charm'ing, _very pleasant_.
* * * * *
THE HIDDEN TREASURE.
PART III.
"O what have I done! what have I done!" cried Alice. "O Mrs. Reed, I'm
so sorry--I have broken the tile!"
"How did it happen, Alice? Was it loose?"
"Why yes," replied Alice; "I put my hand on it, and thought it appeared
to move a little. Having my scissors with, me, I, through curiosity, ran
the points in between that tile and the next one."
"Never mind, child," said Mrs. Reed kindly, seeing that Alice was
feeling sad over the mishap; "perhaps the tile can be mended--let us
see."
As they both stooped down to pick up the pieces, Alice noticed that
there was a hollow space back of where the tile had been, and that it
contained something of a dingy white color.
"O Mrs. Reed!" cried she; "there is something in there! See, it looks
like a bag tied up! May I take it out?"
Mrs. Reed turned deadly pale. "Yes," she replied, scarcely knowing what
she expected or dared hope.
Alice thrust her hand into the hole to pull the hag out, but as it was
very old, it fell apart, and O wonder of wonders! as many as a hundred
pieces of gold coin fell with a jingle on the hearth and rolled every
way.
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