown cut out o of or gilt paper and Gwen ven regained her lost treasure She waa was very sorry and ashamed of ot her behavior behavior behavior be be- be- be havior toward too Susie and asked her hen pardon on Monday morning before all aU her companions companions no no easy eay task for proud Gwen i i And when S Susies Susie's birthday came sh shwas she shot was presented with a pretty silver brooch by Gwen who had bought it with the money she shed h I id d been savin since the day Queen Dorothea lost h b crown S |