was growing larger and larger, and the ring painfully tighter and
tighter.

She looked so wan and ill the next morning that her mother told her
she need not go to school. But Comfort begged hard to go, and said
she did not feel sick; her tooth was better.

"Well, mind you get Miss Hanks to excuse you, and come home, if your
tooth aches again," said her mother.

"Yes, ma'am," replied Comfort.

When the door shut behind Comfort her Grandmother Atkins looked at
her mother. "Em'ly," said she, "I don't believe you can carry it out;
she'll be sick."

"I'm dreadfully afraid she will," returned Comfort's mother.

"You'll have to tell her."

Mrs. Pease turned on Grandmother Atkins, and New England motherhood
was strong in her face. "Mother," said she, "I don't want Comfort to
be sick, and she sha'n't be if I can help it; but I've got a duty to
her that's beyond looking out for her health. She's got a lesson to
learn that's more important than any she's got in school, and I'm
afraid she won't learn it at all unless she learns it by the hardest;
and it won't do for me to help her."

"Well, I suppose you're right, Em'ly," said Grandmother Atkins; "but
I declare I'm dreadfully sorry for the child."