Mamma says that's her besetting sin." "And what does she say is yours ?" asked Rosie, looking him steadily in the eye.
Herbert colored and turned away.
His mother had told him more than once or twice, that he was quite too much disposed to domineer over, and reprove his younger brother and sisters.
"Well, I don't care!" he muttered to himself, "'tisn't half so mean a fault as Meta's.

I'm the oldest, and Harry and the girls ought to be willing to let me tell them of it when they go wrong." The key, which belonged to a closet in Mr.Lilburn's dressing-room, seemed to burn in Meta's pocket.

She was frightened that Herbert and the others had seen it.
"They all looked as if they knew something was wrong," she said to herself, "and to be sure what business could I have with a door-key.
Dear me! why wasn't I more careful.

But it's like 'murder will out;' or what the Bible says; 'Be sure your sin will find you out.'" She was afraid to meet her mother with the key in her possession, so took so circuitous a route to reach the house, and walked so slowly that the others were there some time before her.
Her mother was on the veranda looking out for her.

"Why, how late you are, Meta," she said.