luggage consisting of a clean night-dress,
"ditto" cap, a cake of soap, and a brush and comb; with which easily
portable impedimenta she was soon after settled in Mrs Potts's dreary
low-roofed room.

"No, miss," whispered the rough woman, "never slep' a wink all night;
but kep' on talk, talk, talk, talking about her mother and father, and
Squire Canninge, and the school pence, and that she was in disgrace."

"And teacher kep' saying Mr William Forth Burge was her dearest
friend," put in Feelier, in a shrill, weak voice.

"Hush!" whispered little Miss Burge, for their voices had disturbed
Hazel, who, till then, had been lying in a kind of stupor.

She opened her eyes widely, and stared straight before her.

"Are you there, Mr Burge?--are you there?" she said in a quick, excited
whisper.

"No, my dear; it's me, Betsey Burge. I've come to stop with you."

"I didn't know how good and kind you were then--when I spoke as I did.
I was very blind then--I was very blind then," sighed Hazel wearily.

"And you'll soon be better now," said little Miss Burge in a soft,
cheery way. "There--let me turn your pillow; it's all so hot, and--Mrs
Potts, send up for two pillows out of our best room directly."

"Yes, mum; I'll go myself;" and Mrs Potts hurried away.

"There, my dear, you'll be nicer and cooler now, and--Oh, dear me, what
a lot of things I do want! Mrs Potts, call at the druggist's for some
eau-de-cologne--a big bottle mind."

"Yes, mum," came from below.

"Her poor head's like fire. There, dear--there, my poor dear, let me
lay your hair away from you; it will cool your head."

"Please, Miss Burge, don't let them cut off all teacher's hair,"
whispered Feelier from the other bed.

"No, my dear; not if I can help it."

"I want to tell you I was so ungrateful when you spoke to me as you did,
Mr Burge," said Hazel in her low excited whisper.

"No, no, my darling, not ungrateful," said little Miss Burge, in the
soothing voice any one would adopt to a child.--"Poor dear, she don't
know what she's saying."

"I have lain here and thought of what you have done," continued Hazel,
"and how self-denying you have always been to me; and I was ungrateful
for it all. I know now I was ungrateful."

"She is wandering, poor girl!" said little Miss Burge, with a sob, as
she busied herself in making the room more comfortable, after she had
smoothed Hazel's pillow and opened the window wide to give her more air.
After th