n's punishment to be treated as a child
who could not be trusted. But she bore it patiently, fetched her desk,
and wrote the words sternly dictated by Sophia Jane. The latter then
requested that she might read the letter, and having done so watched
while Susan directed the envelope and put a stamp on it. Then she said:

"Give it me," and immediately pushed it under her pillow.

"Sha'n't I post it?" asked Susan humbly.

"Certainly not!" said Sophia Jane decidedly. "That would be a pretty
thing indeed!"

Susan felt humbled to the dust, and yet when she left her companion's
room her heart was lighter, and she was really happier than she had been
for a long time. She had done what she could to repair her fault, and
all the pricks and stabs which Sophia Jane thrust into her were not
nearly so hard to bear as the reproaches of her own self. True they
were painful, for Susan was a proud child and liked to be well thought
of; but after all she was suffering justly. Even if Monsieur and
Mademoiselle should always despise her after reading that letter she
should deserve it. But, oh, what a pity it was! So the thing next to
be dreaded was the meeting with Mademoiselle Delphine, and to see her
kindly brown face look cold and displeased. Susan could not help hoping
that it would not happen just yet. She did not want to see either her
or Monsieur for a long time. She wondered whether Sophia Jane had sent
the letter at once, and whether Mademoiselle would write in answer or
come herself. She was not, however, kept long in uncertainty about
this, for two days after her interview with Sophia Jane there came a
note for Aunt Hannah, which she opened at breakfast, saying:

"This is from Mademoiselle Delphine."

Susan watched her face anxiously, and saw a puzzled expression as she
read on.

"She wants to know," said Aunt Hannah, at last looking up, "if she may
come and see Sophia Jane this evening at five o'clock, and says she
brings a friend. What friend can she mean?"

"Very strange, indeed!" said Margaretta. "I've no objection whatever to
Mademoiselle's seeing the child," continued Aunt Hannah. "In fact, I
think it would interest and amuse her to have a visitor. But the
friend! I must say I consider that rather thoughtless and ill-judged.
I am always glad to see Monsieur La Roche or his sister--but their
_friends_! That is quite another matter."

"Quite," said Nanna and Margaretta both at once.

Susan was a