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diff --git a/old/66034-0.txt b/old/66034-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 412ee94..0000000 --- a/old/66034-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2542 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The School-Girls in Number 40, by -Anonymous - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The School-Girls in Number 40 - or, Principle Put to the Test - -Author: Anonymous - -Release Date: August 11, 2021 [eBook #66034] - -Language: English - -Produced by: The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive/American - Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SCHOOL-GIRLS IN NUMBER -40 *** - - - - - -[Illustration: School Girls in No. 40.--Frontispiece. - -“How am I ever to get all these things into two trunks?” p. 9.] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - - THE - SCHOOL-GIRLS IN NUMBER 40; - OR, - PRINCIPLE PUT TO THE TEST. - - “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” - - PHILADELPHIA: - AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, - 1122 CHESTNUT STREET. - - NEW YORK DEPOSITORY: 375 BROADWAY. - - - - -_Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by the - - AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, - -in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of -Pennsylvania._ - --->_No books are published by the_ AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION -_without the sanction of the Committee of Publication, consisting of -fourteen members, from the following denominations of Christians, viz.: -Baptist, Methodist, Congregational, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, -and Reformed Dutch. Not more than three of the members can be of the -same denomination, and no book can be published to which any member of -the Committee shall object._ - - - - -CONTENTS. - - PAGE - - CHAP. I.--A REMOVAL 9 - - II.--GETTING SETTLED 30 - - III.--OLD FRIENDS AND NEW 33 - - IV.--THE TABLEAUX PARTY 44 - - V.--A TRAP SET 62 - - VI.--CAUGHT 71 - - VII.--ANOTHER MYSTERY 85 - - VIII.--THE SECRET OUT 93 - - - - -THE SCHOOL-GIRLS IN No. 40. - -CHAPTER I. - -A REMOVAL. - - -“Dear me! dear me!” sighed Carrie Stanley, as she kneeled beside an -empty trunk and glanced around her room. “How am I ever to get all -these things into two trunks? It’s an impossibility! Where to begin I’m -sure I don’t know.” - -It was not surprising that Carrie was puzzled as to the proper mode -of procedure; for that usually neat apartment was in a state nearly -approaching to perfect confusion. The wardrobe stood open, displaying -empty hooks; for the dresses and other articles of apparel which -had hung upon them had been taken away and were piled, without order -or arrangement, on the chairs and bedstead. The four bureau-drawers, -instead of being in their proper places, were all upon the floor, -forming a barricade about the trunk; the book-shelves, too, had been -rifled, and their contents were strewn over the dressing-table, from -which some of them had fallen to find a resting-place upon the pretty -carpet. Indeed, it would have required no little care and skill, in -moving about the chamber, to avoid stepping on books, glove-boxes, -perfumery-bottles, and the like, which were strewed around everywhere -but where they should have been. - -Carrie’s glance around the disordered room seemed only to add to her -perplexities; and, tossing back her bright curls, she bent over the -large trunk, looking into its depths with a thoughtful air, as if -studying the best possible arrangement. She did not appear to derive -much satisfaction from her investigations; for, before she had put in a -single article, her mother stopped at the open door and looked on the -scene of confusion. A roguish smile parted her lips, as she stood for a -moment looking on quietly without a word. - -“My dear Carrie,” she said, at last, “this is a perfect chaos!” - -“I know it, mother,” returned the girl, starting up. “I was just -wondering if I ever could put things in any sort of order again. But I -must have another trunk. All these clothes and books will never go into -two, no matter how large they are. Look for yourself, mother. It is -quite out of the question. What do you think about it?” - -“I think that two trunks will be quite sufficient, after we lay aside -all the articles not absolutely necessary.” And, suiting the action -to the word, Mrs. Stanley selected several dresses from the heap of -clothing on the bed, saying, “Just put these in the wardrobe again.” - -“What, mother! My pretty pink tarletane to be left behind,--and this -green silk, so becoming to me?” exclaimed Carrie, in a tone of -expostulation. - -“Yes,” replied her mother, decidedly, as she proceeded to separate -other articles in the same way. - -At first Carrie’s fair brow clouded, as she saw her prettiest dresses, -her nicest linen and her most interesting books consigned to their -resting-places on shelves, in drawers and closets again; but, quickly -recovering her good humour, she followed her mother’s directions, and -ere long the trunks were all packed, locked, strapped and ready, even -the cards marked - - +------------------------+ - | MISS CAROLINE STANLEY, | - | Manchester, | - | Mass. | - +------------------------+ - -and nailed on the ends. - -The pretty little room was once more in order; but it looked desolate -indeed. Mrs. Stanley could not help sighing deeply, and tears filled -her eyes as she looked around her; while Carrie, all unconscious of her -mother’s sadness, danced about in high glee, declaring that she “was -never so happy in all her life.” - -“Oh, mother, can it be possible,” she exclaimed, “that I am actually -going away to school,--to boarding-school, too, where I have wanted to -go so long? Oh, it is too delightful! It seems almost too good to be -true!” - -Mrs. Stanley smiled faintly. - -“When you have put on your travelling-dress, my dear, come to me, in my -room,” she said. “I want to see you and Susie together once more before -you go. I must see if Susie needs any help now. You can dress for your -journey without any further assistance from me, can’t you?” - -“Oh, yes, indeed, mother,” returned Caroline; and Mrs. Stanley walked -away, crossed the wide hall and entered another apartment. - -A young girl about the same age as Carrie was the only occupant of this -room. She was dressed in deep mourning, and was sitting by the open -window, looking out over the spacious and pleasant garden. - -“What! all ready, Susie?--trunk packed, travelling-dress on and all?” -said Mrs. Stanley. - -“Yes, aunt,” replied Susan. - -“I meant to have come to you before; but I see you did not need me. You -are quite an expert little body. I was detained longer than I expected -to be in assisting Carrie to pack her trunk. She was quite helpless in -the midst of her wardrobe.” - -“I do not wonder,” replied Susie. “I remember what a formidable task it -was to me when I first had it to do; but it is no new business to me -now.” And her voice faltered. - -“You have been crying, Susie,” said her aunt. “Are you unwilling to go -to Manchester? You know, my dear, that I am very sorry to part with -both my children at once; but I think it best for you to go. It will -make it harder still for me if you are unhappy about going.” - -“I am not, dear aunt. I know you would not send me if you did not think -it best; but I have had a home for so short a time, and found it so -sweet, that I dread to lose it,--even for a little while. But I don’t -mean to be home-sick: so don’t feel badly about it, dear aunt.” - -Just then Carrie came dancing along. - -“I’m all armed and equipped as the law directs,” she said; “and now, -mother, I’ve a proposition to make. Instead of adjourning to your room, -let us go to the arbour. It is too lovely a day to stay in the house; -and, besides, it will be a long time before we sit together in the -garden again.” - -“Very well,” said her mother; and away she went, followed by her mother -and Susie, while Carrie scampered on ahead to the arbour. - -It was a very pleasant spot. The large trellis of lattice-work was -completely covered with climbing roses of different colours; and the -interior was equally charming. It was furnished with garden-chairs, and -a little table, where it was often Mrs. Stanley’s custom to have tea -served in the summer evening. Carrie had already reached the arbour, -and was busily engaged in arranging the seats near the entrance, from -which a small pond or lake was to be seen gleaming through the trees -that surrounded it, and the garden, with its terraces and winding paths -that led through a grove down to the water’s edge. - -“There’s your favourite seat, mother,” she said, pointing to a low -chair. “Susie may sit by your side. I shall take this stool at your -feet.” - -After all were seated and Mrs. Stanley had given the girls some -directions about their journey, she said, “One thing more, my children. -It is only six months since you both made a profession of religion and -united with the Church; and now for the first time you are about to be -placed in circumstances which will test the strength and sincerity of -your Christian principle. You will have many trials, many temptations. -I confess I almost shrink from the thought of applying such tests to -your piety.” - -“Why, mother!” exclaimed Carrie, much pained. “Do you doubt our -sincerity?” - -“No, my child,--not your sincerity, but your strength.” - -“You need not fear for that, dear mother. I rather hope we shall have -some trials,--though I can’t imagine exactly what they will be.” - -“You will discover them soon enough, my daughter. Never forget that -you are Christians,” Mrs. Stanley continued. “I do not mean, by that, -that you are to have grave faces continually and be always talking of -religious matters; but be guided by religious principle. Read your -Bibles regularly, and do not forget to pray.” - -“Forget to pray!” repeated Carrie. “I should as soon forget my regular -meals.” - -Mrs. Stanley kissed her child’s upturned face. - -“Go into the library, my dear,” she said, “and bring me a small -package which you will find on the table.” - -Carrie ran off, and soon returned with the parcel. Mrs. Stanley opened -it and displayed two beautiful little Bibles. The girls were loud in -their admiration of the elegant crimson morocco bindings, fine type and -heavy gilding; but the clasps--of real silver, and on which their names -were engraved--were pronounced “perfect.” - -Both declared that they had never seen such beautiful Bibles before; -and they kissed and thanked the dear giver repeatedly. - -“Put them in your baskets now,” said Mrs. Stanley. “I see Hannah coming -with our lunch. I told her we would have it here to-day.” - -Hannah entered, bringing a basket, which contained a table-cloth, -napkins, dishes and all that was necessary to spread the table. The -girls showed her their presents; and, after she had admired them -sufficiently, they proceeded to set the table, while she went back to -the house and soon returned with the eatables. - -“Just the very things I love best,” said Carrie,--“even coffee for your -especial benefit, Susie. They begin to treat us as if we were of some -consequence, now that we are going away: don’t they? Here’s that quince -marmalade that I teased for in vain the other night at supper, and the -almond sponge-cake you like so well. I don’t know whether to take it as -a compliment or not, Sue. It seems a little like a feast of rejoicing -at getting rid of us.” - -So Carrie rattled on, till a servant announced that the carriage was -in readiness to take them to the depôt, where Mrs. Stanley accompanied -them and left them in charge of the gentleman who was to go with them -to Manchester. