Her first impulse was simply to say to the child: "I wonder if I know anything about it," and then to tell how she had picked it up. But Nellie Hungerford's next remark prevented her doing so. "Mother is quite certain that she lost it in the train, for she remembers taking the parcel out when she was looking for some sandwiches in her bag; she noticed then that the string was loose. Mother is convinced that she lost it in the train. Oh dear! oh dear! I should not mind quite so badly if Pauline was not wearing hers. There, Fred-- do you see her?" continued the little girl. "It is shining on her arm, and that horrid ruby is gleaming like a bit of fire. I am miserable without mine and, although mother will get me another, it won't be at all the same thing not wearing it on break-up day." "Well, dear--it cannot be helped now," said the brother, "and I see one of the teachers calling you. I suppose you must take your place. You look very nice indeed, Nellie, and no one will miss the bangle." "Do I really look nice?" asked Nellie, fixing her pretty eyes on her brother's face. "Of course you do," he answered. "You look charming, Miss Hungerford," suddenly interposed Brenda, "and if I may venture to give an opinion, I prefer little girls without bangles." This was a remark which at once pleased young Hungerford and displeased his sister. "I suppose my mamma knows what little girls ought to wear," she said with great dignity, and then she moved off to take her seat amid the other girls. When she was gone, Brenda felt a curious flutter at her heart. If Mrs Hungerford was sure that she had lost her bangle in the train, why need wicked Brenda ever return it to her? Surely, she might keep it as her own delightful possession. She might wear it at Marshlands-on-the-Sea, and attract the attention of that most desirable youth whom she hoped to secure as her future husband. "Do you know--I quite agree with you," said a voice in her ear. She turned to confront the dark eyes of Fred Hungerford. "What about?" she asked, forgetting herself for the moment. "I would rather my little sisters did not wear ornaments while they are so young, but mother was specially anxious to please them, and insisted on buying the bangles when we were in Paris a fortnight ago. They were very pretty and simple of their kind, and, I know, good too. The turquoise one, strange to say, was the more expensive of the two. Mother would have liked to get a turquoise for each, but they are such an untidy pair she felt certain one would get lost, and so decided that Pauline should be responsible for the ruby, and dear little Nellie for the turquoise. Then, I wanted her to have them sent to the children by registered post, instead of bringing them to-day, but she wouldn't. She wouldn't even bring them in boxes, but just slipped them into a piece of tissue paper the last moment, and, of course, one of them has got lost!"