e gasped.

"Clematis, do you mean to tell me that you climbed out of the window
and reached for that branch?"

Clematis nodded. Tears came into her eyes. She must have done
something very wrong, but she did not know just what was so wicked
about taking a small branch from a maple tree.

"I didn't know it was stealing," she sobbed.

"It isn't that, Clematis. It is not wrong to take a twig, but think
of the danger. Don't you know you might have fallen and killed
yourself?"

Clematis wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"Oh, that's nothing," she said, "I had hold of the blind all the
time. I couldn't fall."

"Now, Clematis, no child ever did such a thing before, and you must
never, never, do it again. Do you understand?"

"Yes'm."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes'm."

"Well then, let's get ready for breakfast."

Clematis washed her face and hands, brushed her hair, and cleaned
her teeth carefully.

Soon she was ready to go down stairs, and took one of the maple buds
to put in her dress.

As they went out, Miss Rose saw that she wanted to say something.

"Do you want something?" she said.

"Can I help Katie this morning?"

"After breakfast I will ask Mrs. Snow, but breakfast is almost ready
now."

Just then the breakfast bell rang, and Clematis marched in with the
other children. She was thinking about Deborah, and wondering if she
had caught any rats.

For breakfast they had baked apples, oatmeal with milk, and rye
gems.

It did not take them long to eat this. Soon they were through, and
ready for the morning work.

As they were getting up, Mrs. Snow came to speak to Miss Rose.

Clematis held her breath when she heard what was said.

"Perhaps this little girl would like to go down and play with her
kitten a while. We can find some work for her by and by."

"Oh yes," said Clematis, "I would."

"Well, you can tell Katie I said you might. Be sure not to get in
her way."

Off ran Clematis to the kitchen, to find her dear Deborah.

There she was, curled up like a little ball under the stove.

She looked with sleepy eyes at Clematis, and crawled down into her
lap.

Then Clematis smoothed her and patted her, till she purred her very
sweetest purr.

"Ah," said Katie. "It's a fine cat. It caught a big rat in the
night, and brought it in, as proud as pie."

"Do you think they will let me keep her?" asked Clematis.

"Oh, I guess so. If she catches the rats, she will be welcome here.
You can be sure of