rely you had rather he did nothing than made himself ill!"

"To be sure, but I wish it wasn't so."

"Yes; but, Ethel, whose doing is his getting into this state?"

Ethel looked grave. "It was wrong of me," said she, "but then papa is
not sure that Greek would hurt him."

"Not sure, but he thinks it not wise to run the risk. But, Ethel, dear,
why are you so bent on his being dux at all costs?"

"It would be horrid if he was not."

"Don't you remember you used to say that outward praise or honour was
not to be cared for as long as one did one's duty, and that it might be
a temptation?"

"Yes, I know I did," said Ethel, faltering, "but that was for oneself."

"It is harder, I think, to feel so about those we care for," said
Margaret; "but after all, this is just what will show whether our pride
in Norman is the right true loving pride, or whether it is only the
family vanity of triumphing over the Andersons."

Ethel hung her head. "There's some of that," she said, "but it is not
all. No--I don't want to triumph over them, nobody would do that."

"Not outwardly perhaps, but in their hearts."

"I can't tell," said Ethel, "but it is the being triumphed over that I
cannot bear."

"Perhaps this is all a lesson in humility for us," said Margaret "It is
teaching us, 'Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted.'"

Ethel was silent for some little space, then suddenly exclaimed, "And
you think he will really be put down?"

Margaret seemed to have been talking with little effect, but she kept
her patience, and answered, "I cannot guess, Ethel, but I'll tell you
one thing--I think there's much more chance if he comes to his work
fresh and vigorous after a rest, than if he went on dulling himself with
it all this time."

With which Ethel was so far appeased that she promised to think as
little as she could of the Andersons, and a walk with Richard to
Cocksmoor turned the current of her thoughts. They had caught some
more Sunday-school children by the help of Margaret's broth, but it was
uphill work; the servants did not like such guests in the kitchen, and
they were still less welcome at school.

"What do you think I heard, Ethel?" said Flora, the next Sunday, as
they joined each other in the walk from school to church; "I heard Miss
Graves say to Miss Boulder, 'I declare I must remonstrate. I undertook
to instruct a national, not a ragged school;' and then Miss Boulder