lways the most successful,
and as he swooped around, curving in very near the shore, a strap gave
way, and before Roger could help himself, it tripped him, and he
sprawled at full length on the ice.

The boys shouted; some laughed, but a fall is such a common occurrence
that no one was very much concerned until Roger attempted to spring up
again, to show them all that he didn't mind it in the least,--he would
be all right again in a minute. Then he tried to stand; but when an
awful pain shot up from his ankle, then he realized that it was quite
impossible to stand.

They ran to his assistance, but before they reached him, a soft hand was
held out to him, and a gentle voice asked:

"Have you hurt yourself badly?" Roger saw the deformed boy standing by
his side, and then remembered that he had seen him sitting near by on
the bank.

[Illustration: "_The deformed boy knelt on the ice_."]

"I think I must have sprained my ankle," he replied.

The deformed boy knelt on the ice, and while the others clustered
around, asking questions and offering suggestions, he quietly unbuckled
his skates for him.

"I'll have to get home, I suppose," said Roger faintly; "but, boys,
don't let this spoil your fun--don't come with me."

"May I go with you?" said the deformed boy. "I am not going to stay
here any longer."

Roger thanked him, and a policeman coming up at that moment to inquire
about the accident, a carriage was procured, Roger was put in, the
deformed boy followed, and Roger was driven home.

"My fun is spoiled for this winter," he said, with a moan. "I know a
fellow who sprained his ankle last year, and the doctor says perhaps he
will never be able to skate again. What an unlucky thing for me!--it
wasn't my fault either."

"No," added the deformed boy gently. "It was not your fault; and it was
not my fault that my nurse let me fall when I was a baby and injured my
back. I sometimes think it would have been better if she had killed me
outright, though strong and well-formed people think it wicked for me to
wish that."

The color which had left Roger's pale cheeks from his pain, rushed back
for a moment, as he held out his hand and said:--

"I was a brute to you in the car this morning, but I didn't think what I
was doing. Will you excuse me?"

"I know you didn't. Please don't say anything more about it. It is hard
to pity the suffering of others unless we have felt pain ourselves."

Roger's sprain prevented hi