Meta could not be coaxed down again. Maria was not strong enough to carry her to the house, so Charlotte took her up in her arms. But the child would not release her hand from her mother's, and Maria had to walk along, holding it. "You pretty little timid goose!" cried Charlotte, kissing her. "Whatever would you do if you were to lose your mamma?" "It would be a calamity, would it not, Meta?" said Maria, speaking half-jokingly; and Charlotte answered in the same light spirit. "A calamity in one sense, of course. But she might get a chance then of having a little of the rust rubbed out of her. Meta, we must have some more strawberries after this." But Meta could not be seduced to strawberries. Maria said farewell, and led her away, bending her steps to Ashlydyat. The child was frightened still. Janet gravely assured her that the dogs would not come to Ashlydyat, and Meta allowed herself to be taken possession of by Cecil, introducing the subject of Mrs. Bond's beautiful parrot and its large cage as she was going away. "We have heard about the parrot," remarked Bessy to Maria. "Susan Satcherly hobbled up here this morning, and mentioned its arrival. Susan hopes it won't scream all night as well as all day: she hears it next door as plainly as though the parrot were present there. A ten-pound note has come also, she says. Which I am almost sorry for," added Bessy: "though I suppose Mrs. Bond would think me terribly ill-natured if she heard me say so. She will change that note to-day, and never rest until the last shilling of it has been spent." "No, she will not," returned Maria, laughing, holding out the note in triumph. "She has given it to me to keep for her." "Never!" exclaimed Bessy in surprise. "You must have exercised some sleight-of-hand, Maria, to get that!" Maria laughed. "She was in an unusually tractable humour, Bessy. The fact is, a sovereign had arrived as well as the bank-note: and that she had changed." Bessy nodded her head. She knew Mrs. Bond of old. "I understand," said she. "Was she very bad, Maria?" "No; not then. But I can't say what she may be before the day is over. She brought a handful of silver out of her pocket." "Now, mind, Maria--don't give her up that note, let her ask for it ever so," advised Bessy. "Keep it until winter." "If she will allow me," replied Maria. "But she only resigned it on condition that I would return it to her if she asked for it. I promised that I would do so." "_I_ should not: promise or no promise," returned Bessy. "Keeping it would be for her good, you know, Maria." Maria shook her head. She could not be strong-minded, as Bessy was, acting for people's good against their will; and she could not go from her promise. She returned the note to her purse, knowing that Mrs. Bond would have it, if she chose to demand it.