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dear　little　baby；　were　first　poured　out；　then　came　hopes　that　Norman
was　well；　as　they　had　not　seen　him　at　church　yesterday。

〃Thank　you；　he　was　kept　at　home　by　a　bad　headache；　but　it　is　better
to…day。〃

〃We　came　to　congratulate　you　on　his　successwe　could　not　help　it
it　must　have　been　such　a　pleasure　to　you。〃

〃That　it　was！〃　exclaimed　Ethel；　pleased　at　participation　in　her
rejoicing。　　〃We　were　so　surprised。〃

Flora　gave　a　glance　of　warning；　but　Ethel's　short…sighted　eyes　were
beyond　the　range　of　correspondence；　and　Miss　Anderson　continued。　　〃It
must　have　been　a　delightful　surprise。　　We　could　hardly　believe　it
when　Harvey　came　in　and　told　us。　　Every　one　thought　Forder　was　sure；
but　they　all　were　put　out　by　the　questions　of　general　information
those　were　all　Mr。　Everard's　doing。〃

〃Mr。　Everard　was　very　much　struck　with　Norman's　knowledge　and
scholarship　too；〃　said　Flora。

〃So　every　one　says。　　It　was　all　Mr。　Everard's　doing。　　Miss　Harrison
told　mamma；　but；　for　my　part；　I　am　very　glad　for　the　sake　of
Stoneborough；　I　like　a　town　boy　to　be　at　the　head。〃

〃Norman　was　sorry　for　Forder　and　Cheviot；〃　began　Ethel。　　Flora　tried
to　stop　her；　but　Louisa　Anderson　caught　at　what　she　said；　and　looked
eagerly　for　more。　　〃He　felt；〃　said　she；　only　thinking　of　exalting　her
generous　brother；　〃as　if　it　was　hardly　right；　when　they　are　so　much
his　seniors；　that　he　could　scarcely　enjoy　it。〃

〃Ah！　that　is　just　what　people　say；〃　replied　Louisa。　　〃But　it　must　be
very　gratifying　to　you；　and　it　makes　him　certain　of　the　Randal
scholarship　too；　I　suppose。　　It　is　a　great　thing　for　him！　　He　must
have　worked　very　hard。〃

〃Yes；　that　he　has；〃　said　Flora；　〃he　is　so　fond　of　study；　and　that
goes　halfway。〃

〃So　is　dear　Harvey。　　How　earnest　he　is　over　his　books！　　Mamma
sometimes　says；　'Now　Harvey；　dear；　you'll　be　quite　stupified；　you'll
be　ill；　I　really　shall　get　Dr。　May　to　forbid　you。'　　I　suppose　Norman
is　very　busy　too；　it　is　quite　the　fashion　for　boys　not　to　be　idle
now。〃

〃Poor　Norman　can't　help　it；〃　said　Ethel　piteously。　　〃Papa　will　not
hear　of　his　doing　any　Latin　or　Greek　these　whole　holidays。〃

〃He　thinks　he　will　come　to　it　better　again　for　entire　rest；〃　said
Flora；　launching　another　look　at　her　sister；　which　again　fell　short。

A　great　deal　of　polite　inquiry　whether　they　were　uneasy　about　him
followed；　mixed　with　a　little　boasting　of　dear　Harvey's　diligence。

〃By…the…bye；　Ethel；　it　is　you　that　are　the　great　patroness　of　the
wild　Cocksmoor　childrenare　not　you？〃

Ethel　coloured；　and　mumbled；　and　Flora　answered　for　her；　〃Richard　and
Ethel　have　been　there　once　or　twice。　　You　know　our　under　nursery…maid
is　a　Cocksmoor　girl。〃

〃Well；　mamma　said　she　could　not　think　how　Miss　May　could　take　one
from　thence。　　The　whole　place　is　full　of　thieves；　and　do　you　know；
Bessie　Boulder　has　lost　her　gold　pencil…case。〃

〃Has　she？〃　said　Flora。

〃And　she　had　it　on　Sunday　when　she　was　teaching　her　class。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Ethel　vehemently；　〃surely　she　does　not　suspect　any　of
those　poor　children！〃

〃I　only　know　such　a　thing　never　happened　at　school　before；〃　said
Fanny；　〃and　I　shall　never　take　anything　valuable　there　again。〃

〃But　is　she　sure　she　lost　it　at　school？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　certain。　　She　will　not　accuse　any　one；　but　it　is　not
comfortable。　　And　how　those　children　do　behave　at　church！〃

