ut the truth."

"What?--who?--you?" said Meta, as she heard words that implied the past
suspicion.

"Yes," said Norman, "I was suspected, but never at home."

"And is it over now?"

"Yes, yes," he whispered huskily, "all is right, and Harry will not
leave me in disgrace."

Meta did not speak, but she held out her hand in hearty congratulation;
Norman, scarce knowing what he did, grasped and wrung it so tight
that it was positive pain, as he turned away his head to the window to
struggle with those irrepressible tears. Meta's colour flushed into her
cheek as she found it still held, almost unconsciously, perhaps, in his
agitation, and she heard Margaret's words, that both gentlemen had said
Norman had acted nobly, and that every revelation made in the course of
their examination had only more fully established his admirable conduct.

"Oh, Norman, Norman, I am so glad!" cried Mary's voice in the first
pause, and, Margaret asking where he was, he suddenly turned round,
recollected himself, and found it was not the back of the chair that he
had been squeezing, blushed intensely, but made no attempt at apology,
for indeed he could not speak--he only leaned down over Margaret, to
receive her heartfelt embrace; and, as he stood up again, his father
laid his hand on his shoulder, "My boy, I am glad;" but the words were
broken, and, as if neither could bear more, Norman hastily left the
room, Ethel rushing after him.

"Quite overcome!" said the doctor, "and no wonder. He felt it cruelly,
though he bore up gallantly. Well, July?"

"I'll go down to school with him to-morrow, and see him dux again! I'll
have three-times-three!" shouted Harry; "hip! hip! hurrah!" and Tom and
Mary joined in chorus.

"What is all this?" exclaimed Flora, opening the door, "--is every one
gone mad?"

Many were the voices that answered.

"Well, I am glad, and I hope the Andersons will make an apology. But
where is poor Meta? Quite forgotten?"

"Meta would not wonder if she knew all," said the doctor, turning, with
a sweet smile that had in it something, nevertheless, of apology.

"Oh, I am so glad--so glad!" said Meta, her eyes full of tears, as she
came forward.

And there was no helping it; the first kiss between Margaret May
and Margaret Rivers was given in that overflowing sympathy of
congratulation.

The doctor gave her his arm to take her to the carriage, and, on the
way, his quick warm words filled up the sketch of Norman's beh