A day or two before it was ordered, she had written to her mother, vaguely hinting that she might want some money soon, as her aunt was going to give a large party. But the letter was not answered at once. And when the reply did come, Mabel was told that she must not grow extravagant in her dress—that the blue silk, being fully trimmed, was quite good enough for the party. And if new gloves were necessary, she must buy them out of the money that was given to her before she left home, for no more could be sent to her just now. Mabel was almost stunned when she read the letter. Up-stairs in her desk was the dressmaker's bill, amounting to nearly five pounds, and she had scarcely as many shillings she could call her own. She did not want any more breakfast, but sat toying with her bread and butter and egg instead of eating them. Everybody else at the table was occupied with their own concerns—her uncle with his morning paper, Julia and her mother with their own letters, and Isabel was busy feeding her pet spaniel, so no one noticed Mabel and her almost untouched breakfast. The day was fine and bright, and they were to walk to nurse's cottage as soon as their morning lessons were over. And Isabel was full of eager anticipation, for she had not seen her old nurse for some time. Mabel, on the contrary, was unusually quiet, scarcely speaking except in answer to Isabel, during the whole walk. Her cousin thought she understood this, and, as they drew near the end of their journey, she whispered: "Don't you hope Mrs. Barker will be at home, Mabel?" "Mrs. Barker!" repeated Mabel, whose thoughts were busy over that unpaid dressmaker's bill and her mother's letter. "Yes, dear, have you forgotten?" exclaimed Isabel. "We are going to ask her to tell us some more about that parable. I do so want to know whether God plants this seed of himself in all our hearts," she added. "I think we can learn such things at church," said Mabel a little loftily. "Yes, dear, you can, perhaps, but—but I have not been used to think of such things. And I am not at all clever, and so I like somebody to explain and make everything quite clear," said Isabel. "I—I thought you would have done this for me," she added after a minute's pause and in a lower tone. Mabel's cheek flushed. Was it so then that she—she who had desired above all things to make her life useful, to carry the message of God's love to distant lands—should thus have missed the opportunity that lay at her very feet, so that her cousin, who had been waiting to hear her speak, was thankful now to turn to this old woman for instruction.