the first time, she knew, that a boy
from the board school had ever been admitted to this exclusive grammar
school known as 'Torrington's'; and she had watched anxiously each
day, to find out whether the lads were treating their poorer companion
kindly and courteously, and thus far she had been perfectly
satisfied.

Her elder son was as anxious as she was that Horace should have all
the advantages a good education could give, but he was opposed to his
brother going to Torrington's.

'I am only a carpenter,' he said, 'and never want to be anything
better, but it won't suit those boys to hear that one of their
schoolfellows has a brother who is a common working man.'

'You are not a common working man, Fred,' said his mother quickly.

'Not to you, perhaps, mother mine, but I want you to look at things as
the world does. I do common work--carpenter's work, and am glad to get
the chance of doing it, and to help you and Horace. Here we can only
be common working people--you sewing for the shops and I working for a
builder. That is all the people know, and all we want them to know,
and I wish Horace could have been a carpenter too.'

'Perhaps it would have been as well,' said his mother with a sigh.

'I am sure it would. We agreed to come here and leave the whole
miserable past behind.'

'It is left behind,' interrupted his mother quickly.

'Ah, yes, we have done our best; but who knows what questions may be
asked, now Horace has gone to that school? Boys are often curious in
their inquiries, and it is not as though----'

'Fred, Fred, we must leave these things in the hand of God, and be
content to take one step at a time. I could not, in fairness to
Horace, let him throw away this opportunity of getting a good
education that will fit him to use the gifts which I believe God has
given him.'

This conversation had taken place at dinner-time that very day, and
Mrs. Howard was thinking of it as she watched Horace eat his dinner.

The boy knew that his mother's eyes were upon him, and he was the more
anxious to guard his secret, and so he rattled on until his mother
forgot her fears, and thought Fred was making himself anxious without
the slightest shadow of cause.

CHAPTER II.

SENDING HIM TO COVENTRY.

Horace Howard sat longer over his lessons that night, and was quite
undisturbed by any talking with his mother and brother, and when the
time came for him to put the lessons aside and go to bed, he knew