Conrade, and addressed him with, "Well, Conrade, I knew that you
were violent and disobedient, but I never expected you to fail in
your honour as a gentleman."

"I'll thrash any one who says I have," hotly exclaimed Conrade.

"Then you must thrash me. You gave your word to me not to take your
Aunt Grace's thrush's nest."

"And I didn't," said Conrade, boldly.

But Rachel, used to flat denials at the village-school, was not to be
thus set aside. "I am shocked at you, Conrade," she said. "I know
your mamma will be exceedingly grieved. You must have fallen into
very sad ways to be able to utter such a bold untruth. You had
better confess at once, and then I shall have something to tell her
that will comfort he."

Conrade's dark face looked set as iron.

"Come; tell me you are sorry you took the nest, and have broken your
word, and told a falsehood."

Red colour flushed into the brown cheek, and the hands were clenched.

"There is not the smallest use in denying it. I know you took it
when you and Hubert went away together. Your Aunt Grace found it
gone this morning, and one of the poor little birds dead below.
What have you done with the others?"