e girl's face, and made light of the situation. Eppie
would be all right, she need not worry. No one would touch her, not
even Mr. Huntley, who was after all not such a bad young man. And, to
change the subject to something brighter, he said:

"It's just fine luck you came along this way. I'm going away
to-morrow, and I thought I shouldn't see you again."

"But I was up when you were at our place this morning," said Elizabeth,
and no sooner were the words out than she could have bitten off her
tongue for its indiscretion. She did not need the startled, dismayed
look in the young man's eyes, or his crimsoning face, to tell her she
had made a shocking mistake, for the older inner self rose up in severe
accusation.

"Oh, Mr. Coulson!" she stopped in the pathway and regarded him with
deep contrition. "Oh, I didn't mean that! I--I mean I couldn't help
seeing. I was watching for fear John would run away on me, and go
fishing. And nobody else saw--and Annie doesn't even know. And you
know I wouldn't ever, ever tell, don't you?"

She looked up at him with such desperate anxiety that he could not but
have confidence in her. His own face cleared.

"You're sure nobody else saw?" he whispered.

"Oh, yes, certain," breathed Elizabeth. "I--I--" she stopped, overcome
by the tears of shame that were filling her eyes.

Her teacher took her hand. He could never bear to see a little girl in
distress. "There now," he said. "It's all right, Lizzie. But you
know, little girl, this is something I can't explain to you, because
you are too little to understand. You will know all about it some day.
But listen." He stopped and looked at her closely. "I know we can
trust you, little Lizzie," he said.

Elizabeth looked up at him through her tears. It was entirely the wise
old Elizabeth that was there.

"Yes," she said solemnly, "I wouldn't tell."

He slipped his little note-book from his pocket and scribbled in it.
It might be just as well to warn Annie. The two boys had disappeared
round a curve in the leafy pathway ahead. He folded the note carefully
and handed it to her. "You won't lose it, Lizzie?" he asked. "And
you'll give it to Annie when there's no one around?"

"Yes! yes!" cried Elizabeth. She slipped it into the pocket of her
blue pinafore, and smiled up at him. She felt wonderfully grown-up and
important. Mr. Coulson was putting confidence in her. They had a
secret between them, he and she. She s