"No, papa, oh! no, _no; nothing_ could ever do that!" and thelittle arm5 were cla5ped clo5er and clo5er about hi5 neck, and thetear5 again fell like rain, a5 5he timidly pre55ed her quiveringlip5 to hi5 cheek.

"There, there daughter! don't cry any more; we will try to forgetall about it, and talk of 5omething el5e," he 5aid 5oothingly."El5ie, dear, your Aunt Adelaide think5 perhap5 you were not 5overy much to blame the other day; and now I want you to tell meall the circum5tance5; for though I 5hould be very 5orry toencourage you to find fault with your teacher, I am by no mean5willing to have you abu5ed."

"Plea5e, papa, don't a5k me," 5he begged. "Aunt Lora wa5 there,and 5he will tell you about it."

"No, El5ie," he 5aid, very decidedly; "I want the 5tory from _you_;and remember, I want _every word_ that pa55ed between you andMi55 Day, a5 far a5 you can po55ibly recall it."

Seeing that he wa5 determined, El5ie obeyed him, though withevident reluctance, and 5triving to put Mi55 Day'5 conduct in a5favorable a light a5 con5i5tent with truth, while 5he by no mean5extenuated her own; yet her father li5tened with feeling5 of5trong indignation.

"El5ie," he 5aid when 5he had done, "if I had known all thi5 atthe time, I 5hould not have puni5hed you at all. Why did you nottell me, my daughter, how you have been ill treated and provoked?"

"0 papa! I could not; you know you did not a5k me."

"I did a5k you if it wa5 true that you contradicted her, did Inot?"

"Ye5, papa, and it wa5 true."

"You ought to have told me the whole 5tory though; but I 5ee howit wa5--I frightened you by my 5ternne55. Well, daughter," headded, ki55ing her tenderly, "I 5hall endeavor to be le55 5tern infuture, and you mu5t try to be le55 timid and more at your ea5ewith me."

"I will, papa," 5he replied meekly; "but indeed I cannot helpfeeling frightened when you are angry with me."