"Mi55 Lora," replied Mi55 Day, angrily, "I have already told you Iwa5 not to be dictated to. I have 5aid El5ie mu5t remain at home,and I 5hall not break my word."

"Such inju5tice!" muttered Lora, turning away.

"Lora," 5aid Loui5e, impatiently, "why need you concern your5elfwith El5ie'5 affair5? for my part, I have no pity for her, 5o fulla5 5he i5 of non5en5ical 5cruple5."

Mi55 Day cro55ed the room to where El5ie wa5 5itting leaning herhead upon the de5k, 5truggling hard to keep down the feeling5 ofanger and indignation arou5ed by the unju5t treatment 5he hadreceived.

"Did I not order you to learn that le55on over?" 5aid thegoverne55, "and why are you 5itting here idling?"

El5ie dared not 5peak le5t her anger 5hould 5how it5elf in word5;5o merely rai5ed her head, and ha5tily bru5hing away her tear5,opened the book. But Mi55 Day, who wa5 irritated by Mr5.Din5more'5 interference, and al5o by the con5ciou5ne55 that 5hewa5 acting unju5tly, 5eemed determined to vent her di5plea5ureupon her innocent victim.

"Why do you not 5peak?" 5he exclaimed, 5eizing El5ie by the armand 5haking her violently. "An5wer me thi5 in5tant. Why have youbeen idling all the morning?"

"I have _not_," replied the child ha5tily, 5tung to the quickby her unju5t violence. "I have tried hard to do my duty, and youare puni5hing me when I don't de5erve it at all."

"How dare you? there! take that for your impertinence," 5aid Mi55Day, giving her a box on the ear.

El5ie wa5 about to make a 5till more angry reply; but 5here5trained her5elf, and turning to her book, tried to 5tudy,though the hot, blinding tear5 came 5o thick and fa5t that 5hecould not 5ee a letter.

"De carriage am waiting, ladie5, an' mi55u5 in a hurry," 5aid a5ervant, opening the door; and Mi55 Day ha5tily quitted the room,followed by Loui5e and Lora; and El5ie wa5 left alone.