gusted with me that you can't bear to speak of it?"

"No," slowly, "I am not disgusted. But you certainly cannot expect me to
grow enthusiastic or praise you for cheating. I don't like dishonesty in
any form; but I do not know that it is my place to pass judgment on you. I
may criticise that in you; someone else will find something to criticise
in me. One thing I am quite sure of. You are sorry as sorry can be that
you did it; and you will never be guilty of cheating again, even if you
know that you will fail and be compelled to go to school here forever."

"You may be sure of that. One experience ended such methods for me." There
was nothing conciliatory in her tone.

"I will be honest with you, Nora. I am disappointed in you, but I'm glad
you told me. You may be quite sure this will make no difference in our
friendship."

Much to Elizabeth's surprise, Nora, instead of replying, began to sob, and
it was some minutes before she could speak.

"I appreciate this, Elizabeth. I know I did wrong, and I have spent six
months in being sorry. Yet I do not believe I should be censured so much
as some of you if you had done the same thing. That is rather an odd thing
to say, I know. But when I tell you all, you will understand just what I
mean. My mother died when I was a few weeks old. She belonged to an
excellent family, an only child. Somehow," the girl hesitated. It was
difficult to explain without seeming critical of one parent. "Somehow, my
father never cared much for what mother cared for most. He could not see
anything wrong in cards, and wine-parties, and things like that. When
mother died grandmother Loraine took me. But she did not live long. Then I
went back home and lived with a housekeeper and the servants. Sometimes
they were honest and sometimes not. Mrs. Gager took charge of me. She was
a very clean old German woman and not afraid of work, but was not refined.
She couldn't even read. I am not complaining, for she was as good to me as
she knew how to be. Nothing that I wanted was too much trouble. She was
really my slave, and made every one around the house step when I spoke.

"I was a little tyrant. Father spent a great deal of time from home, for
he was a very busy man. But he spoiled me, too. I had but to stamp my foot
and he would let me do what I wished. He really could not deny me
anything, and he doesn't yet. You see, I am the only person in the world
he has left, and he thinks I am simply wonderful." S