," and Marion could laugh now. "Let me read you the
last part of it; it is so like home."

Then Marion read them about the children's sum, and the parishioners'
kindness; and Gladys, as she listened, planned how she could help
Marion without her ever suspecting from whence the help came, and
Dorothy thought what a different home it must be from that she had
left at Rock Cove.

Marion, instead of studying her next lesson, as it was obviously her
duty to do, sat with her book open before her, wondering how she could
immediately enter upon a course of conduct that would give her a more
enlarged and prominent religious influence. Never once suspecting that
this was a way the tempter was taking to lead her from the true
self-abnegation which is so vital to a growing Christian character.
Single-eyed to God's glory!

Miss Ashton in the recitation looked at her inquiringly several times.
What could have happened, she wondered, to make Marion blunder so? She
was generally prompt, and, considering how much she had to do to keep
up with her class, correct; but to-day she seemed distraught, as if
her mind were anywhere but upon her recitation. She stopped her after
the lesson was finished, and asked her if she were sick; but Marion
was well, nor was she, in her preoccupation, aware that Miss Ashton
was not pleased.

She answered her carelessly, which increased the teacher's uneasiness,
and made her ask a little sharply, "What is it, Marion? You did badly
in your recitation to-day."

"Ma'am!" said Marion, looking at her in surprise.

"I said you made a bad recitation," repeated Miss Ashton. "What has
happened?"

Then the color grew deeper and deeper in Marion's face. "My letter
from my mother," she said, "O Miss Ashton, I am so sorry!"

"Sorry for what? Is any one sick?"

"No, Miss Ashton; but--but--there was so much to think of in it. I am
so sorry I did badly."

Now Miss Ashton smiled. "If that is all," she said, "I will try to
forgive you. Can't you tell me something about your home letter? I
like to hear of them."

Then Marion poured out her whole heart, thanking her kind teacher
simply and winningly for her own kind letter to the Western home, but
giving no hint of the seed of evil the letter may have sown.

CHAPTER XXXII.

PENITENT.

Marion's first plan in order to extend her religious influence was to
get up a small prayer-meeting in her room.

To be sure, the room was shared by three others, and