ere "principles" and "insubordination,"
and "contumacious," over the spelling of which Elizabeth had such a
very bad time, and "esprit de corps," which, fortunately, she gave up
altogether, and ever so many more, which flew over her head like birds
of paradise, brilliant and alluring, but not to be caught. Some,
Elizabeth could remember having heard her father use, and, proudly
recognizing them as old friends, let them pass.

She was utterly absorbed in her task, her pencil flying over her slate,
squeaking madly, when right in the midst of "irresponsible" with one
"r" and several other letters wanting, she paused. It was a poke from
Rosie that disturbed her. Elizabeth was accustomed to being poked by
Rosie, for her seat-mate always attracted one's attention this way; but
her pokes were always eloquent and this one betokened alarm and
urgency. For a moment or more Elizabeth had been vaguely conscious
that there was a lull in Miss Hillary's talk and a strange silence over
the room, but she had merely taken the opportunity to stick syllables
on the ends of certain words which haste had compelled her to curtail.
She was in the act of fixing up "contumacious," and making it a little
more un-English if possible, when the poke awoke her to her
surroundings.

She looked up. All eyes were upon her--disapproving and ashamed Gordon
eyes, others amused or only interested, and, worst of all, the new
teacher's, stern and annoyed. Elizabeth's pencil dropped from her
paralyzed fingers. It broke in three pieces--the beautiful, long, new
pencil with the gold paper covering, which Mr. Coulson had given her at
parting; and Miss Hillary said, oh, so coldly, and sternly:

"There is one little girl in the class who has been paying no attention
whatever to anything I have been saying. That little girl will please
come forward and take the front seat."

Elizabeth turned pale, and John and Mary hung their heads. Oh, wasn't
it just like Lizzie to do something to disgrace the family--and right
on the first day of school, too! The culprit arose, and slowly made
her way forward, trembling with fear. This wonderful new creature whom
she adored was after all an unknown quantity, and Elizabeth was always
afraid of the unknown. She went up the aisle all unseeing. She did
not even notice Rosie's glance of anguish as she left.

She stood before the teacher's desk with hanging head. "Sit down,"
Miss Hillary said coldly, and Elizabeth tur