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -GETTING SETTLED. - - -Caroline Stanley and Susan Cameron were cousins, and very nearly of the -same age; but neither from their looks nor from their characters would -one have supposed that there was any tie of relationship between them. - -Carrie was very pretty; and it was not strange that she knew it. Ever -since she could remember, she had heard from her nurses the praises -of her curling hair; bright, black eyes, rosy cheeks and white teeth. -Even strangers whom she met in the street spoke of her beauty; and if -she had not been blessed with a judicious mother, she would probably -have had her little head quite turned by the flattery which she -received. But Mrs. Stanley had taught her that mere external beauty -was no substitute for loveliness of character. Carrie was by no means -free from faults. She was impulsive, hasty and extremely careless and -disorderly; but she was the life of the house, and the idol of all the -servants, from the oldest to the youngest,--so that they were too apt -to try and screen her from her mother’s just reproof by failing to -report her wrong-doings. If she was ill-natured or angry, she was so -sorry for it afterwards, and so ready to apologize, that the domestics -could not bear to have Mrs. Stanley hear of it, since they well knew -that Carrie would be punished, and there was not one of them who did -not prefer to be in disgrace rather than to see “Miss Caro” in trouble. - -The only drawback to her happiness was her father’s long absences,--for -he was a sea-captain, and of course much away from home; but she was -passionately attached to her mother; and there was always her father’s -return, to which she looked forward with joy. - -Even in his absence the time did not pass heavily. They had a great -deal of company, and sailing-parties, picnics and rides were -frequent,--so frequent that they interfered sadly with Carrie’s -studies; and it was for this reason that Mrs. Stanley had decided to -send the girls away to school, instead of employing a teacher at home -for them, as had been her custom. - -Carrie’s life had been all sunshine; but poor Susie’s had been stormy -enough. - -Before she was fifteen, she had passed through more trouble than falls -to the lot of many women in a lifetime. Her father, Lieutenant Cameron, -was an army-officer, and had been stationed chiefly on the frontier. -Moving from one military post to another, where of necessity they -were deprived of many comforts, Susie’s life had been a succession of -changes and hardships. Her mother’s health was delicate; and in their -frequent removals a great part of the care had fallen on Susie. She -was an active, willing and able assistant to her feeble parent, and by -degrees Mrs. Cameron came to depend on her for almost every thing. -The younger children were intrusted to her charge also, and most of -the duties of housekeeping were resigned to her. She was her mother’s -constant companion; and this, together with the trust reposed in her, -had developed her character prematurely. She shared all her parent’s -troubles and perplexities, and had never known what it was to be a -careless, happy child. - -When at last her mother died, it was to her that her father turned for -consolation; and, almost heart-broken as she was, she was obliged to -control herself for his sake, lest the sight of her grief, added to his -own wretchedness, should unman him altogether. - -One short year after Mrs. Cameron’s death the whole family had been -attacked by cholera, and of them all Susie alone was spared! The -desolate little orphan then came to live with her aunt Stanley, who had -been her mother’s favourite sister; and here no pains were spared to -make her as happy as possible. - -It was not a long journey to Manchester, but both the girls were very -glad to hear the conductor call out the name of the station,--for -Carrie was impatient to see the place where she was anticipating so -much pleasure during the next six months, and Susan was anxious to get -established again quietly somewhere, even if it were at school. - -The school-building was a large brick edifice, situated very pleasantly -in the midst of finely-laid-out grounds; and the girls were received -very cordially by the principal, Mr. Worcester, who had been expecting -them, as he had received intelligence of their intended coming. He was -an old friend of Mrs. Stanley’s; and this fact made Carrie feel quite -at home immediately. - -They were soon shown to their room,--“No. 40,”--a large and airy -chamber. - -“Very liberal in the way of furniture,” said Carrie, as she looked -around. “Two beds, two bureaus, two tables, two closets! They don’t -intend to give us any excuse for quarrelling as to the disposal of our -traps.” - -They occupied themselves for the remainder of the day in unpacking and -getting settled, so as to be ready for school-duties in the morning. At -tea-time they were ushered into a large dining-room, where more than -sixty girls were seated round the table, all of whom looked curiously -at the new-comers. Poor Susan could hardly eat a mouthful, it was so -awkward to feel that so many eyes were upon her; and even Carrie lost -some of her appetite. After tea, they all went into the large parlour, -where Mr. Worcester conducted prayers; and then came the study-hour to -be spent in their own chambers. - -Carrie and Susan gladly escaped to their room; but hardly were they -seated when two other girls entered and took seats as if they were very -much at home. - -“This is our room,” said Carrie, modestly; for she supposed they had -made some mistake. - -“This is our room too,” said the one she addressed,--a tall and -fine-looking girl. - -“I beg pardon,” Carrie answered; “but I supposed my cousin and I were -to have it alone. It seemed quite unoccupied. The bureaus and closets -were both empty.” - -“A very natural mistake,” was the reply; “but the way of it is, we have -just been moved from our room to accommodate two new girls who are -distant relations of our old room-mates, and who want to room together: -so we are put in here, and our ‘fixins’ will follow this evening. As we -are to be such near neighbours, we might as well introduce ourselves, -I suppose. I am Florence Anderson, at your service; and this is Sallie -Wendell.” - -“My name is Caroline Stanley; and this is my cousin, Susan Cameron,” -said Carrie. - -This introduction served to loosen the girls’ tongues, and they talked -quite fast, without appearing to remember that it was the study-hour. - -Florence gave the new-comers an account of the teachers, and told -them beforehand which they would like and which they “would perfectly -abominate and despise.” - -Carrie listened with deep interest, and was quite charmed with the -frankness and sociability of her new acquaintance. The clock struck -nine while they were in the full tide of discourse. This was the signal -for retiring, as Florence informed them; and they proceeded to put up -their books and papers and make ready for the night. - -Florence and Sallie were soon snugly ensconced in bed, having first -politely offered the choice of beds to their new room-mates. Susan -took her little Bible and read a chapter, as was her custom, and then -kneeled by her bedside to pray. Carrie was still brushing her hair, -when she heard a whisper and a suppressed laugh from the other girls. -She glanced at them and saw the cause of their merriment. She said not -a word; but, having put up her hair, she took her Bible also and read a -short chapter. - -“Ahem! Saint number two,” she heard, in a loud whisper from the other -bed. - -The blood rushed to Carrie’s face. She felt indignant and a little -ashamed: she extinguished the light hastily and then kneeled by her -bedside a few moments in prayer. The next morning, Susie, as usual, -after dressing, read her Bible and offered up her silent prayer,--a -proceeding which seemed to afford Florence and her companion much -amusement; and Carrie delayed her dressing purposely till her -room-mates went out, when she hastily performed her morning devotions. - -“I wish,” she said to Susie, “that those girls did not room with us!” - -“Why?” asked her cousin. “I thought you liked them last night.” - -“So I did,” was the reply; “but I don’t now.” And Carrie went on to -describe their conduct while Susie was on her knees. This did not seem -to trouble Susan in the least. - -“Poor, foolish girls!” said she; and, having said this, she seemed to -dismiss the subject from her mind. But for Carrie it was not so easy a -task,--particularly as she saw Florence talking with a whole bevy of -school-girls on the piazza, who were laughing merrily; and, as they -immediately grew very sober and silent when she approached them, she -felt sure that Florence had been ridiculing her cousin and herself. - -The school-bell soon rang, and the new pupils followed the other -girls across a covered gallery to the school-room. It was a pleasant -apartment, and the cousins had very excellent seats given them near a -window. Florence was quite a near neighbour here also. - -“The Fates seem to throw us in each other’s way,” she whispered, with a -pleasant smile. - - “What can’t be cured - Must be endured,” - -whispered Carrie back again,--half in jest and half in earnest. - -After the introductory exercises, Miss Forester, the principal teacher, -came to the new pupils, and, after talking with them about their past -studies,--how far they had advanced, &c.,--she told them what classes -they were to join, and added that although she did not expect them to -learn the morning’s lessons, yet she wished them to take their places -in the