nd asking Mr Burge for that money,
and I dare not face the churchwarden to-morrow when he comes. You took
the money--cruelly took the money that was not mine--and I must send him
to you."

"No--no; no, no, my dear Hazel, I could not, I will not see him! It is
impossible. I dare not face him, Hazel. No, no! Let us go away; there
is plenty of time. Let us go and settle down somewhere else, and let
them forget all about it. They soon will."

"Mother, are you bereft of your senses?" said Hazel. "Oh, for shame,
for shame! How could we go away and leave such a name behind us? How
could I ever hold up my head again? Oh, how could you? How could you?"

"I'm sure, my dear, I never thought it would cause all this trouble, or
I wouldn't have taken the paltry, rubbishing money. But Hazel, Hazel,"
she cried, glancing round in an excited manner, "you--you don't think--
you don't think--they'd take me up for it? Hazel, it would kill me; I'm
sure it would. I've been frightened, my dear, ever since I took the
first packet; but taking one seemed to make me take another."

"Mother," said Hazel, as a thought flashed across her mind, "does Mrs
Chute know that you took this money?"

"Yes, my dear; I told her every time, and she said it was quite right
and the best thing I could do. Oh, my dear child, pray, pray do
something! Let's--let's run away, Hazel; and take all we can carry, and
leave the rest."

"Be silent mother. Sit down, and let me think," said Hazel in a cold,
hard voice.

"Oh, don't speak to me like that Hazel!" cried Mrs Thorne
reproachfully. "What have I done to deserve it?"

Hazel glanced at her wonderingly, for the poor woman's words were
absurd; but she had evidently spoken in all sincerity, and there was a
mute agony of mind and appeal in her countenance, which made her child
feel that it would be folly to look upon her any more as one who was
thoroughly answerable for her actions.

"Hadn't we better go, Hazel?" she said again. "This is a miserable
place, and we should be better away. The people are not nice. We could
get a long way off by morning, and then we shouldn't be worried any more
about this wretched school money."

"Pray, pray be quiet, mother!" said Hazel wearily; "you distract me!"

"Ah! you are beginning to feel what trouble is now. I've--had my share,
Hazel."

"Mother, will you be silent, and let me try to think of some way out of
this difficulty?"

"Of course I will, my