Happily, Mr. Stiles appeared in time to prevent another outbreak, saying: "Come, Angelina. You may as well go in first." "Oh, dear!" sighed Angelina. "I wish Mother had come!" And she was led away into the great court-room. One by one Mr. Stiles came for the girls, until Ella was left alone. She curled herself up like a kitten in one of the large arm-chairs, and silently took in her unaccustomed surroundings with keen enjoyment. "Come, Ella," said Mr. Stiles kindly. And she followed him slowly into the court-room, hearing some one whisper lightly as she passed: "So there is another one. I wonder if her testimony will carry as much weight as that of her mates. It was foolish to expect such children, and girls too, to identify any one." As Ella cast a slow, thoughtful look about the room, her blue eyes suddenly dilated, and, leaving Mr. Stiles's side, she walked straight up to one of the lawyers, who regarded her curiously, when, dropping a quaint little courtesy that her grandmother had taught her, she said modestly: "Excuse me, sir,--perhaps I ought not to tell you here, but perhaps I may not see you again,--and I found your gold eagle." "What did you say?" asked the gentleman kindly. "How do you happen to know me, little girl? And what was that about a gold eagle?" "I do not know you, sir; but Grandma says one may speak to a stranger on business. I saw you that day--Freeman's meeting-day, it was, you know--when you drove through North Damesfield, and a strap in your harness broke. When you took out your knife to mend it, you dropped a gold eagle, and I picked it up. Grandma has it at home in her china tea-pot, and will be ever so glad I saw you, for ten dollars is a great deal of money to have in the house--when it is not your own." It was a funny little episode to happen in the crowded court-room, and the lawyers all turned to listen; and the grave judge, from his high seat, looked kindly down upon the little girl, while a smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth and hinted of granddaughters at home. "How do you know it was I who lost the money?" asked Mr. Gorden, with twinkling eyes. [Illustration] "Why, I saw you, sir, and I could not help knowing you again." "How was it, Mr. Gorden?" asked the judge, as if this diversion was not altogether unwelcome; and the lawyer replied: "I did drive through North Damesfield, on Freeman's meeting-day, by the old turnpike, to avoid the mud by the river road. The harness did break, and I feared for a time that I might have trouble with my horses; I had purchased them only two days before. I did make a new hole in the strap with my pocket-knife, and I surely on that day lost a ten-dollar gold piece. I thought, however, that it was stolen from me at the miserable little tavern where I had spent the previous night. I am so glad to find myself mistaken, that I gladly give the gold piece to my little friend here, who, it seems to me, has a better claim to it than I have."