different classes, that they might see the mode of recitation. - -When the History class was called, the girls came as they had been told -to do; and here they sat close beside Florence again. In the Arithmetic -class, in Thomson’s Seasons and in spelling it was just the same. - -The spelling class was conducted on a new plan; at least, it was new -to the cousins. Each pupil wrote the words given out by the teacher on -her slate, and, after having done so, exchanged slates with her next -neighbour, who corrected and marked the misspelled words while they -were spelled properly by the teacher. - -Carrie had to give her slate to Florence, who sat next to her. When -Florence gave it back to her, she pointed to something which she had -written under the list of words. It ran thus:-- - - “Room-mate and seat-mate, let me know - If you wish me as friend or foe: - If friend, extend your hand to me; - If not, we’re foes: so let it be.” - -Carrie was much amused and quite pleased by Florence’s rhymes. All -her momentary displeasure had passed away, and she stealthily put her -hand into that of her neighbour, who pressed it warmly. At recess, -Florence invited the cousins to go with some of the girls to play,--a -proposition which they received with alacrity, and both entered into -the game with great spirit. This lively play did more to make them feel -acquainted with the other scholars than any thing else could have done, -and it dissipated entirely the slight feeling of home-sickness which -was beginning to creep over them. - -At the study-hour, the four room-mates learned their lessons -together, and then arranged and re-arranged their respective uses -of their apartment. They consulted together about the best division -of book-shelves, bureaus, and the most convenient places for their -trunks; and during the whole evening Florence was so accommodating, so -pleasant and so lively that Carrie quite forgot her morning’s regrets -that she was her room-mate. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -OLD FRIENDS AND NEW. - - -Several days passed, and nothing occurred to mar the harmony of the -occupants of No. 40. - -Carrie, Susan and Sallie were one evening studying their Arithmetic -together. The lesson was in Miscellaneous Questions, and they found -it uncommonly hard. One problem in particular troubled them all -exceedingly. At last Susan turned to Florence, who was reading a book -which one of the girls had loaned her. - -“Flora,” said she, “I wish you would be so kind as to show us how to do -this twenty-seventh sum.” - -Florence looked up pleasantly. - -“I would if I could,” she replied; “but I don’t know any more about it -than the man in the moon.” - -“Now, Flora,” said Susan, “of course you do. It’s just like the -fourteenth that we had yesterday, that so many of us missed; and you -know you did them all.” - -“I beg your pardon: I don’t know any such thing.” - -“You told Miss Forester you had done them all, at any rate.” - -“No, I didn’t.” - -“Why, Florence!” exclaimed Sallie. - -“If you didn’t, I’m very much mistaken,” said Susan. - -“Then you are very much mistaken. I will tell you just how it was. Miss -Forester asked me if I had correct answers to all the questions. I -said I had; and I told the truth; for I had got a key and copied every -answer as correctly as possible.” - -The girls said not a word, but were astonished at the coolness of their -companion’s explanation of her answer. - -Florence was the first to break the silence. - -“You needn’t look a whole volume of sermons at me, Miss Susan,” said -she. “Pray, what would you have had me do under the circumstances?” - -“I would have had you speak the truth.” - -“I should like to know if I didn’t speak the truth! As nearly as I can -understand, your advice would have been, when Miss Forester asked me -if I had correct answers, to have said, ‘No.’ Very singular advice, -I must say, from a person possessing your remarkable virtues! No, my -dear young woman: that would have been a lie; and I’m altogether too -conscientious to be guilty of such a thing!” - -“How can you talk so, Florence? You know it was very wrong. In the -first place----” - -Florence put her hands over her ears. - -“Bless me!” she exclaimed. “We are actually going to have a sermon! -You must be used to preaching, for you begin in regular ministerial -fashion:--‘In the first place!’ Excuse me: I don’t care about hearing -the other seventy-seven heads of the discourse.” And she rose and left -the room abruptly. - -She left the door open behind her, so that the girls heard her say -to several of her companions who were sitting in the hall, round a -favourite study-table,-- - -“I am going to ask Mr. Worcester to have my room changed. The fact is, -it’s altogether too much for one sinner to monopolize the benefits -arising from such saintly room-mates. Besides, saints are dreadfully -tedious, I find. I did suppose there would be some advantages -from having such room-mates,--for instance, that I could have the -looking-glass all to myself; but, to my surprise, I find that the -saints make as much use of it as I do. The only thing to be gained -is a very large number of moral lectures. I left Saint Susan holding -forth as I came out; and she was quite horrified and disgusted at my -wickedness in not staying to hear her discourse to the end. If any of -you feel the need of a sermon, walk into No. 40. Seats free; and she -hasn’t got more than half through yet.” - -The girls laughed,--some of them heartily. - -“I declare, it is shameful!” exclaimed Carrie, angrily. Susan said -nothing. Her lip quivered as she bent over her slate; but she -controlled herself, and at last, declaring that she had solved the -difficult problem, she proceeded to explain the proper process to her -fellow-students. - -“Is the sermon ended?” called out Florence, popping her head in at the -door. - -“Yes,” said Susan, pleasantly, as she came in, followed by several of -the girls. - -Carrie would not speak: she felt too indignant. Florence saw this, and -mischievously attempted to draw her into conversation. It was in vain. -At last she exclaimed,-- - -“Girls, I verily believe Saint Caroline is mad with me! I shouldn’t -wonder if there was the material for a very good sinner in her, after -all.” - -This was too much for Carrie’s gravity. She laughed outright. - -“Florence Anderson, you are the most provoking girl I ever saw!” she -said. “You are enough to make a saint angry.” - -“So I perceive,” said Florence, gravely. - -From that evening Florence always spoke of Susan as “Saint Sue,” -until at last it became quite the general custom to address her in -that manner, greatly to Caroline’s annoyance; but if she ventured to -expostulate she was in danger of being dubbed “Saint” also. But, in -spite of her odd ways, Carrie could not help liking her room-mate -exceedingly; for Florence had taken a fancy “to be friends with -her,” and when she tried to make herself agreeable she was sure to -succeed. Glaring as were her faults, she had qualities which made her -a general favourite. She was, when she chose to apply herself, a very -fine scholar. She was full of life and spirits and was always the -leader in all sports and pastimes. She was universally cheerful and -good-humoured, and never at a loss for something new in the way of -amusements: in short, in whatever was going on, right or wrong, she was -the leading spirit. It was quite flattering to Carrie to be singled -out as a chosen companion by one who was such an acknowledged leader -in the school; and perhaps this appeal to her vanity blinded her eyes -to many of her new friend’s faults. Susan was in danger of no such -blindness, for Florence disliked her quite as much as she liked her -cousin; and, if Carrie regretted her friend’s prejudice against Sue, -the latter regretted her fancy for Carrie with equal sincerity. - -To show how thoroughly she disapproved of this intimacy, Susan would -have nothing whatever to do with Florence, except to treat her with the -most distant politeness and chilling formality. If she proposed a walk -or any scheme of amusement, Susan would invariably make some excuse for -not joining the party, and, not content with this, she would exert all -her influence to prevent her cousin’s making one of the number. She -felt that Florence was a dangerous associate; and again and again she -would advise Carrie to have nothing to do with her. But her advice -met the usual fate of such unwelcome counsel: it was listened to with -ill-disguised impatience and at last disregarded altogether. - -When Susie talked of Florence’s want of principle and steadiness, her -cousin would retort that she was unreasonably prejudiced against her. - -Carrie’s position was by no means a pleasant one. She was sincerely -attached to both her friends, while they not only disliked each other -cordially, but were jealous of each other’s influence. She was like a -shuttle-cock kept flying between two skilful players. - -“I wish you liked Susie better!” she said one day to her friend. - -“You had better wish that Susan liked me,” was Florence’s reply. “How -can I like her, when she treats me as if I were such a wretch that she -hardly dared speak to me for fear of pollution? You know she warns you -against me and thinks I am the most awful creature that ever lived.” - -“Well, Florence, you know, too, that you show your very worst side to -her. You always sneer at every thing good when you are with her. She -thinks you have no respect for religious things at all; and sometimes I -almost think so too.” - -“But I have a great respect for Christian people.” - -“Then why do you laugh at Susie and call her ‘Saint’?” - -“Oh, because she is so solemn and so dismal and so easily shocked, and -seems to set herself up for something so good.” - -“Now, Florence, you are unjust. I am sure Susie is as full of fun, in -her quiet way, as any of the girls.” - -“Well, it’s of no use for us to talk about it. Saint Sue don’t like me, -and I don’t like her; and we shall probably always remain of the same -opinion. There is no love lost between us. If she could have her way, -she would never let you speak to me again.” - -Not long after this conversation, Susan said to her cousin,-- - -“I really think you ought not to make such a constant companion of -Florence.” - -“That is just what Florence said you would tell me,” replied Carrie; -“and she said, too, she thought it was a strange idea of your’s that -saints should not associate with anybody but other saints, leaving the -poor sinners to their own destruction without the benefit of any good -influences.” - -“That sounds just like Florence; but I’m afraid she has more influence -over you than you have over her. Carrie, I don’t like to say it, but -I am really afraid you are not so constant in the performance of your -Christian duties as you ought to be and as you used to be. Aunt Stanley -said we should have temptations and trials, and warned us not to yield -to them.” - -“She said, too, that she did not think we need to have long faces and -be always talking of religious things.” - -“Very true. But there’s a great deal more danger of being too -indifferent than too earnest; and, Carrie, I really think it my duty to -tell you that----” - -The blood rushed to Caroline’s face. - -“Susie,” she exclaimed, “I wish you didn’t lecture me every time you -get me alone. Lately it seems to be all you talk to me about, whenever -we are together, that I’m doing very wrong. I actually almost dread to -be left with you.” - -Susan began to cry. - -“Don’t cry,” said her cousin, kissing her tenderly. “I know you mean it -all for the best and because you love me; and perhaps I deserve it all. -But it a’n’t pleasant, you know, to be lectured, even if you do deserve -it. Don’t cry. You make me very unhappy!” - -Susie brushed away her tears and kissed Carrie, and so the subject -dropped,--for the time, at least. