Mademoiselle had helped them to undress. Mademoiselle had herself put the precious bangle away. But no--she was kind--more than kind. It could not be in the heart of such a woman to do anything so shabby. Nevertheless, the thought of Mademoiselle's past treachery had come to both the little sisters, and they hated themselves for it, and feared to glance at each other, and above all things dreaded what Fanchon might be thinking about. Fanchon was, however, far too miserable to worry herself with regard to her little sisters' thoughts. "I cannot make it out," she said. "Of course I shall have to speak to poor Brenda about it." "Perhaps Brenda did it herself," said Nina then. It was an audacious and very wicked thought which had come to the little girl, but she was really intensely anxious to shield Mademoiselle at that moment. The words she uttered bore some fruit, for Fanchon considered them very carefully, and said aloud: "If I really thought that--" "What would you do if you did think that?" asked Josephine. "I should go straight home to papa, and tell him everything-- everything!" was Fanchon's answer. "But have you a great deal to tell him?" "I have--oh, I have. I am a miserable girl! That odious--that vulgar-- that detestable bangle--is _that_ what I am to have in the end? She probably did _exchange_ it for the real one, because she wanted to wear the real one herself. Oh, girls--how am I to endure it!" "Buck up, whatever you do," said Nina; "and remember your promise." "Oh--how I hate promises!" said Fanchon. "I want to fly at her now, horrid thing! and confront her with the truth." "Well, you can't anyhow for the present, on account of your promise," said Josie. "Perhaps to-night you may talk to her, but certainly not before; and it's time for us to be going down to the sands," said Nina. "We'll lose all our morning's fun if we don't. I want to get some of those buns from the little old woman who brings them round in her basket. I'll get Brenda to buy them for us; I'm ever so hungry, and I'm not going to be afraid of Brenda to-day." "You'll have to take your notebook," said Fanchon; and then she gave a half-laugh. "I!" exclaimed Nina. "Not I. I think the time of tyranny with Brenda is nearly over." The girls put on their hats, and strolled down to the beach. Brenda was there looking quite happy and unconcerned. She called Fanchon a little aside, and desired the younger girls to amuse themselves building castles in the sand. "I am too old for that," said Josephine. "Not a bit," exclaimed Brenda. "How ridiculous you are! you are nothing but a baby. Anyhow, please yourselves, both of you, for I want to talk to Fanchon." "It's horrid, the way you make Fanchon grown-up, and make Nina and me quite little babies!" said Josie. But Brenda looked troubled, and was quite indifferent to her small pupil's remarks with regard to her conduct.