"Put that down" he said gravely, "and follow me."

Madelaine trembled so violently that she was unable to obey, and the
woman who kept the stall for Master Teuzer, and the policeman, were
obliged to support her. "But," asked the former, "what has the poor
child done to be arrested?"

"She will soon know," replied the other, as he led Madelaine away. She
walked beside him in silence, her head hanging down, for she felt too
much ashamed to raise her eyes; but she became still paler, and a
torrent of burning tears ran down her cheeks when she heard harsh voices
saying, "She is a thief: so young and already a thief." Even the
policeman now felt pity for her grief, and to turn her attention from
the remarks of the passers by, he said to her, "Your teacher has
reported you for being absent from school six days without leave. Is it
your mother's fault? for in that case you are free, and I must arrest
her."

"My mother is entirely innocent," answered Madelaine firmly, and looking
up, for she felt some comfort in the thought, that her poor mother would
be spared punishment. Madelaine had not even mentioned to her being
absent from school. The policeman brought her to a lockup house, where
she was put into a large room, already crowded with females, waiting to
be examined for their various offences. Madelaine's heart sunk, when she
looked around upon those into whose society she was thus thrust. Some
were intoxicated, others were gambling, quarrelling, and using profane
and dreadful language. Mixed among these miserable women were several
children, seeing and hearing all this wickedness.

How deeply responsible are those, who instead of trying to reclaim young
offenders, place them in situations were they must inevitably become
worse!

Poor Madelaine, like a timid bird, crouched into a corner, where
covering her head with her apron she wept bitterly. "How my mother is
grieving about me," she thought, "and poor Raphael, who will make their
soup to-day? Mother cannot even cut bread, or light the fire, and it is
so cold, they must stay in bed all day. If I could even send them the
six shillings which Master Teuzer paid me to-day, it is of no use here,
and mother would be so glad to have the money to give the landlord, lest
he should turn them into the street, if he does not get any of his
rent."

Thus uneasiness tormented Madelaine, the people she was among inspired
her with disgust, she wished to be deaf that she might not h