ght out in a way that was absolutely
wonderful. The pronunciation was decidedly Parisian in the rolling of
the r, and Miss Beatrice seemed to keep the word upon her tongue,
turning it about so as to thoroughly taste how nasty it was before she
allowed it to pass forth into the open air.

"The girls do make their work exceedingly dirty before it is done," said
Hazel quietly. "I deeply regretted, too, that they should have answered
so badly. I am afraid that it was often from their not understanding
the questions."

"Oh, I don't think that, Miss Thorne," said Rebecca, with a kind of
snap. "You'll excuse me, I set it down to their ignorance."

"And yet, Miss Lambent, I next day asked the girls as many of the
inspector's questions as I could recall, and they answered them with the
greatest ease."

"Oh, really, Miss Thorne, I cannot agree with you there," said Beatrice,
with an unpleasant smile. "If they could answer you, why could they not
answer the inspector?"

"From inability to understand him, ma'am."

"I could understand every question. Rebecca, could not you!"

"Every word, sister. I thought Mr Barracombe singularly clear and
perspicuous. The very model of a school inspector."

Hazel bowed.

"I shall try very hard to make them more ready in their answers by
another time," she said with humility.

"I hope you will, I am sure, Miss Thorne," said Beatrice, "for it must
have been very painful to you, even as it is to us, to know that you
have had a bad report of your school. May we--do you object to our
taking a class each for a very little while?"

"Which class would you like, ma'am?" said Hazel gravely, in reply.

"Oh, whichever you please, Miss Thorne; we never like interfering
between the mistress and her pupils, and wish to be of help so as to get
the children on--do we not, Rebecca?"

"Decidedly, Beatrice. To help you. Miss Thorne: certainly not to usurp
your position. I thought if we could take a class for you now and then
in Scripture history it might be useful to you. Perhaps--I say it with
all deference. Miss Thorne, to one who has been trained--you are not so
strong in Scripture history as we are."

"I feel my weakness in many subjects, Miss Lambent," replied Hazel.

"Oh no, don't say that," said Beatrice, with a flash of her cold blue
eyes. "You are so very clever. Miss Thorne. We were quite struck by
your object lesson. But Scripture history, you know. We have been
always