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -THE TABLEAUX PARTY. - - -This conversation did not have the effect of re-establishing the -intercourse between the cousins on its old familiar footing. When they -were together, both the girls felt that they must be very careful what -they said, lest they should injure each other’s feelings; and this -necessity of constant watchfulness over one’s words in presence of -another is any thing but pleasant. Nothing can be more surely fatal to -a friendship than such a state of mind. It was not strange, therefore, -that the cousins, though outwardly as fond of each other as ever, -rather shunned than sought each other’s society. - -Susan felt this estrangement far more keenly than her cousin. She was -not one who made many friends; while Carrie was of a social nature, -and was a general favourite. Susie was proud, too, and her cousin had -taunted her with being jealous. This had stung her to the quick. It -prevented her from saying any thing more against the intimacy existing -between the room-mates; and her pride, too, forbade her to accept any -invitations to join them in their walks. - -“Florence doesn’t want me,” was her invariable reply. - -“But I do,” Carrie would say. - -“I don’t care about being a third one,” was Susan’s answer,--a reply -which annoyed her cousin exceedingly. - -“Let her alone: she’s a jealous thing. She must be every thing or -nothing,” was Florence’s consolation to her friend when she came to her -with these troubles; and at last the advice was taken. Carrie ceased to -ask Susan altogether. - -Poor Susie spent many unhappy hours alone in her chamber, and shed many -bitter tears over this neglect, quite unconscious that she herself was -partly in fault. And (not a little conscience-smitten at her treatment -of the poor orphan) Carrie, instead of changing her course, tried to -keep out of sight of her sad face as much as possible. This threw her -still more into Florence’s society,--so that they were soon quite -inseparable. - -One day, while walking to the village accompanied by Miss -Winthrop,--for it was against the rules to go out of the school-grounds -unless under the charge of a teacher,--they met a handsome carriage, -which suddenly stopped close by them, and a young lady, who was riding -alone, called out,-- - -“Is that you, my dear little Florence, or only your apparition?” - -Florence looked up. “Oh, my dear Cousin Fanny!” she exclaimed; and, -springing to the carriage, she was up on the step in an instant, and -showering kisses enough on her relative to convince her of her identity. - -“I was on my way to call on you,” said Miss Fanny, as soon as she -could take breath after her little cousin’s ardent embrace. - -“I’ll go back at once, then, for I don’t want to lose your visit.” - -“No,” said the young lady, “I have a better plan than that. Who is that -with you?” - -“Miss Winthrop, and my best friend, Carrie Stanley.” - -“Miss Winthrop,” said the stranger, with a most bewitching smile, “will -you not allow me to take my little cousin and her friend out for a -short drive?” - -Miss Winthrop hesitated. - -“Oh, I’ll make it all right with Mr. Worcester. I know him very well. -Tell him, if you please, that Miss Montague will be responsible for the -safe return of his pupils. Jump in, girls. It is not so very long since -Miss Winthrop and I have been school-girls ourselves; and we know what -a treat a drive is.” - -Miss Winthrop smiled pleasantly. - -“On condition that you don’t keep them out too long, Miss Montague, I -consent,” she said. “I hope you will enjoy your drive, girls.” And -amidst their thanks the carriage drove on. - -“How lucky it was,” exclaimed Flora, “that hateful old Forester wasn’t -with us! She would never have let us go. I can see her shake her old -corkscrew curls and make up her mouth and say, ‘It’s contrary to the -rules, young ladies.’” - -Florence was an excellent mimic; and she had caught Miss Forester’s -very tone. - -Her cousin laughed. - -“I expect you need one such dragon to keep you in order,” she said. - -The drive was a very pleasant one, for Miss Fanny was most agreeable -company; and sorry indeed were both the girls when it was time to -return. - -Mr. Worcester met them at the gate. He appeared very happy to see -Miss Montague, and promised to call on her during her visit at Mrs. -Sidney’s. The girls thanked her for their ride. - -“I shall come for you again, with Mr. Worcester’s permission,” was her -reply. “Mr. Worcester knows that I am to be trusted.” - -“You must have changed somewhat, then.” - -“Oh, what an ungallant speech! But I have changed wonderfully. I have -grown so old and staid! Come and see for yourself!” - -She looked at her watch. “It is really late,” she said. “Drive home as -quickly as you can, James. Good-night!” - -The coachman touched his spirited horses with the whip; away rolled the -carriage, and in a few minutes all were out of sight. The girls went -to their room, full of animation and eager to tell their companions of -their adventure. - -“Oh, Susie, how I wish you had been with us!” concluded Carrie. - -Susie made no reply. Her throat swelled and her eyes filled; for she -had been crying almost all the time they had been gone. - -Carrie did not observe her red eyes, for she was too full of the -subject of the drive; and the tea-bell rang while the girls were still -dilating on Miss Fanny’s charms. - -A few days after this, Florence took her friend aside very -mysteriously, whispering to her that she had something to tell her. - -“What is it?” asked Carrie, eagerly. - -“I had a note from Cousin Fanny this morning; and--what do you -think!--Mrs. Sidney is going to have a tableaux party, and you and I -are to be invited! Won’t that be splendid?” - -Carrie clapped her hands in delight. - -“But do you suppose Mr. Worcester will let us go?” she asked, a little -doubtfully. - -“Oh, yes! Cousin Fanny says she will make it all right,--that she can -manage Mr. Worcester; and I guess she can, for she always does make -everybody and every thing do just as she chooses. We shall go, I know; -and won’t we have a grand time?” - -“I wish Susie could go too,” was her friend’s only reply. “It looks a -little selfish in me to go and leave her behind.” - -“Nonsense! No, it doesn’t. She won’t think any thing of it. Cousin -Fanny never heard of her, you know. Of course, Susan wouldn’t want you -to stay at home on her account. That would be selfish enough!” - -“If she were only invited too,” persisted Carrie, “I should be -perfectly happy.” - -“She can’t think it strange that she isn’t, when Fanny never heard of -her existence,” replied Florence. “Sometimes I wish I never had myself. -She’s a regular nuisance. I’m sick to death of her very name. It’s -always ‘Susan! Susan!’ with you, if any thing comes up. But don’t let -us talk any more about her now. She isn’t invited; and that’s all about -it.” - -Florence had her own reasons for not wishing to talk on this subject. -In her cousin’s note she had told her that if there were any others of -her school-mates whom she wished to invite, she had only to let her -know; and, though Florence was determined that Susan should not go, -Carrie’s regrets on the subject made her feel very uncomfortable. - -“What shall you wear?” she asked, as much for the sake of diverting her -friend’s mind as for any other reason. - -“I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Carrie. “I wish mother had let me bring -some of my evening dresses; but there wouldn’t be time to send home for -one now.” - -“Why not wear our white muslins? With pretty sashes and bows on the -sleeves, they will look quite nice.” - -“It’s as well to think so, at least,” returned Caroline; “for they are -the only dresses we have here at all suitable.” - -In the course of the next day the invitations came in due form. -Mr. Worcester was invited also. Cousin Fanny’s magic had not been -over-estimated: he yielded to its power; for he told the girls, when -they showed him their notes, that, if they learned their lessons well -during the two days that were to intervene before the party, they -should go under his escort. - -The girls were half wild with excitement. There was nothing to mar -their happiness. Susan had so kindly tried to make her cousin feel that -she did not care at all about going, and was so much interested in the -necessary preparations for her dress, that Carrie’s pleasure was not -quite spoiled, as Florence at one time had feared it might be. Yet her -regrets that Susan could not go were so sincere that the latter, even -without an invitation, was happier than she had been for many weeks; -for she began to feel that Carrie had not ceased to love her altogether. - -The morning of the anxiously-looked-for day at last dawned, but Mr. -Worcester was not at the breakfast-table. The girls were dreadfully -afraid that he was ill. Never had they felt so great an interest in -his health before; but in a short time they learned the cause of his -non-appearance at table. He had left a note for them, which he had -intrusted to Miss Forester, telling them that he had been called away -suddenly and unexpectedly on business and should not return in season -to accompany them to the party; but he had made arrangements for a -carriage to convey them to Mrs. Sidney’s, and he hoped they would have -a pleasant evening. - -The morning wore slowly away. It was in vain that Carrie attempted -to study. Her head was too full of the delights of the evening to -permit her to devote herself to her lessons; and it must