It would pass to a careless observer, but to one accustomed to these things the fraud is plainly evident." "Oh, Mr.Greatorex," and Elise looked sorrowful, "I don't care so much about the sampler being less valuable than I thought, as I do about having to think the friend who gave it to me would cheat me!" "Perhaps she didn't.

Perhaps somebody cheated her." "No; she told me her mother gave her this, and that she had had it from her mother and grandmother--and so forth." "Then I fear your friend knew of the fraud,--though perhaps her mother gave it to her as it is now." "Can you judge if the stitches were picked out recently ?" "I should say very recently.

The canvas is faded, of course, but, as you see, the threads beneath where the missing stitches were is quite a shade lighter.

Had the picking been done years ago, the canvas would have assumed a uniform tinge,--or nearly so." "Of course it would,--I can see that for myself.

Oh, dear!--Well, Mr.
Greatorex, don't say anything about this, will you ?" "Certainly not.