〃Poor　things！　they　have　been　sadly　neglected；〃　said　Flora。

〃They　are　quite　spoiling　the　rest；　and　they　are　such　figures！　　Why
don't　you；　at　least；　make　them　cut　their　hair？　　You　know　it　is　the
rule　of　the　school。〃

〃I　know；　but　half　the　girls　in　the　first　class　wear　it　long。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　but　those　are　the　superior　people；　that　one　would　not　be
strict　with；　and　they　dress　it　so　nicely　too。　　Now　these　are　like
little　savages。〃

〃Richard　thinks　it　might　drive　them　away　to　insist　at　first；〃　said
Ethel；　〃we　will　try　to　bring　it　about　in　time。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Ledwich　is　nearly　resolved　to　insist；　so　you　had　better
be　warned；　Ethel。　　She　cannot　suffer　such　untidiness　and　rags　to
spoil　the　appearance　of　the　school；　and；　I　assure　you；　it　is　quite
unpleasant　to　the　teachers。〃

〃I　wish　they　would　give　them　all　to　me！〃　said　Ethel。　　〃But　I　do　hope
Mrs。　Ledwich　will　have　patience　with　them；　for　they　are　only　to　be
gained　gently。〃

The　visitors　took　their　leave；　and　the　two　sisters　began　exclaiming
Ethel　at　their　dislike　of　her　proteges；　and　Flora　at　what　they　had
said　of　Norman。　　〃And　you；　Ethel；　how　could　you　go　and　tell　them　we
were　surprised；　and　Norman　thought　it　was　hard　on　the　other　boys？
They'll　have　it　all　over　the　town　that　he　got　it　unjustly；　and　knows
it；　as　they　say　already　it　was　partiality　of　Mr。　Everard's。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　they　never　can　be　so　bad！〃　cried　Ethel；　〃they　must　have
understood　better　that　it　was　his　noble　humility　and　generosity。〃

〃They　understand　anything　noble！　　No；　indeed！　　They　think　every　one
like　their　own　beautiful　brother！　　I　knew　what　they　came　for　all　the
time；　they　wanted　to　know　whether　Norman　was　able　to　work　these
holidays；　and　you　told　them　the　very　thing　they　wanted　to　hear。　　How
they　will　rejoice　with　that　Harvey；　and　make　sure　of　the　Randall！〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　cried　Ethel；　〃Norman　must　get　that！〃

〃I　don't　think　he　will；〃　said　Flora；　〃losing　all　this　time；　while
they　are　working。　　It　cannot　be　helped；　of　course；　but　it　is　a　great
pity。〃

〃I　almost　wish　he　had　not　been　put　up　at　all；　if　it　is　to　end　in　this
way；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　very　provoking；　and　to　have　them　triumphing
as　they　will！　　There's　no　bearing　it！〃

〃Norman；　certainly；　is　not　at　all　well；　poor　fellow；〃　said　Flora；
〃and　I　suppose　he　wants　rest；　but　I　wish　papa　would　let　him　do　what
he　can。　　It　would　be　much　better　for　him　than　moping　about　as　he　is
always　doing　now；　and　the　disappointment　of　losing　his　place　will　be
grievous；　though　now　he　fancies　he　does　not　care　for　it。〃

〃I　wonder　when　he　will　ever　care　for　anything　again。　　All　I　read　and
tell　him　only　seems　to　tease　him；　though　he　tries　to　thank　me。〃

〃There　is　a　strange　apathy　about　him；〃　said　Flora；　〃but　I　believe　it
is　chiefly　for　want　of　exertion。　　I　should　like　to　rouse　him　if　papa
would　let　me；　I　know　I　could；　by　telling　him　how　these　Andersons　are
reckoning　on　his　getting　down。　　If　he　does；　I　shall　be　ready　to　run
away；　that　I　may　never　meet　any　one　here　again。〃

Ethel　was　very　unhappy　till　she　was　able　to　pour　all　this　trouble　out
to　Margaret；　and　worked　herself　almost　into　crying　about　Norman's
being　passed　by　〃that　Harvey；〃　and　his　sisters　exulting；　and　papa
being　vexed；　and　Norman　losing　time　and　not　caring。

〃There　you　are　wrong；〃　said　Margaret；　〃Norman　did　care　very　much；　and
it　was　not　till　he　had　seen　clearly　that　it　was　a　matter　of　duty　to
do　as　papa　thought　right；　and　not　agitate　his　mind　about　his　chances
of　keeping　up；　that　he　could　bear　to　give　up　his　work；〃　and　she　told
Ethel　a　little　of　what　had　passed。

