Mona hurriedly lifted the big book out from under the mats and odds and ends that were arranged on its side. She had never read aloud from the Bible before, and at any other time her shyness would have almost overcome her. To-day, though, she was possessed with a feeling that in the Bible she would perhaps find something that would rouse and cheer granny, and charm her own fears away, and she was in a hurry to get it and begin. CHAPTER XI. Patty found Millie Higgins down on the Quay, where she was shouting and laughing with five or six others who were playing 'Last Touch.' No one would have guessed that she had left two sad and aching hearts and a ruined treasure behind her but half an hour ago. Patty, with a growing scorn in her eyes, stood by talking to Philippa Luxmore until the game had finished. She meant not to lose sight of Millie until she had had her say. Millie caught sight of Patty, though, and dashed into another game without any pause. She did not know that Patty had come especially to speak to her, but she did not want to have anything to say to Patty--not for a while, at any rate. She would rather wait until the events of the afternoon had been forgotten a little. Patty guessed, though, what her purpose was, and, after she had waited for another game to end, she went boldly up to her. "Millie," she said, without any beating about the bush, "I've come to ask you to go and tell Mrs. Barnes that it was you that broke her beautiful tea-set." Millie coloured, but she only laughed contemptuously. The rest of the little crowd looked on and listened, open-mouthed. "Dear me! Have you really, Miss Poll Pry! Well, now you have asked me you can go home again, and attend to your own affairs. We don't want you here." Patty took no notice of her rudeness. "Millie," she pleaded, "you will tell? You won't let Mona bear the blame." "I don't know what you're talking about----" "Oh, yes, you do. I saw you come out. I mean, I thought that was where you came from. I was just going in to speak to Mona myself, and I found her----" "Mona Carne's a sneak." "No, she isn't." "Well, she needn't tell her grandmother that she knows anything about it. It might have been the wind blew the things over, or a cat. If I was Mona I'd go out to play, and let her come in and find the things." "Mona couldn't be so mean and underhand. Mrs. Barnes knows about it already, too." "Then there's no need for me to tell her," retorted Millie, dancing away. "Ta-ta, Patty-preacher." Patty's patience gave out, she could not hide her disgust any longer. "Millie Higgins, I knew you were a bully and a coward, but I didn't know how mean a coward you were."