be confessed -that neither she nor Florence acquitted themselves remarkably well in -Arithmetic or History. - -At the close of the morning session, Miss Forester informed them that, -as they had broken the conditions of perfect recitations, they had -forfeited the right to go to the party, and she should consequently -countermand Mr. Worcester’s order for the carriage which was to have -conveyed them to Mrs. Sidney’s. The disappointment of the girls may be -readily imagined. Their expostulations were numerous but ineffectual, -and their anger against Miss Forester was fierce indeed. - -“If Mr. Worcester were at home, I know he would let us go,” persisted -Florence. - -“I am head-teacher in his absence,” replied Miss Forester; “and, since -you have not recited perfectly, I shall not let you go.” - -Carrie cried, and Susan attempted to comfort her, for Florence had no -time to devote to consolation. She was not so easily disheartened. She -said nothing, but proceeded to act. She had always an abundance of -pocket-money; for her father kept her liberally supplied, and she had -long since learned that “money is power.” - -During her practice-hour in the afternoon, while Miss Forester was -engaged in school, she stole out to the livery-stable and made an -arrangement with the keeper to send a carriage a half-hour later than -Mr. Worcester’s order. She explained to him the circumstances of the -case, and assured him that Mr. Worcester, had he not been absent, -would have allowed them to go, and that he would not be offended at -their disobeying Miss Forester. These assurances, together with a -liberal bribe, induced him to agree to have a carriage in waiting at -the appointed hour, a little distance from the house. - -Having accomplished this, on her return she made one of the -chambermaids her confidant, and promised to pay her well if she -would be in readiness to let her in after the party, promising to be -back at one o’clock. The girl readily agreed to do so; and when her -arrangements were all completed, Florence informed Carrie of what she -had done. - -At first Carrie was too much frightened to think of accompanying her; -but Florence insisted that it “was no more than fair.” She rehearsed -again her arguments to the livery-stable-keeper, and, as a grand -finale, urged her to rely on Cousin Fanny, who would make it all right -with Mr. Worcester. - -“The reason old Lady Forester won’t let us go is because she’s -affronted to think she isn’t invited: she is as ugly and hateful as -she can be, and she tried to make us miss. I shall go at all events: -you can do as you please.” - -So said Florence, and then proceeded to depict the pleasures of the -evening and the certainty that their absence would never be discovered. -The temptation was too great for poor Carrie. - -She yielded in spite of Susan’s remonstrances, and at the hour the two -friends stole softly out of the house. The carriage was ready according -to the agreement; and, once at the party, Carrie quite forgot all her -misgivings. - -The tableaux were very beautiful, the ladies and gentlemen very polite, -and Fanny spared no pains to make her little guests perfectly happy. -Never was there so short or so delightful an evening. - -The carriage at the appointed hour conveyed them home. They alighted -where they had been taken up, and crept softly up to the house. All was -dark. They tapped at the kitchen-window. The back-door opened at the -signal, and there stood Miss Forester! - -“Good-evening, young ladies,” said she, with a grim smile. - -She said not another word, and the girls, quite crest-fallen, crept up -to bed. They well knew that such an offence would never be overlooked. -Even from Cousin Fanny’s intercession little was to be hoped. But how -Miss Forester had learned their absence was a mystery. - -Had Bridget turned traitor? Or had Susan been mean enough to think it -her duty to tell of their disobedience? Florence was impatient to see -Biddy, to upbraid her for her faithlessness, or Susan, to express her -contempt for her if she was the guilty one; but the next morning she -learned that both were quite free from blame. - -Bridget’s mother, who lived in the vicinity, had sent for her in -great haste, as her youngest brother was in convulsions; and Bridget, -even in her distress, was not forgetful of her promise to the young -ladies. She had confided their secret to one of her fellow-servants, -who promised to perform her part in letting them in. Miss Forester, -happening to have occasion to go to the kitchen, had overheard all -this in the passage, and had sent the servants to bed, volunteering to -relieve Margaret of her attendance on the door. - -“The mean old thing! The spying, prying old thing!” said Florence. -“She is always prowling round and eaves-dropping. The contemptible old -sneak!” - -To all this Nora, her informant, assented,--for Miss Forester was no -favourite; but such epithets, though they might possibly act as a -safety-valve for Florence’s indignation, were powerless to extricate -the culprits from their dilemma. - -It was in vain to look for counsel from Carrie; she was too much -frightened to be of the least service: indeed, it seemed to afford -her great relief when Florence, nerving herself up for the penalty, -exclaimed,-- - -“There’s one consolation, Carrie. They can’t kill us! For even Miss -Forester--though I’ve no doubt she’d be glad to do it--can’t make it -out a hanging-matter. At worst, it will only be the State’s prison for -life!” - -“How can you talk so?” said Susan. “I believe you would make fun of any -thing.” - -“We may as well laugh as cry,” retorted Florence. “We’re in for it. -There’s one thing certain, though: I won’t give Miss Forester the -satisfaction of thinking that I care a straw about it, or that I’m -afraid of her.” - -On Mr. Worcester’s return, the facts were duly laid before him. The -girls were sent for into his study. - -It was useless to attempt any defence of their conduct; and so Florence -wisely said nothing. Carrie could only cry; and perhaps her distress -touched their teacher’s heart, for after some deliberation he sentenced -them to the loss of all holidays for four weeks; and during that time -they must not go out of the school-grounds. - -This was so much better than they had expected, that the delinquents -left him with a light heart. But, though at first it seemed a slight -punishment, it proved to be a severe one; for soon after Miss Fanny -called with an invitation for them to go on a picnic, which she had -arranged on a holiday expressly for the sake of their being able to -attend. - -She interceded with Mr. Worcester for a reprieve, but in vain; and, as -she was expressing her sorrow and disappointment on leaving without -them, Miss Forester passed. - -She had heard enough to understand what was going on; and, as they went -up the staircase to their rooms, she met them and smiled. It was a -smile of triumph,--or so, at least, the girls fancied. - -It was too much for Florence. She turned and shook her clenched fist -behind her teacher’s back, and muttered, between her shut teeth,-- - -“I’ll be even with you yet.” - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -A TRAP SET. - - -This was no idle threat. For days Florence spent much time and thought -in devising various plans for revenging herself; but for a long while -she could not hit on any thing satisfactory. - -At last, one day, as she was sitting in her room, she flung her book on -the table and clapped her hands, exclaiming,-- - -“I have it! I have it!” - -Her room-mates looked up in surprise. - -“What is it?” both asked. - -“Oh, my lesson: that’s all,” returned Florence, quietly. She rose, -and, beckoning to Carrie to follow her, passed out of the room. Carrie -obeyed the signal, and found her friend waiting for her in the hall. - -“Come with me,” she said, leading the way out of the house, and -through winding paths away to a secluded spot at the very extremity of -the grounds. Here she stopped. - -“Well, what now?” asked Carrie, who had followed her guide in silence. - -“Do you suppose it is possible that any one else should be here?” said -her companion, without replying to her question. - -She peered round behind the trees, and, having satisfied herself that -there were no listeners, she proceeded in a low voice to tell Caroline -that she had at last hit on a plan for paying what they owed to Miss -Forester. - -“That was what you meant, then, when you called out, ‘I have it!’” - -“Certainly it was; and it is a capital idea. I am going to get a bowl -and fill it with water and set it on the top of the door of her room, -so that, when she opens it, splash--will come all the water over her.” - -“But how can you fix it so that it will stay till she comes?” - -“Oh, leave the door a little ajar; and I sha’n’t put it there till -just before she goes in, when it is a little dark. You know she always -retires to her room just before tea, to arrange those beautiful curls -of her’s so as to look her prettiest at the supper-table. I’ll save her -the trouble of wetting her hair for once.” - -“But, Flora, where will you get a bowl?” - -“Why, take her own wash-bowl, of course!” - -“But in the fall that would be too heavy: it might hurt her badly, or -it might break, and cut her.” - -“So much the better.” - -“No,” said Carrie, steadily: “I don’t object to her getting a little -frightened and a good deal wet. She deserves that. But I shan’t go in -for any thing that might hurt her.” - -“Poh! poh!” exclaimed her accomplice. “There isn’t one chance in a -thousand of its hitting her.” - -But Carrie was resolute. Florence reflected a few minutes. - -“Well, Carrie, how would a tin basin do? That couldn’t hurt her: the -more’s the pity!” - -“But where can you get one?” - -“Oh, buy one: they are cheap.” - -“But we cannot go out of the grounds ourselves, you know; and I don’t -like to give such a commission to any one else.” - -“Well, leave that to me. I will arrange it somehow,” said her friend, -as they walked back to the house. - -On her return to her room, Carrie found her cousin anxiously waiting -for her. - -“I know Florence is up to some new mischief,” said she. “Don’t let -her get you into any fresh difficulty. If she has contrived some new -scheme, let her carry it out alone. Don’t you have any thing to do with -it.” - -Carrie hesitated. - -“She is a very bad and dangerous girl,” continued Susie; “and I can see -that she influences you more and more every day.” - -Well meant as this was, Susan could not have said any thing more -injudicious. Carrie flamed up in defence of her friend in an instant. - -“She is not so bad as you make her out to be; and, as to influence, -Florence says (and she ought to know) that I have a great deal over -her.” - -“All I can say,” replied her cousin, “is that I judge of a person’s -influence by the effect it produces. The reason why I think Florence -influences you more than you do her, is because I see that you are -changed very much, and I don’t see that she is, one particle. You are -in great danger, Carrie. Perhaps this is a turning-point with you. I -tremble for you!” - -“You are not my judge, thank goodness! If you were, I should tremble -for myself.” - -“Oh, Carrie!” exclaimed Susie;--but she had left the room. - -“I think perhaps we had better let Miss Forester go,” said Carrie to -Florence; for, though she would not confess it, Susan’s words had -influenced her somewhat. - -“Nonsense!” retorted her friend. “What harm will a little ducking do -her? