call prettily behaved, and because I hate
walking on the parade and being stuck up and unnatural, and they don't
like me because I am not pretty, and because I am thin and don't look,
as mamma says, a credit to her; but it is not that so much as because
of Robert. You know he is deformed, Miss Virtue, and they don't care for
him, and he has no one to love him but me, and it makes me mad to see
him treated so. That is what it was she wrote about. I told her they
treated him like a dog and so they do," and she burst into tears.

"But that was very naughty, Isobel," Miss Virtue said gravely. "You are
only eleven years old, and too young to be a judge of these matters,
and even if it were as you say, it is not for a child to speak so to her
mother."

"I know that, Miss Virtue, but how can I help it? I could cry out with
pain when I see Robert looking from one to the other just for a kind
word, which he never gets. It is no use, Miss Virtue; if it was not for
him I would much rather never go home at all, but stop here through
the holidays, only what would he do if I didn't go home? I am the only
pleasure he has. When I am there he will sit for hours on my knee, and
lay his head on my shoulder, and stroke my face. It makes me feel as if
my heart would break."

"Well, my dear," Miss Virtue said, somewhat puzzled, "it is sad, if it
is as you say, but that does not excuse your being disrespectful to your
mother. It is not for you to judge her."

"But cannot something be done for Robert, Miss Virtue? Surely they must
do something for children like him."

"There are people, my dear, who take a few afflicted children and give
them special training. Children of that kind have sometimes shown a
great deal of unusual talent, and, if so, it is cultivated, and they are
put in a way of earning a livelihood."

"Are there?" Isobel exclaimed, with eager eyes. "Then I know what I
will do, Miss Virtue; I will write off at once to Uncle Tom--he is
our guardian. I know if I were to speak to mamma about Robert going to
school it would be of no use; but if uncle writes I dare say it would be
done. I am sure she and Helena would be glad enough. I don't suppose she
ever thought of it. It would be a relief to them to get him out of their
sight."

Miss Virtue shook her head. "You must not talk so, Isobel. It is not
right or dutiful, and you are a great deal too young to judge your
elders, even if they were not related to you; and, pray, if yo