but she must know."

"No, no! pray don't tell her! You mustn't--you shan't tell her!" he
cried. "It would only be making bad worse."

"And how am I to account for your absence when you are fetched away?"

"I say, Hazel, is it so bad as that?" he cried piteously.

"Yes; I am afraid so. There is no knowing what steps your late
employers may take."

"Set of beastly cads!" muttered Percy.

"For objecting to their clerk's dishonesty! Shame on you, if you have
any shame left."

"And now you turn against me, Hazy!" cried the lad. "I did think last
night that you were sorry for me and meant to help me."

"I am sorry for you,--sorry that you could have disgraced yourself and
us to this terrible extent I feel it bitterly that you should have kept
back what you did last night; but that cannot be changed now, and--"

"Isn't breakfast ready?" cried Cissy, coming to the door. "We are so
hungry."

"Yes, dears, come in," cried Hazel cheerfully. And the little party,
after Mrs Thorne had been diligently attended to, sat down to the
homely breakfast, Percy making a pretence of being too much troubled to
taste anything, but ending by eating with all the heartiness of a
growing lad; while it was Hazel who just managed one scrap of bread and
a cup of tea, as she sat thinking of what proceedings she had better
take.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

ANN STRAGGALLS TURNS MESSENGER.

It was soon school-time, and leaving her brother, who needed no
instructions to send for her should any one call, Hazel Thorne hurried
to her duties, read prayers with wandering mind, and then, fully
resolved upon what course to pursue, she started the children at their
various lessons, and at last, in the midst of the noisy buzz, went to
her desk and, quite in a fit of desperation, wrote to Mr William Forth
Burge, simply saying that she was in great trouble, and would he as a
friend come and give her his help and counsel?

As soon as she had finished and folded the letter she began to hesitate,
asking herself whether she ought not first to have written to Miss
Burge; but she came to the conclusion that she had done right and
picking out the most trustworthy girl she could think of at the time,
she bade her take the letter up to Mr Burge's house.

Hazel Thorne was excited enough during all these proceedings but her
excitement would have increased had she been aware of the fact that one
of the partition shutters was slightly lowered, and from th