good little girl will disappoint me sadly."

Phyllis closed her lips with an expression which meant that for reasons
of propriety she would say no more, but that nothing could prevent her
from feeling that justice and right were on her side; that she had a
better apprehension of the matter in question than mother or father, or
any one in the world.

When Hetty arrived that afternoon she was led straight into the
school-room, where tea was just ready, Mrs. Enderby judging that it
would be well to set her to work at once, giving her no time for
moping. When she appeared, looking pale and sad in her black frock, her
eyes heavy and red with weeping, even Phyllis was touched, and the
school-room tea was partaken of in peace and almost in silence. Hetty was
so full of the recollection of the last time she had been brought in
here by Mrs. Enderby, and so conscious of the change that had come upon
her since then, that she could scarcely raise her eyes for fear of
crying. Nell kept pushing cakes and bread and butter before her, Phyllis
made general remarks in a softer tone than usual, and Miss Davis, who
perhaps understood Hetty's position better, and sympathized more with
her, than any of the rest, could think of nothing better to say to the
forlorn child than to ask her occasionally if she would like some more
sugar in her tea.

After tea Phyllis and Nell set to work to prepare their lessons for the
next day, and Hetty was thankful to have a book placed before her, and a
lesson appointed for her to learn. It was a page in the very beginning
of a child's English history, and Hetty read it over and over again till
she had the words almost by heart without in the least having taken in
their sense. Her thoughts were busy all the time with the looks and