eard some
one ring the bell at the back door, and presently Sally came up stairs
into her room, leading a little girl by the hand.

It was Hitty, but with such a great swelling on her forehead that Mrs.
Gray did not at first recognize her. Her eyes were red and swollen with
crying, and even now she could scarcely keep back her sobs.

As she came in, she walked straight across the room to the lady, and put
a note into her hand.

Mrs. Gray opened it, and read with great sorrow the following words:
"Nelly pushed this little girl against the stone post, at the school
house gate. I am exceedingly grieved, and as I cannot see Nelly
to-night, I have sent Hitty to you. Please do what you think best in the
case."

"Come here, poor child," said the lady, tenderly; "that is a dreadful
bunch on your forehead. How did it happen?"

"I was picking up your little boy's scarf when it fell off his neck,
and Nelly snatched it away, and pushed me so hard that I fell against
the post. She called me names, too;" and Hitty began to sob again.

"What did Frankie do?" asked his mamma.

"Nothing at all, ma'am. It's very kind to me, he was."

The lady bade the child sit down. She then went to the closet and poured
some arnica from a bottle into a bowl of water, and after wetting a
cloth in it, bound it upon the forehead of the child. Then she rang the
bell, and sent Margie to find Nelly and bring her into the house.

While she was waiting, she talked with Hitty, and soon became as much
interested in her as the teacher had been.

Presently Nelly came in, followed by her cousin. She started and
blushed when she saw Hitty; but Frankie ran to the little girl, asking,
"What is the matter with your head? Have you hurt yourself?"

"No," replied Hitty; "she did it," pointing to Nelly.

"Look here," said her aunt, raising the cloth and pointing to the
swelling, which was half as large as an egg.

Frankie exclaimed, "O, dear! I'm sorry. Does it ache bad?"

Nelly held down her head and began to cry. She was very much frightened
at what she had done.

"Frankie," said his mother, "you may go down with Hitty to the cook, and
ask her for a piece of cake for the little girl. Then you may walk with
her as far as your teacher's, and wait till I come. Hitty, you may go
home and tell your mother I shall bring Nelly there soon, to have her
say what punishment so naughty a girl deserves."

"O, don't, aunty! don't take me there! I'm afraid to go!" so