aps that will make it move about,"
suggested Norman.

Fanny shook her head. She tried to open its beak, but could not
succeed.

"O Norman, it already feels quite cold. It cannot open its beak, and
its legs are stiff. It will never hop about any more, or pick up
crumbs, or come flying to me, or sing in the morning to wake me up;
poor, dear, little Pecksy is really dead."

All this time she did not utter a word of anger or reproach. Instead of
rushing at Norman and boxing his ears, as he had expected, she stood
still, contemplating with grief her dead bird. Again the tears trickled
from her eyes. For the first time in his life Norman felt ashamed of
himself.

"I am very sorry," he murmured; "I did not intend to kill the bird."

"I was sure you did not," she said. "I do not think any human being
could be so cruel."

"No, I did not--I did not," said Norman. "But do you think that anybody
else can make it live again?"

"Oh, no, no; I am sure no one can," answered Fanny.

"Then, what are you going to do? Tell them all that I killed it?" asked
Norman.

"I would rather you did that yourself," said Fanny. "I cannot; it would
break my heart to talk about it, and I should be so very, very sorry to
say how it happened."

"Then you really mean to say that you do not wish to tell granny or
mamma, or to get Mr Maclean to whip me?" he asked, in a tone of
surprise.

"Yes, indeed, Norman, I would much rather not have to tell granny or
mamma, and I have not for a moment thought of asking Mr Maclean to
punish you."

"Still, they must all know it," said Norman, "and what will they do when
you tell them?"

"They would, of course, be very angry if they could think you did it on
purpose," said Fanny. "That is the reason why I wish you to tell them
yourself. Mamma, and granny, and Mrs Maclean are in the drawing-room
now, and they will be wondering why I am so long away. Could you not go
in at once and tell them what has happened, and ask granny to come to
me. I cannot go in by myself with poor little Pecksy in my hand. It
would make them all so sad."

Norman felt very unwilling to do as his sister advised, still he could
not help seeing that it was the best plan, though a very disagreeable
one. In consequence of the way Fanny had spoken to him, he had no
longer any fears about himself.

"If she is not angry with me, they cannot be." He stood, however,
irresolute for some time, thinking whether he would or