large amount. The child, innocent as she looks, has
actually stolen fifty dollars from our mill."

"That is absolutely impossible! I will not believe it. Who told you so,
Etta?"

"One of the class. Bertie Sanderson. She was not at all willing to tell
tales on her companion, but I questioned her and found it is as I say.
She assures me that all the girls know about it, and that two of
them--she did not give their names--saw the theft."

"Why did they not inform about it at once?"

"So I asked her; but she did not seem to know, and also declined giving
the names of the two girls. That was a little more honorable than I gave
Bertie credit for being."

"A little more deceitful, possibly," said Eunice, who had no high
opinion of Bertie Sanderson; "yet, if she were herself one of these
girls, she would, I suppose, have been glad to say so. Where do you
suppose this child found fifty dollars to steal? Money is not kept loose
around the mill, and the girls do not have access to the office. There
is something we don't know about this, Etta. The subject ought to be
investigated. Have you spoken to James?"

"No, I don't want to prejudice him against Katie, if she should be
innocent; but I fear that is hardly possible, after what Bertie said."

"I should be more inclined to suspect Bertie herself. Where do you
suppose she got that flashy silk dress she wears?"

"Isn't it horrid! I wonder those girls don't see how vulgar their cheap
finery is."

"Perhaps they try to copy their teacher," ventured the elder sister,
whose exquisitely neat style of dress was always remarkable for its
plainness and simplicity when she came in contact with her Sunday
scholars. But Etta was not yet sufficiently humbled to take reproof from
that source, and she abruptly left the room. All the same, however, she
thought and prayed a great deal upon the subject, and the next Sunday
surprised her class by appearing before them without an unnecessary
ribbon or ornament.

CHAPTER XI.

TESSA.

Katie Robertson remained in the mill that Saturday afternoon, although
her work had long been completed, till the bell rang for five o'clock,
that being the hour for the Saturday dismissal. Then she said to
Tessa:--

"Come and take a walk with me. There's a full hour before tea, and I
don't believe you've ever seen the Fawn's Leap. Have you?"

"No," said her companion, "I have never been anywhere in Squantown. They
would not let us go, in the poor