"Yes," said Mr. Powers, drawing his little daughter fondly towards him, and kissing her forehead,--"yes, I believe Belle is really trying for that charity which may keep us in love and peace with God and man." "Papa," whispered Belle, with her arms about his neck, "it used to be real hard not to think Mabel was the spoildest, worst child that ever lived, and that would do all kinds of bad things; and now I don't like to think that about her, or to have other people think so. Is that 'cause I tried to have love-charity for her? Bessie said it was when I told her." "Yes, darling, I think so." "And, papa, Maggie said one of her nice, pleasant-sounding things. She said when we were like sunbeams ourselves it made things look bright and good that would look ugly and dark if we were not nice and bright ourselves. Maggie makes sunniness and shinyness herself, and so does Bessie; and they try all they can to think people wouldn't do bad things." After the children had been dismissed for the night, there was some discussion between their parents whether or no it would be better for Mabel to go to school till the mystery was cleared up; but it was at last decided that there should be no change, and she should go as usual. "If she will," said Mrs. Walton, to which her husband replied,-- "I think, my dear, it is time that Mabel was learning to do what she _must_, and not what she _will_. I fear we have ourselves to blame for much of this trouble, which has arisen from the wilfulness and selfishness we have too long overlooked." But Mabel was so subdued by her trouble, and by her sorrow for her past misconduct to Belle, that she offered no resistance to going to school the next day, further than to say she did not want to go. "Oh, yes, dear!" said her father: "there is no reason why you should not." "I'm afraid the children won't believe me about Belle's locket," she whispered; "and they'll look at me." "But if you stay away it would seem as if you were really guilty," said Mr. Walton. "I do not think your school-mates will be unkind to you; and if they are, you must bear it as a part of the punishment for your naughtiness to Belle. Mamma and I think it better you should go. If you are innocent, you need not be afraid." And Mabel, quite broken-spirited, submitted without any of the loud outcries with which she usually met any opposition to her wishes. "I know that they'll all be mad at me, and point at me, and every thing," she sobbed, as she started for school with Belle and the two nurses. "If any of them are so bad to you, I will tell them to have 'love-charity;' and if they don't, I won't be friends with them any more, but be very offended with them indeed," said Belle, forgetting that her new rule could work more ways than one, and hold good for others than Mabel. Just now she was so full of forgiving pity and sympathy for her cousin that she thought only of helping her and doing battle in her behalf.