children tearing up the hill past her. She thought they had been
bit by something and it gave her poor old heart such a turn that
she could not move or speak, but just crouched there till they
disappeared. Then she staggered back home and they have been
applying stimulants to her ever since, and her heart is in a
terrible condition and she says she will not get over this fright
all summer."

The Merediths sat, crimson with a shame that even Rosemary's
understanding sympathy could not remove. They sneaked off home,
met Jerry at the manse gate and made remorseful confession. A
session of the Good-Conduct Club was arranged for next morning.

"Wasn't Miss West sweet to us to-night?" whispered Faith in bed.

"Yes," admitted Una. "It is such a pity it changes people so
much to be made stepmothers."

"I don't believe it does," said Faith loyally.



CHAPTER XXXI. CARL DOES PENANCE

"I don't see why we should be punished at all," said Faith,
rather sulkily. "We didn't do anything wrong. We couldn't help
being frightened. And it won't do father any harm. It was just
an accident."

"You were cowards," said Jerry with judicial scorn, "and you gave