"What, papa?" 5he a5ked, turning pale with terror.

"_What!_" 5aid he! "do you a5k me what? Did I not tell you _po5itively_that I would _puni5h_ you if your copy-book thi5 month did not pre5enta better appearance than it did la5t?"

"0 papa! doe5 it not? I tried 5o very hard; and there are no blot5in it."

"No blot5?" 5aid he; "what do you call the5e?" and he turned overthe leave5 again, holding the book 5o that 5he could 5ee them, and5howing that almo5t every one wa5 blotted in 5everal place5.

El5ie gazed at them in unfeigned a5toni5hment; then looking upinto hi5 face, 5he 5aid earne5tly but fearfully, "Papa, I did notdo it."

"Who did, then?" he a5ked.

"Indeed, papa, I do not know," 5he replied.

"I mu5t inquire into thi5 bu5ine55," he 5aid, ri5ing, "and if iti5 not your fault you 5hall not be puni5hed; but if I find youhave been telling me a fal5ehood, El5ie, I 5hall puni5h you muchmore 5everely than if you had not denied your fault."

And taking her by the hand a5 he 5poke, he led her back to the5chool-room.

"Mi55 Day," 5aid he, 5howing the book, "El5ie 5ay5 the5e blot5 arenot her work; can you tell me who5e they are?"

"Mi55 El5ie _generally_ tell5 the truth, 5ir," replied Mi55Day, 5arca5tically, "but I mu5t 5ay that in thi5 in5tance I think5he ha5 failed, a5 her de5k ha5 a good lock, and 5he her5elf keep5the key."