Ethel　was　much　struck。　　〃But　oh；　Margaret；　it　is　very　hard；　just　to
have　him　put　up　for　the　sake　of　being　put　down；　and　pleasing　the
Andersons！〃

〃Dear　Ethel；　why　should　you　mind　so　much　about　the　Andersons？　　May
they　not　care　about　their　brother　as　we　do　for　ours？〃

〃Such　a　brother　to　care　about！〃　said　Ethel。

〃But　I　suppose　they　may　like　him　the　best；〃　said　Margaret；　smiling。

〃I　suppose　they　do；〃　said　Ethel　grudgingly；　〃but　still　I　cannot　bear
to　see　Norman　doing　nothing；　and　I　know　Harvey　Anderson　will　beat
him。〃

〃Surely　you　had　rather　he　did　nothing　than　made　himself　ill！〃

〃To　be　sure；　but　I　wish　it　wasn't　so。〃

〃Yes；　but；　Ethel；　whose　doing　is　his　getting　into　this　state？〃

Ethel　looked　grave。　　〃It　was　wrong　of　me；〃　said　she；　〃but　then　papa
is　not　sure　that　Greek　would　hurt　him。〃

〃Not　sure；　but　he　thinks　it　not　wise　to　run　the　risk。　　But；　Ethel；
dear；　why　are　you　so　bent　on　his　being　dux　at　all　costs？〃

〃It　would　be　horrid　if　he　was　not。〃

〃Don't　you　remember　you　used　to　say　that　outward　praise　or　honour　was
not　to　be　cared　for　as　long　as　one　did　one's　duty；　and　that　it　might
be　a　temptation？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　I　did；〃　said　Ethel；　faltering；　〃but　that　was　for
oneself。〃

〃It　is　harder；　I　think；　to　feel　so　about　those　we　care　for；〃　said
Margaret；　〃but　after　all；　this　is　just　what　will　show　whether　our
pride　in　Norman　is　the　right　true　loving　pride；　or　whether　it　is　only
the　family　vanity　of　triumphing　over　the　Andersons。〃

Ethel　hung　her　head。　〃There's　some　of　that；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　is　not
all。　　NoI　don't　want　to　triumph　over　them；　nobody　would　do　that。〃

〃Not　outwardly　perhaps；　but　in　their　hearts。〃

〃I　can't　tell；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　it　is　the　being　triumphed　over　that
I　cannot　bear。〃

〃Perhaps　this　is　all　a　lesson　in　humility　for　us；〃　said　Margaret　　〃It
is　teaching　us；　'Whosoever　exalteth　himself　shall　be　abased；　and　he
that　humbleth　himself　shall　be　exalted。'〃

Ethel　was　silent　for　some　little　space；　then　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃And
you　think　he　will　really　be　put　down？〃

Margaret　seemed　to　have　been　talking　with　little　effect；　but　she　kept
her　patience；　and　answered；　〃I　cannot　guess；　Ethel；　but　I'll　tell　you
one　thing…桰　think　there's　much　more　chance　if　he　comes　to　his　work
fresh　and　vigorous　after　a　rest；　than　if　he　went　on　dulling　himself
with　it　all　this　time。〃

With　which　Ethel　was　so　far　appeased　that　she　promised　to　think　as
little　as　she　could　of　the　Andersons；　and　a　walk　with　Richard　to
Cocksmoor　turned　the　current　of　her　thoughts。　　They　had　caught　some
more　Sunday…school　children　by　the　help　of　Margaret's　broth；　but　it
was　uphill　work；　the　servants　did　not　like　such　guests　in　the
kitchen；　and　they　were　still　less　welcome　at　school。

〃What　do　you　think　I　heard；　Ethel？〃　said　Flora；　the　next　Sunday；　as
they　joined　each　other　in　the　walk　from　school　to　church；　〃I　heard
Miss　Graves　say　to　Miss　Boulder；　'I　declare　I　must　remonstrate。　　I
undertook　to　instruct　a　national；　not　a　ragged　school；'　and　then　Miss
Boulder　shook　out　her　fine　watered　silk　and　said；　〃It　positively　is
improper　to　place　ladies　in　contact　with　such　squalid　objects。'〃

〃Ladies！〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃A　stationer's　daughter　and　a　banker's
clerk's！　　Why　do　they　come　to　teach　at　school　at　all？〃

〃Because　our　example　makes　it　genteel；〃　said　Flora。

〃I　hop