was rather late, and in her hurry she placed her hat upon the
nearest vacant peg, which happened to be Mabel Stanley's. Mabel entered
at that moment, and seeing that her peg was occupied, quietly asked
Julia to remove her hat. She did so with a very bad grace, and without
saying a word hastened to join her companions in the schoolroom.

"How shamefully Julia Woburn treats that poor child!" said one of the
elder girls who lingered in the cloak-room, "and I hear that it is
simply because Mr. Stanley has failed in business."

"Yes," replied the other, "and what makes it more disgraceful is--that
her own father was a bankrupt not very long ago!"

"Her father? Mr. Woburn? Surely you are mistaken!"

"No, indeed. Ethel Thompson brought the information this morning, and is
quite full of it."

It so happened that Julia was returning to the cloak-room for a book
which she had forgotten, when she heard her own name mentioned, and
pausing for an instant on the threshold overheard all that was said.

She ran in and confronted the two girls, her eyes flashing and her heart
beating fast, and exclaimed, "Did Ethel really say that? How dare she
tell such an untruth!"

"Perhaps it was only a joke," said the girl who had spoken first.

"It is a slander, an insult, and I'll not stand it!" said Julia
indignantly.

They reasoned with her and endeavoured to calm her, but only partially
succeeded in soothing her before she returned to the schoolroom. Her
face still wore an angry sullen expression, and she carefully avoided
Ethel Thompson throughout the morning. Not one lesson could she say, and
she begged to be excused her arithmetic and French on the plea of a
severe headache.

After study hours, when the girls met in recess time, Julia proudly
demanded of Ethel what she meant by spreading such false statements
about her family; and Ethel replied that all she had said was true, and
added that when she heard it she was no longer surprised at Julia's
treatment of Mabel, but saw a reason for it.

Julia, finding that Ethel's report had gained credence among her
school-fellows, was half wild with mortification and rage; and declaring
that she would remain there no longer to be insulted, she dressed
herself and went home, leaving her companions somewhat alarmed at the
storm their foolish conversation had raised.

They had not reflected that one of the most fruitful sources of quarrels
among school-girls is--silly gossip about their r