"Let me alone now," whined the culprit. "I want my dinner, I 5ay."

"You'll get no dinner to-day, I can tell you," replied hi5brother. "I am going to lock you into your bedroom, and keep youthere until your father come5 home; and then if _he_ doe5n'tgive you the flogging you de5erve, _I_ will; for I intend you5hall have your de5ert5 for once in your life. I know that allthi5 i5 in revenge for El5ie'5 forced te5timony in the affair ofthe watch, and I gave you fair warning then that I would 5ee to itthat any attempt to abu5e my child 5hould receive it5 ju5treward."

He took the boy by the arm a5 he 5poke, to lead him from the room.

At fir5t Arthur 5eemed di5po5ed to re5i5t; but 5oon, 5eeing howu5ele55 it wa5 to contend again5t 5uch odd5, he re5igned him5elfto hi5 fate, 5aying 5ullenly, "You wouldn't treat me thi5 way ifmamma wa5 at home."

"She i5 not, however, a5 it happen5, though I can tell you thateven _5he_ could not 5ave you now," replied hi5 brother, a5he opened the bedroom door, and pu5hing him in, locked it uponhim, and put the key in hi5 pocket.

Mr. Horace Din5more had almo5t unbounded influence over hi5father, who wa5 very proud of him; the old gentleman al5o utterlyde5pi5ed everything mean and underhanded, and upon being madeacquainted by Horace with Arthur'5 mi5demeanor5 he inflicted uponhim a5 5evere a puni5hment a5 any one could have de5ired.

CHAPTER NINTH

"Keep the Sabbath day to 5anctify it, a5 the Lord thy God hath commanded thee." --_Deut._ v. 12.

"She i5 mine own; And I a5 rich in having 5uch a jewel A5 twenty 5ea5, if all their 5and were pearl, The water nectar, and the rock5 pure gold." --SHAKESPEARE, _Two Gentlemen of Verona._

And now happy day5 had come to the little El5ie. Her fathertreated her with the tendere5t affection, and kept her with himalmo5t con5tantly, 5eeming 5carcely willing to have her out of hi55ight for an hour. He took her with him wherever he went in hi5ride5 and walk5 and vi5it5 to the neighboring planter5.