re not awake. I would not have them hear you speak to me like
this on any consideration."

"How ever could you think of taking the money?"

"Now, this is too absurd; Hazel, when you leave me for days together
without a penny. Why, I have even been obliged to go to Mrs Chute to
borrow a shilling before now."

"You have borrowed shillings of Mrs Chute, mother?"

"To be sure I have, my dear; and of course I had to pay them back. She
said it was absurd not to use the school pence."

"She told you that?" cried Hazel quickly.

"Yes, my dear; and she said that both she and Mr Chute often used the
pence, and made the sum up again when he took his salary. There, I am
sleepy. For goodness' sake, put away that box and get to bed, and don't
be so ridiculous."

Hazel looked piteously at her mother, and stood hesitating for a few
minutes, asking herself what she was to do in such a strait, for it
seemed as if Mrs Thorne had quite lost all sense of right and wrong.

Was this really, then, the reason why her mother had expressed such a
keen desire to got. It seemed like it, and this explained a great deal;
for as Hazel studied her appearance more, it became evident to her that
the poor woman was in a state of intense nervous trepidation, and that
she hardly dare meet her daughter's eye.

"Mother," said Hazel at length, "the churchwarden will be here
to-morrow, asking me for this money. What am I to say?"

"Say nothing, you foolish child! Pay him out of some other money."

"You know, mother, that I have no other money whatever."

"Then tell him to wait, like any other trades-person. He is only a
common man. Such people as these must take their money when they can
get it."

"Are you wilfully blinding yourself to the fact, mother, that we have
committed a theft in using this money?"

"My dear, absurd child--"

"That it is as great a trouble as that from the consequences of which
poor, foolish Percy has just been rescued by Mr Burge?"

"Then go to Mr Burge, Hazel, and tell him that you were obliged to use
the money because the salary is so small. He will give you the amount
directly, my dear;" and she nodded and smiled as she eagerly reiterated
her advice.

"Mother, mother, what are you thinking of?"

"I'm thinking of what is for the best, Hazel, under the circumstances,"
said Mrs Thorne pompously.

"Mother," cried Hazel excitedly, for she was now regularly unstrung, "I
could not degrade myself by going a