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” - -“Have you got the basin yet?” - -“No; but, if worse comes to worst, there’s the bowl.” - -“No. I insist on it, _that_ shall not be used. I will have nothing -to do with it if it is.” - -“Well, well,” said Florence. “But it is next to impossible to procure -the tin. I can’t get out myself; and I don’t like to trust any one to -buy it.” - -Carrie secretly hoped that this difficulty would upset the whole -scheme; but she did not know her friend. - -A few days later, Florence drew her into their room, and, removing -a pillow from the bed, displayed a tin basin under it, which she -flourished before her eyes. - -“All ready now!” she cried, triumphantly. - -“But how did you get it? Did you trust a servant with our secret?” -asked Carrie, anxiously. - -“Not I. I borrowed this, without leave, from the pantry. All I wonder -is that I didn’t think of doing it before.” - -“Nobody knows you have the basin, then?” - -“Nobody but Susan. She came in just in season to see me hide it. I was -clumsy; and nothing, you know, ever escapes her eyes. She asked me what -I was going to do with it, and I told her she would find out before -long. I am sorry she saw it; but then I guess she won’t betray us.” - -That evening, as if for Florence’s especial benefit, Miss Forester was -detained at the school-room, after the session, long enough to allow -her to arrange the basin of water just as she wished it. When all was -ready, she whispered to Carrie,-- - -“Just before tea, look out for Miss Forester’s shower-bath.” - -It was quite dark. The tea-bell was rung. The girls were sitting in -expectation close by their own half-opened door. There was a quick step -on the staircase. - -“Now!” whispered Florence, breathlessly. - -There was a splash, a heavy fall, a groan, and then, for a second, all -was still,--but only for a second. Suddenly there was a great stir in -the hall, and the frightened girls heard exclamations of, “She has -fallen down-stairs! She is half killed!” - -Hardly daring to move, they clung to each other in silence. Just then -Susan rushed in. - -“Oh, girls,” she said, reproachfully, “what have you done? Miss -Winthrop is dreadfully hurt!” - -“Miss Winthrop!” exclaimed both, in dismay. - -“Yes. She was going into Miss Forester’s room, and when she opened the -door, down came a basin of water. She started back, her foot slipped, -and she fell down-stairs. They took her up senseless.” - -Her listeners wrung their hands in anguish. - -“Oh! If we have killed her!” said Carrie, aside. - -Florence paced up and down the room almost beside herself. It had never -entered into her calculations that any one but Miss Forester could be -the sufferer from her trick. - -That Miss Winthrop, who was a general favourite and whom she herself -dearly loved, should have received the bath intended for Miss Forester -would have been bad enough; but to have been the means of injuring her, -perhaps fatally, was almost too much to bear. - -The injury, however, proved to be of a less serious character than was -at first supposed. - -Miss Forester’s room was situated at the head of a flight of stairs; -and when Miss Winthrop’s foot slipped, as she started back from the -sudden fall of water, she had wrenched her ankle. Fainting from the -pain, she had fallen down the stairs; but, though she had received -numerous bruises, she was not seriously injured. Her sprained ankle -would, however, confine her to her room for some time. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -CAUGHT. - - -After their first fright with regard to Miss Winthrop’s injuries -was over, the girls began to think of their own cause for alarm. -Fortunately for them, nothing was said by Mr. Worcester that night -about the authors of the mischief; and by degrees they regained their -self-possession. - -But they well knew that their teacher’s silence would not last long, -and were not surprised when, the next day, after the school was called -together, Mr. Worcester made a speech, setting forth the enormity of -the offence, and at the close asked those who were concerned in it to -rise. - -This Carrie could not do, for from terror she was absolutely incapable -of moving; and Florence would not, for she knew that her secret was -in her own keeping; and she felt pretty sure that, though she might be -suspected, it could not be proved that she was guilty. - -Mr. Worcester was very angry. He threatened severe punishment against -the offenders, and declared that it was useless to hope to escape -detection. - -Never were there two more wretched girls than the culprits. Florence -was thoroughly frightened for once, and neither she nor her accomplice -could think or talk of any thing else. Of course, Susan knew all about -it; for the basin which she had seen had given her a clew to the secret -of the room-mates, and, knowing this, they did not hesitate to talk of -the affair before her. - -It was only the day after Mr. Worcester’s speech that Florence was -summoned to the study. Several girls who had been supposed to have some -reason for disliking Miss Forester had been previously sent for and -cross-examined,--so that Florence’s summons did not add much to her -alarm. - -She was not detained long, but came back in quite good spirits, saying, -as she entered the room,-- - -“Carrie, Mr. Worcester will send for you in a minute. Go down and -declare that you know nothing about it. I’ve lied right straight along: -all you’ve got to do is to stick to it.” - -“Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?” exclaimed the poor girl, wildly. - -“Tell the truth, Carrie,” said Susan, firmly. - -“Oh, Carrie, you wouldn’t do it!” exclaimed Florence, eagerly. - -“It’s your only course,” persisted Susan, not heeding this remark. “It -is the very best thing you can do.” - -“And what’s to become of me?” interrupted Florence. “A pretty position -I shall be in! Proved guilty, and a liar into the bargain! Carrie, -you couldn’t be so cruel! What would Mr. Worcester do to me? I should -be expelled at the very least. You won’t bring me out, just to save -yourself? You couldn’t be so mean, Carrie!” - -“What shall I do?” was the poor girl’s only reply. - -“Tell the truth,” persisted her cousin. - -“But--Florence----” - -“If she had not lied herself,” began Susan. - -“But I have lied,” interrupted Florence. “It’s done and can’t be -helped. Carrie, you will not expose me! I hear some one coming for you -now. Promise me that you won’t tell.” - -Caroline said not a word. She trembled from head to foot. There was a -rap at the door. She did not move. Florence looked at her an instant, -then sprang to her and shook her fiercely by the shoulder. - -“Don’t tremble so, you little fool!” she said. “Your very looks will -betray you!” - -By a strong effort Carrie controlled herself, and walked to the study. - -When she returned, a half-hour later, Florence and Susan were still -in earnest conversation. - -“What if you should be questioned, Susan?” asked Florence. - -“I do not think it at all likely that I shall be.” - -“But if you were?” persisted her questioner. - -“I would not tell a lie.” - -“What!” exclaimed her companion, “would you be so mean?” - -“Nothing can be meaner than a lie,” returned Susan. - -Carrie by the half-open door had overheard all this. She waited for no -more. Susan’s words, “Nothing can be meaner than a lie,” rung in her -ears, as she turned away sick at heart. - -Of this contemptible meanness she had just been guilty. At that moment -she despised herself thoroughly. She could not endure to see any one. -She felt as if she could never look any one in the face again. - -She stole away into her favourite spot in the garden, and, throwing -herself on the ground, she wept long and bitterly. She thought of her -mother’s warning and of her own boasted strength! How her mother would -feel if she knew of her child’s disgrace and sin! She shrunk from the -thought. She would rather die, almost, than to have her know of it; and -yet--God knew it all! Jesus, whom she had professed to love, saw all -her sin and knew how she had forgotten him,--how she had disgraced her -Christian character. What had her influence been? - -She groaned aloud. She could not pray. She sprang from the ground, and -walked up and down the path, wringing her hands in anguish. - -She heard footsteps approaching and some one calling her name. She did -not answer: she looked about for some place of escape, but there was -none; and in an instant Florence was by her side. Her arms were round -her neck and she was kissing her most passionately. - -“Don’t feel so badly, my darling,” she said. “They will never find us -out in the world!” - -Carrie said nothing: she leaned on her friend’s shoulder and cried -bitterly. - -Florence caressed her again and again, and repeated her assurances of -their security from discovery. All this seemed to afford the weeping -girl no comfort. - -“It isn’t that,” at last she whispered; “but--my lie!