t. "I'm doubting Gavinia's reading ill books on the
sly," he said.

"Never!" exclaimed Miss Ailie, "she reads nothing but the _Mentor_."

Tommy shook his head, like one who would fain hope so, but could not
overlook facts. "I've been hearing," he said, "that she reads books as
are full o' Strokes and Words We have no Concern with."

Miss Ailie could not believe it, but she was advised to search the
kitchen, and under Gavinia's mattress was found the dreadful work.

"And you are only fifteen!" said Miss Ailie, eying her little maid
sorrowfully.

"The easier to carry," replied Gavinia, darkly.

"And you named after a minister!" Miss Ailie continued, for her maid had
been christened Gavinia because she was the first child baptized in his
church after the Rev. Gavin Dishart came to Thrums. "Gavinia, I must
tell him of this. I shall take this book to Mr. Dishart this very day."

"The right man to take it to," replied the maid, sullenly, "for it's his
ain."

"Gavinia!"

"Well, it was Mrs. Dishart that lended it to me."

"I--I never saw it on the manse shelves."

"I'm thinking," said the brazen Gavinia, "as there's hoddy corners in
manses as well as in--blue-and-white rooms."

This dark suggestion was as great a shock to the gentle school-mistress
as if out of a clear sky had come suddenly the word--

_Stroke!_

She tottered with the book that had so demoralized the once meek
Gavinia into the blue-and-white room, where Tommy was restlessly
awaiting her, and when she had told him all, he said, with downcast
eyes:

"I was never sure o' Mrs. Dishart. When I hand her the _Mentor_ she
looks as if she didna care a stroke for't--"

"Tommy!"

"I'm doubting," he said sadly, "that she's ower fond o' Words We have no
Concern with."

Miss Ailie would not listen to such talk, but she approved of the
suggestion that "Waverley" should be returned not to the minister, but
to his wife, and she accepted gratefully Tommy's kindly offer to act as
bearer. Only happening to open the book in the middle, she--

"I'm waiting," said Tommy, after ten minutes.

She did not hear him.

"I'm waiting," he said again, but she was now in the next chapter.

"Maybe you would like to read it yoursel'!" he cried, and then she came
to, and, with a shudder handed him the book. But after he had gone she
returned to the kitchen to reprove Gavinia at greater length, and in the
midst of the reproof she said faintly: "You did not happen to lo