he grip of passion held them all down or kept them
all back. After St. Clair's first burst, the girls were still and
waited for what I would say. I was facing Miss Lansing, who had taken
her hand from my shoulder.

"Are you not ashamed of yourself?" I said; and I remember I thought
how my mother would have spoken to them. "Miss Lansing's good
nature"--I went on slowly,--"Miss Macy's kindness--Miss Bentley's
independence--and Miss St. Clair's good breeding!"--

"_And_ Miss Randolph's religion!" echoed the last-named, with a quiet
distinctness which went into my heart.

"What about my independence?" said Miss Bentley.

"Now we've got enough, girls,--lie down and go to sleep," said Miss
Macy. "There's quite enough of this. There was too much before we
began. Stop where you are."

They did not stop, however, without a good deal of noisy chaffing and
arguing, none of which I heard. Only the words, "Miss Randolph's
religion," rung in my ears. I lay down with them lying like lead on my
heart. I went to sleep under them. I woke up early, while all the rest
were asleep, and began to study them.

"Miss Randolph's religion!" If it had been only that, only mine. But the
religion I professed was the religion of Christ; the name I was called by
was _His_ name, the thing I had brought into discredit was His truth. I
hope in all my life I may never know again the heart-pangs that this
thought cost me. I studied how to undo the mischief I had done. I could
find no way. I had seemed to prove my religion an unsteady, superficial
thing; the evidence I had given I could not withdraw; it must stand. I
lay thinking, with the heartache, until the rousing bell rang, and the
sleepers began to stir from their slumbers. I got up and began to dress
with the rest.

"What was it all that happened last night?" said Miss Lansing.

"Advancement in knowledge,"--said Miss St. Clair.

"Now, girls--don't begin again," said Miss Macy.

"Knowledge is a good thing," said the other, with pins in her mouth.
"I intend to take every opportunity that offers of increasing mine;
especially I mean to study Egyptians and Christians. I haven't any
Christians among my own family or acquaintance--so you see, naturally,
Macy, I am curious; and when a good specimen offers--"

"I am not a good specimen," I said.

"People are not good judges of themselves, it is said," the girl went
on. "Everybody considers Miss Randolph a sample of what that article
ought to b