--and I a -professed Christian, too!” - -She shuddered. “I despise myself,” she exclaimed; “and I know you must -despise me too.” - -Florence only pressed her closer to her heart. “_I_ despise you?” -she cried,--“when it was all my fault, from beginning to end? Carrie, -never say such a thing again!” - -Somewhat comforted by Florence’s tenderness, Carrie returned to the -house. - -Susan looked at her coldly, sternly, almost contemptuously, as she -entered the room, but she made no remark; and after that one glance, -which spoke volumes and cut the poor delinquent to the very heart, she -went on with her studies. - -No allusion to the difficulty Carrie had passed through was ever made -by Susan; but the cousins were now more estranged than ever. Caroline -felt that Susan despised her; and, though she felt also that she -deserved this, she yet resented it keenly. - -For several days nothing had been said by their teacher about the late -incident, and the girls had settled down quite composedly, hoping that -it was never to be revived, when one morning, after prayers, in the -school-room, Mr. Worcester rose and informed the young ladies that he -had at last discovered the authors of the mean and contemptible trick -to which he had once before alluded. He had learned the whole story, he -continued,--from the theft of the basin down to the lies to hide their -guilt. He proceeded then, in no measured terms, to speak of the trick: -he held its authors up to contempt; and, after a half-hour’s scorching -rebuke and cutting sarcasm, he concluded by calling the girls by name -and bidding them come forward. - -With flashing eyes and compressed lips, Florence, whom this speech had -only stung to fierce anger, walked haughtily forward; while Carrie, -pale and hardly able to walk, tottered to her place beside her. Every -eye in the school was upon the culprits. - -Carrie reeled, and would have fallen if Florence had not supported her. -Mr. Worcester hardly noticed the girls’ emotion, as he addressed them -in a few bitter, sarcastic sentences and then pronounced the penalty. - -They were to make an apology first to Miss Winthrop, next to Miss -Forester, in presence of the school, confessing also that they had -lied, and, moreover, were each to write home an account of the whole -affair to their parents. - -When Carrie heard this, she was completely overcome and fell back in a -partial swoon. - -In an instant all was confusion. Susan sprang to her cousin’s side; -but Florence pushed her violently away. - -“You shall not touch her!” she said, between her teeth; and when at -last Carrie regained her consciousness, it was to Florence that she -turned, begging to be allowed to go to her own room. - -“Is it all true?” she said, when she was left alone with her friend, -who had placed her, unaided, on the bed. “Oh, how dreadful it is! I -could bear it all, but---- Oh, my mother!” - -She buried her face in the pillows, and her whole frame was convulsed -with emotion. - -“This is all Susan’s doings. From saints like her, good Lord, deliver -me!” said Florence, bitterly. “I hate her! I hate her!” And she set her -teeth firmly, and clenched her hands, as she paced up and down the room -like some wild animal furious with rage. - -The penalty which they had incurred was indeed a severe one. Nothing -could have been more humiliating than such an apology and confession as -they were to make before the whole school. Carrie was quite unnerved -by the prospect of it, and by the still greater punishment,--the -writing home to her mother. - -Several days had passed, and the first part of their sentence had been -performed. Caroline (how she hardly knew) had repeated her confession; -but she was as yet utterly unable to write a word. - -Meanwhile, Susan’s position was no enviable one. The tide of popular -feeling was altogether on the side of the culprits, whose penalty -was universally declared to be too severe; and, as Florence did not -hesitate to accuse Susan of having been the informant, repeating her -own declaration that if questioned she should not lie, it was the -conviction of most of the girls that she had been the traitor. - -An informer is always despised at school; and poor Susan soon -experienced the whole force of this prejudice. No one accused her of -having told; but every one avoided her as if she were beneath contempt. - -Carrie’s state of health (for she spent most of her time lying on the -bed, crying and sobbing) only added fuel to the fire of anger kindled -against Susan. Carrie made no charges against her cousin; but she -shrank from seeing her and would tremble like an aspen if she came into -the room. This, too, told against poor Susan. - -At last she could bear it no longer. She went into the room where her -cousin was lying, surrounded by sympathizing friends. - -Florence looked up and demanded what she wanted, in a tone that proved -she felt her to be an intruder. - -Susan did not heed her, or the glances of contempt cast upon her. She -walked straight to the bed. - -“Carrie,” said she, “do _you_ believe I told Mr. Worcester?” - -“Oh, I don’t know! I don’t know!” replied the girl, trembling with -excitement. “Please go away. Don’t look at me so! I can’t bear it!” And -she turned away her head. - -Susan said not a word. She turned and walked out of the room. - -From that time she made no further attempt to free herself from -suspicion; and, though some of the girls were inclined at first to -believe that she was not guilty, Florence left nothing undone to prove -that she was the informant. - -Circumstances, indeed, were against her. She had been seen in Mr. -Worcester’s study the day before the discovery was made known; and, -more than that, if she did not tell, _who_ could have done so? She -alone knew of it. - -It seemed almost impossible for Carrie to write to her mother. From -time to time she deferred it, until at last her teacher set a certain -day on which he said it must be completed and given to him. - -With a faint heart, on the appointed day Carrie took it to his study. - -He read it: then, after a glance at the wretched girl before him, he -said, pointing to a box containing sealing-wax and tapers, “Give me -that stand.” - -Carrie obeyed; but, instead of sealing the letter, Mr. Worcester held -it to the blaze until it was consumed. - -“You have had a sufficiently severe lesson, I think,” he said; “and I -release you from further punishment.” - -Carrie tried to thank him; but glad tears, which she could not -restrain, were her only reply. - -Again she attempted to speak; but her voice was choked. - -“How can I ever thank you enough?” at last she said. - -“Be a penitent, obedient girl,” he said; and she left the room half -wild with delight. - -Florence, too, had been released from her letter of confession, and -they could rejoice together. - -Their lesson had been indeed sufficiently severe to cure even Florence -of all wish to disobey; and she devoted herself to her studies with -a zeal that astonished her instructors quite as much as it delighted -them. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -ANOTHER MYSTERY. - - -The quarterly exhibition was drawing near. It was a great day at the -school. - -All the friends of the institution in town, and many from out of town, -were present on these occasions. - -It was a sort of examination of the school; and prizes for scholarship, -declamation and composition were awarded by the principal. - -There was no little emulation and rivalry among the pupils with -regard to the prizes; but it was generally conceded by all that the -composition-prize, which ranked first, would be gained by Susan or -Florence. - -Both wrote remarkably good compositions; and it was a disputed point -which was the superior writer. - -On this occasion both seemed determined to do their very best; and not -only they, but the whole school, felt deeply interested in the contest. - -It was the night before the exhibition. - -Florence’s essay, neatly copied and tied together with blue ribbon, lay -on the table before her; and, at the request of a large number of the -girls who were in the room, she read it to them. - -It was warmly applauded, and pronounced the very best thing she had -ever written. - -Susan had listened to its reading attentively. - -“It is certainly very fine,” she said at its close. - -“Read your’s now,” was the unanimous request; and she was about to do -so, when the signal for retiring was given. - -“You must wait till to-morrow, girls,” she said, pleasantly, as they -left the apartment. - -It was a bright and beautiful morning that dawned on the day of the -exhibition. - -The girls were all absorbed in their preparation. White muslins were to -be in requisition, trimmed with different-coloured ribbons, according -to the various classes of which their wearers were members. - -There was little enough time for dressing after breakfast; and all were -so much engaged in their preparations that the compositions were quite -forgotten. - -It was not until the first bell rang for school that Florence gathered -up her books and papers for the day. - -“Where is my composition?” she asked, rummaging over the table-drawer -into which she had thrown it the night before. - -“Have you seen my composition, girls?” she inquired of her room-mates. -“Where can it be? It is strange enough where it can have gone!” - -Strange enough it was; for, though several of her schoolmates -remembered seeing her put it in the drawer, it was not there. - -Mr. Worcester was informed of the loss, and gave Florence permission -to be excused from school-duties for a while, that she might find it; -but, after a thorough examination of the room, she was obliged to give -it up in despair. - -Where it had gone nobody could even guess; but that it had disappeared -past recovery was certain. - -Unfortunately Florence had not even the first rough draft of her essay. -After having copied it she had torn it up and thrown it away. - -Her schoolmates sympathized with her in her loss; but all their regrets -did not restore the missing paper. - -To lose that essay on which she had worked so hard and which was to -have gained for her so much applause! What a trial. - -It was a terrible disappointment; and it required all her self-control -to keep back her tears when her rival read her composition. - -Florence knew that her’s was a better one, and so all the girls -felt who had heard it. So also Susan knew; and when Mr. Worcester -pronounced that the prize had been awarded to her by the decision of -the committee on essays, and bade her come forward to receive it, she -said, as she approached him, in a voice so low that it reached his ear -alone,-- - -“Mr. Worcester, if you please, I had rather not take it. I heard -Florence read her’s last night, and I know it was better than mine. -Please give the prize to her!” - -Mr. Worcester looked at her admiringly. - -“Your proposition does you honour,” he said: then, turning to the -audience, he continued:-- - -“In justice to Miss Florence Anderson, I must say a few words.” - -He then told of her loss and of her school-mate’s generous proposal. -He paid Florence a just compliment on the excellence of her usual -compositions, and regretted her misfortune. “Yet, Miss Susan,” he -concluded, “the committee are obliged to decide on the merits of the -articles submitted to them; and, however much we regret that Miss -Florence’s was not among the number, the prize is fairly your’s.” - -He threw a pretty gold chain around her neck as he spoke, and she took -her seat amidst murmurs of approval from all the audience. - -Susan had gained what she had been striving for so long. The prize was -her’s; but all her enjoyment in