hat can I do?' I said.

'I know what _I_ would do,' she replied. 'I would slap his face, or
pinch him. I wouldn't put up with it!'

'Boys don't slap one another, or pinch,' I said, not displeased to find
a weak place in her knowledge of us.

'Well, they do _something_!' she said; 'a real boy would. But I don't
think you are a real boy, Cameron. _I'll_ show you what to do. Where's
the exercise that--that _pig_ copied? Ah! I see it. And now--look!'
(Here she tore his page as he had torn mine.)

'Now for an envelope!' and from the Doctor's own desk she took an
envelope, in which she placed the fragments, and wrote on the outside in
her round, childish hand: 'With Marjory's compliments, for being a
bully.'

'He won't do that again,' she said gleefully.

'He'll do worse,' I said in dismay; 'I shall have to pay for it.
Marjory, why didn't you leave things alone? I didn't complain--you know
I didn't.'

She turned upon me, as well she might, in supreme disdain. 'Oh! what a
coward you are! I wouldn't believe all Cartwright told me about you when
I asked--but I see it's all true. Why don't you stick up for yourself?'

I muttered something or other.

'But you _ought_ to. You'll never get on unless,' said Marjory, very
decidedly. 'Now, promise me you will, next time.'

I sat there silent. I was disgusted with myself, and meanly angry with
her for having rendered me so.

'Then, listen,' she said impressively. 'I promised I would look after
you, and I did mean to, but it's no use if you won't help yourself. So,
unless you say you won't go on being a coward any more, I shall have to
leave you to your own way, and not take the least interest in you ever
again.'

'Then, you may,' I said stolidly; 'I don't care.' I wondered, even while
I spoke the words, what could be impelling me to treat spirited,
warm-hearted Marjory like that, and I hate myself still at the
recollection.

'Good-bye, then,' she said very quietly; 'I'm sorry, Cameron.' And she
went out without another word.

When Ormsby came in, I watched him apprehensively as he read the
envelope upon his desk and saw its contents. He said nothing, however,
though he shot a malignant glance in my direction; but the lesson was
not lost upon him, for from that time he avoided all open ill-treatment
of me, and even went so far as to assume a friendliness which might have
reassured me had I not instinctively felt that it merely masked the old
dislike.

I was constantl