in her hand, was wandering through the shrubbery.

"Why, Lucy," she exclaimed, "what a time you have been away! I've
tried everything I could think of to pass the time; looked over all
your books, and couldn't find a nice one I hadn't read; teased Alick
and Fred till they went off for peace, and pussy till she scratched my
arm. Just look there!"

But Lucy's mind had been too much absorbed to descend at once to the
level of her cousin's trifling tone; and having been vexed previously
at her refusal to accompany her to Sunday school, she now regretted
exceedingly that Stella had not been present to hear Miss Preston's
earnest words.

"Oh, Stella," she said eagerly, "I do _so_ wish you had been with me!
If you had only heard what Miss Preston said to us, it would have done
you good all your life."

"Well, you know I don't worship Miss Preston," replied Stella, always
ready to tease, "she looks so demure. And as for dressing, why, Ada
and Sophy wouldn't be seen out in the morning in that common-looking
muslin she wore to church."

"Oh, Stella, how can you go on so?" exclaimed Lucy impatiently. "If
you only had something better to think of, you wouldn't talk as if you
thought dress the one thing needful."

"That's a quotation from one of Uncle Raymond's sermons, isn't it?"
rejoined Stella aggravatingly.