it was gone. - -At recess, the girls crowded round Florence to condole with her; and, -though some few spoke of Susan’s proposal as a very generous one, most -of them treated it with contempt. - -“Fine words cost nothing,” said Florence. “She knew of course that Mr. -Worcester would never give me the prize without reading my piece.” - -Her listeners agreed to this sentiment, and, “It’s very strange where -the composition can have gone,” was re-echoed again and again by one -and another. “Such things don’t go without hands!” said some, with -significant glances at each other and Susan. - -Poor Susan! Her day of triumph was a most wretched one! - -She gained some other prizes,--as did Florence also; but at night, -when she went to her room to put them away, she shed bitter tears over -her honours. - -The suspicions of her schoolmates with regard to the share she had -in the betrayal of her cousin’s secret were just beginning to be -forgotten; and now she felt that a second time she was exposed to a -similar trial. - -Cold looks, sneering remarks, neglect and dislike were again to be her -bitter portion. And, as she had foreseen, all this came upon her. - -Days and weeks passed on, and nothing had been heard of the missing -essay. Wretched days and weeks were those to poor Susan. - -In the midst of her schoolmates she lived almost alone. She was too -proud to assert her innocence or to seek for sympathy from those -who had suspected her. She was too proud, too, to show how much she -suffered. - -In public she was as calm and quiet as ever,--to all appearance the -same; but many a night her pillow was wet with her tears. - -Florence treated her with the utmost contempt, hardly deigning to speak -to her; and Carrie, she felt, distrusted her: this last affair had -shaken her confidence in her relative. She said nothing when Susan was -spoken of; and this silence cut her cousin to the heart. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE SECRET OUT. - - -Many weary weeks dragged by. On one Saturday morning Susan and Florence -were alone in their room. - -Florence had been rearranging the furniture on her side of the -apartment, and, among other changes, was attempting to move the bureau -into a new position. - -It was heavy and gave her trouble. - -Susan saw her difficulty, and at first resolved not to aid her; but -after a second or two, reproaching herself for such a feeling, she -rose, and, going up to the bureau, took hold of one side of it without -speaking. - -Florence half pushed her away. - -“I can do it alone!” she said, petulantly; and, giving it a violent -shove, she succeeded in moving it; but off fell several boxes which -had stood upon it. - -She stooped to pick them up, taking a mahogany box first; but its top -had been broken by the fall, and as she raised it the bottom dropped -out and its contents were strewn over the floor. - -A paper tied with blue ribbon was among them. - -Susan snatched it. It was the prize-composition! - -Florence said not a word. She looked at her companion with a glance -full of hatred. - -Susan did not heed it. She was too full of joy at this opportunity of -freeing herself from suspicion to think of any thing else. - -For an instant that it was found filled her thoughts; but then arose -the question, “How came it locked up in Florence’s possession?” and the -answer flashed upon her. - -“You hid it yourself, Florence!” she exclaimed, eagerly. - -The girl still said not a word. She only looked at her accuser; but -such a look! Susan shuddered. - -“You were willing to lose the prize for the sake of injuring me!” she -said. “Oh, how you must hate me!” - -“Hate you!” repeated Florence, through her shut teeth. “Yes, I -hate you! But it is your turn now to triumph. Go and proclaim your -discovery!” - -“It is strange that you hate me so!” said Susan, with a sigh. - -“You have treated me, ever since we met, with such unvarying kindness -that it is ungrateful, I suppose. You have pointed out my faults in so -sweet a spirit and tried so hard to make me better! It is strange that -I do not love you!” said Florence, sneeringly. - -Susan was speechless. There was a germ of truth in these words. Her -conscience smote her. - -But if she had erred in her conduct towards Florence, was that a -sufficient excuse for all her unkindness,--for so contemptible a plot -to injure her in the estimation of her schoolmates? - -All that she had suffered rose before her,--her wretched days, her -sleepless nights! All these she owed to Florence. - -“It is only justice to myself to expose her,” she thought. - -“Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them which -hate you; pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you,” -came to her mind. - -It was a terrible struggle, but a short one. She approached Florence -and put the essay in her hand. - -“Your secret is safe,” she said. - -Florence was speechless with astonishment. - -“What do you mean?” she asked, at last. - -“I have wronged you,” said Susie. “I see it all now. I have been unkind -to you from the first. Will you forgive me?” - -Florence was confounded. She had held the paper doubtfully, as if -hardly comprehending Susie’s intention, and distrusting her sincerity; -but when she asked her forgiveness in tones of such humility she could -doubt her no longer. - -Tears rushed to her eyes. - -“You ask me to forgive you!” she exclaimed, in a voice choked with -emotion. “Oh, Susan!” - -She could say no more. Sobs impeded her utterance. - -Susan went up to her side and put her arm around her softly. This was -more than Florence could bear. Such kindness quite overcame her. - -“Oh, Susie, how can you forgive me?” she cried. - -“‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,’” said her companion, -softly. “If Jesus could die for me and loves me still when I so often -forget him and all he has done for me, I ought at least not to be -severe in my judgment of others. I often think of the parable of the -debtor whom his lord forgave, and who went out and, forgetting his -release, treated the man who owed him so harshly. I am too wicked, and -need too much mercy myself, to be severe on others.” - -“You wicked!” said Florence. “Then what am I?” - -“And yet Jesus loves you,” said Susie. - -They talked long and seriously, and Florence listened earnestly. - -From that time the girls were firm friends. Florence wished to tell -all her schoolmates of her injustice towards her room-mate; but Susie -would not consent to this. She would only permit her to tell that the -composition was found. Even Carrie knew nothing except this; and all -supposed it had been mislaid. - -Not long after this, as Susan, Florence and Carrie were walking in -the grounds together, they went to the quiet nook which was Carrie’s -favourite spot. Taking a little by-path, they wandered on, till -suddenly they came upon Miss Forester, who was sitting on a log, -reading. - -The trees grew so thickly around her seat that they did not see her -till they were close beside her. - -Florence saw that the place was quite near “Lina’s Nook,” as they had -named her favourite spot. - -“This _is_ a pretty place,” said Susan, kindly. - -“Yes,” replied Miss Forester. “I come here often. It is one of my -favourite haunts.” - -It flashed upon Florence in an instant that she it was who had been a -spy on her interview with Carrie in the grounds after their visit to -the study, and had been Mr. Worcester’s informant. - -“You have acquired a great deal of useful information here, no doubt,” -she said, a little sarcastically. - -Miss Forester looked at her with a glance of keen intelligence. - -“There _is_ a great deal to be learned, as you say, even in a quiet -nook like this, if one keeps both eyes and ears open,” she replied, -meaningly. - -The girls passed on. - -“The hateful old thing!” exclaimed Florence, indignantly. - -“Hush! She will hear you,” said Carrie. - -“I don’t care if she does! Listeners never hear any good of themselves; -and she is no exception to the general rule. The old eaves-dropper! She -deserves to be----” - -“‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,’” said Susan, gently. - -“I am not like you, Susie. I dare not say that yet.” - -“I hope you will before long,” replied her friend. - -“So do I,” said Florence, reverently. - -The time came at last when Florence could say this; for Susan’s -faithful and kind words were not lost. And never were there two happier -beings than the cousins when, some months later, Florence told them, -with happy tears glistening in her eyes, that she now understood what -they meant by “loving Jesus.” - - -THE END. - - - - -PUBLICATIONS OF THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. - -ADAPTED TO THE FAMILY, THE BIBLE-CLASS, AND THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LIBRARY. - -How to Live. - - Illustrated in the Lives of Frederick Perthes, the Man of - Business. Gerhard Tersteegen, the Christian Labourer. James - Montgomery, the Christian Man of Letters. 12mo, cloth, - illustrated. 50 cts. - -Biblical Antiquities. - - For the use of Schools, Bible-Classes and Families. By Rev. - JOHN W. NEVIN, D.D. 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The Labourer’s Wife; or, Hints to Make Humble Homes Happy. - - VI. Leaves from the Tree of Life. - - VII. The Little Herdsman. By the author of “Grandfather Merrie.” - - VIII. Sunday all the Week. Beautifully illustrated. - - IX. Emma Allston; or, The New Life. - - X. Carrie’s School-Days; or, Principle Put to the Test. - - XI. Margaret Forbes; or, Bread found after Many Days. - - XII. The Stain upon the Hand. - - XIII. Chloe Lankton; or, Light beyond the Cloud. - - XIV. Hans and his Northern Home. - - XV. The Master-Key; or, The Way to Human Hearts. - - XVI. The Working-Boy’s Sunday Improved. - - XVII. Ellen Mordaunt; or, The Fruits of True Religion. - - XVIII. Evelyn Grey; or, Flowers Thrive in Sunshine. - - XIX. Over the Sea; or, Letters from an Officer in India to his - Children at Home. - - XX. Sunday Sunshine; New Hymns and Poems for the Young. - - XXI. Masters and Workmen: A Tale for the Times. - - XXII. Fourteen Ways of Studying the Bible. - - XXIII. Charlie Grant; or, How to do Right. - - XXIV. Ears of the Spiritual Harvest; or, Narratives of the - Christian Life. - - XXV. The Right Choice; or, The Difference between Worldly - Diversions and Rational Recreations. - - XXVI. The Little Guide, and Adrighoole; or, How to be Happy. - - XXVII. Nature’s School; or, Lessons in the Garden and the Field. - - XXVIII. The Bridge Over the Brook. - - - - -Transcriber’s Note: - -Spelling, hyphenation and punctuation have been retained as they appear -in the original publication. 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