time to be careful and poor Marcus would still be rejoicing in the
sun. He did not dare to lift his eyes as he entered the room; he
was afraid to look again on that pitiful spectacle of his making.
Oscar had laid a newspaper on the bed and placed the dustpan on it
and now was looking mournfully down at Marcus. "'Tain't no use," he
muttered, "head's smashed. It's an awful shame! Don't see how it
got out of the room--I shut the door tight. Wish I'd locked it!
Guess Aunt Nellie'll be vexed when she finds I've lost Ned's snake.
Well, she's vexed about something most of the time, so it can't be
helped!" Then, for the first time seeing Edmund's miserable face,
he tried to comfort him. "It's lucky you didn't have him long, Ned,
so you hadn't got fond of him. And I'll buy you another"--

Edmund lifted his head. Though Oscar did not guess it, in those last
few moments he had fought; a bitter fight with himself. He
interrupted his cousin: "The snake isn't mine. I didn't buy it.
It's Lady Margaret Vincent's." He went on to tell of his finding
the snake.

"Whew!" whistled Oscar. "You're bright to guess all that; probably
'tis hers. And you didn't tell Aunt Nora or Aunt Nellie?"

"They'll know fast enough now," replied Edmund gloomily, "after all
this racket--they're running about yet!"

"Well, we'd had to told them anyhow," said candid Oscar, "and I
guess I'll catch it. It's truly my fault. _You_ didn't do
nothing. But I ought to have staid and watched and--I declare I'd
forgotten it till this very minute--aunt Nellie told me I mustn't
run out in the streets, ever, without Celeste; she tells me so many