154 MADGE'S MISTAKE.

listens to the story with much astonishment,
evidently pitying me from the bottom of his
good old heart.

“Then I am to understand,” says Father,
“that you picked these particular roses quite
ignorant of what they were?”

“Oh, yes, Father,” I cry, my spirits reviv-
ing a shade, “I had no idea that they were
intended for the show, and I wanted to take
Mother a nice bunch, she was so poorly that
day, and she loves roses so.”

“Yes, yes, I understand all that,” says
Father, rather impatiently, “and it was care-
less of Williams, very, to leave the place
open; but the fault lies here, Madge, that
you did not come straight to me and say
what had happened, directly you found out
what you had done unconsciously.

I stare at Father in complete astonishment
at this awful suggestion! What can he be
thinking about? as if he did not know as
well as I do myself, that not one of us would
dare do such a thing.

“Tf you had done this,” continues Father,