After the girl had gone away, Mrs.Claudine laid aside her work--for she was not in a state of mind to do any thing but think---and sat for at least an hour, musing upon the strange incident which had occurred.

All at once, it flashed upon her mind that there must be some plot in progress to discredit or rival her new bonnet, which Kitty had learned at Mrs.Ballman's.

The more she thought of this, the more fully did she become satisfied that it must be so.

She was aware that Mrs.Ballman had been chagrined at her leading off in new fashions once or twice before; and the fact, evident now, that she knew of her reception of the bonnet, and Kitty's anxiety that she should not wear it on Sunday, led her to the conviction that there was some plot against her.

At first, she determined to appear in her new bonnet, disregardful of Kitty's warning.