ad always seemed the best and brightest of them all, and she
could see no change in her reverent, attentive behavior, her carefully
prepared lessons, and her evident understanding and enjoyment of the
spiritual truths which they contained. This latter point she could
appreciate better than before, and she often shrank in humility from
attempting to teach Katie anything, feeling herself better fitted to be
the pupil. But the girls evidently did not feel so. What could be the
matter?

One day, when all had left the Sunday-school, except Bertie, she stopped
her and asked her directly why neither she nor the other girls were
willing to sit next to Katie Robertson, and why they all looked at her
so significantly when she came in or went out.

Bertie flushed, whether with joy or shame it would have been hard to
say, and at first would not answer; but on her teacher's insisting, said
that she didn't want to tell tales, etc.

The young lady saw that nevertheless her scholar was running over with
her secret and longing for an opportunity to divulge it, and, had she
been a little older and more experienced, she would not have given her
the opportunity. But Etta was very curious, and, moreover, thought she
had a right to know all that concerned her Sunday scholars, so she
waited until her patience was rewarded by the whole story--that is, the
version of it that Bertie's vindictive fancy chose to give.

She learned that Katie had been seen by two of the girls in the mill to
_steal_ a large sum of money, which she had appropriated to the use of
herself and family; that by degrees one after another had heard of it,
and that of course honest girls who had their own way to make did not
like to associate with a thief.

On being asked who the girls were that had seen the action, and why
they had not at once given information concerning it, Bertie declined to
give any answer to the first part of her question, and professed entire
ignorance concerning the latter; only she said: "All the girls knew, and
of course couldn't associate with a sly thief, especially when she gave
herself the airs of a saint."

Etta was very much troubled. She could not believe such a story of her
best pupil, and yet how could she contradict it? Without names and
particulars she did not know how to set about investigating the truth;
nor did she like to ask any one's advice, and thus cast suspicion upon
the child.

CHAPTER X.

NOVEL-READING.

"W