r lessons.

She had never known Joe Rolfe to study like this. "Is it because he is
guilty?" thought the little teacher watching him from under her
eyebrows. She walked along toward him so softly that he did not hear her
footsteps.

"Joseph!" she exclaimed, suddenly. Her voice startled him; he looked up
in surprise.

"I'm glad to see you studying, Joseph."

Did he blush? His face was of a brownish red hue at any time, being
much tanned; she could not be quite sure of the blush. But why did he
look so sober? Children generally smile when they are praised.

She had been to Bab and Lucy and said, "How still you are, darlings!"
and they had seemed delighted.

Next she tried Chicken Little. He certainly jumped when she spoke his
name close to his ear, "Henry." Now why should he jump and seem so
confused unless he knew he had done something wrong? She forgot that he
was a very timid boy.

"Henry, what is the matter with you?" she asked, frowning severely.

She had never frowned on him before, for she liked the little fellow,
and was trying her best to "make a man of him."

"What is the matter, Henry?"

By this time he was scared nearly out of his wits, and stole a side
glance at her to see if she had a switch in her hand.

"Don't whip me," he pleaded in a trembling voice. "Don't whip me,
teacher; and I'll give you f-i-v-e thousand dollars!"

As he offered this modest sum to save himself from her wrath, the little
teacher nearly laughed aloud, Henry did not know it, however; her face
was hidden behind a book.

"What made you think, you silly boy, that I was going to punish you?"
she asked as soon as she could find her voice. "Have you done something
wicked?"

She spoke in a low tone for his ear alone, but he writhed under it as if
it had been a blow.

"I--don'--know."

"He is the thief," thought Kyzie. "Oh, Henry, if you've done something
wrong you must know it. Tell me what it was."

"I--can't!"

She put her lips nearer his ear. "Was it you and Joseph Rolfe together?
Perhaps you _both_ did something wicked?"

"I--don'--know."

"Was it last Friday?"

"I--don'--know!"

"Will you tell me after school?"

Henry was unable to answer. Worn out with contending emotions he put his
head down on the seat and cried.

This did not seem like innocence. Joseph Rolfe was looking on from
across the aisle, as if he wished very much to know what she and Henry
were talking about.

"I'll make them tell me the wh