Alie. 'Mayn't I go and speak to her? She's all alone. Come,
Smuttie--it'll be a nice run for you. I may, mayn't I, mamma?'

'Very well,' said her mother, and almost before she said the words Biddy
was off.

'She must be a nice little girl,' said Mrs. Vane; 'her mother seems such
a sweet woman. But, Alie, did you ever see anything like Bride's
changeableness?' and she gave a little sigh.

'But, mamma dear, she did say she was sorry very nicely this time--very
_real_-ly,' said Rosalys.

'Yes, darling,' her mother agreed.

A minute or two brought them up to where the two children were standing
talking together, greatly to Bridget's satisfaction, though Celestina
looked very quiet and almost grave.

'How do you do, my dear?' said Mrs. Vane, shaking hands with her. 'I
have just seen your mother; she said you were out a walk, but we did not
know we should find you on the shore. Is it not rather lonely for you
here by yourself?'

'I was looking for shells, ma'am,' Celestina replied. 'There's very
pretty tiny ones just about here sometimes, though you have to look for
them a good deal; they're so buried in the sand.'

'But she has found such beauties, and she takes them home for her dolls
to use for dishes, and some of them for ornaments,' said Biddy. 'Do show