Matilda, while Mrs. Roberts was giving them this account, had looked at Leila once or twice with some anxiety; their eyes now met; Leila’s sunny smile quite reassured Matilda, and she whispered in her ear, “You dear one, you are more beautiful to me than a hundred dragon-flies; and I am so glad that you have not wings, and that you cannot fly away from me.” “Now, Alfred,” Mrs. Roberts said, “put by your net carefully.” “May I not fish just once more, and try for the larva of the gnats and caddis worms which you promised to tell me about?” “No, not to-day; at another time you shall do so.” Mrs. Roberts took Alfred by the hand and turned towards the house, while Leila and Matilda took their way to the flower beds; Matilda with most sanguine anticipations of the money she was about to make. CHAPTER XV. On the following Saturday, Nurse, having some commissions to execute in Richmond, and the weather being uncommonly fine, Leila and her cousins were allowed to accompany her. Matilda had for some days before been pursuing most actively her new method of drying flowers, and had already tied up and placed in all sorts of odd corners half the books in her possession filled with them; and as they had all received that morning their weekly allowance of pocket-money, she felt quite elated, not only by the riches of which she was in actual possession, but by the countless sums she now felt sure of acquiring. In this dangerous state of mind poor Matilda was ill prepared for the trial which awaited her, for some of Nurse’s commissions were to be executed in the very shop which had so often proved a scene of temptation to her. She entered it with many good resolutions. Reels of cotton were wanted by the whole party, and reels of cotton _only_ Matilda was determined to buy. Leila and Selina each selected a pretty little box filled with them; but Matilda’s eyes wandered all over the counter. Alas! that so many bright little eyes should so often wander over forbidden ground. A most tempting, and a much more beautiful box than those selected stood open before Matilda; in addition to reels of cotton it had also scissors and a thimble. It was not at all too large, and it was not at all dear; indeed, she thought it most wonderfully cheap, and she opened and shut it again several times in great admiration. Selina whispered, “You had better put it away, Matilda; you know it is only reels of cotton you require.” “No, Selina,” she said, “you are quite mistaken; you forget that I could not find my thimble this morning; I looked every where for it, and lost so much of my time; and see only how I have hurt my finger with sewing without one, it is quite red; you would not wish me to do that again, I am sure; so I must buy a thimble, and it is only the scissors in addition, you know.” “But, Matilda, your thimble is only mislaid; it will be found I am sure. I saw it on your finger yesterday.”