y said--

"We think it very dishonorable and unfair, ma'am."

"Well, if I understood all about it, I might too, I dare say.
I only see a little bit, but of course you know the rules and
all the rest,--well, was that all?"

"No, ma'am," said Louis, uneasily.

"He said you had taken it, I dare say?"

"Something like it," replied Louis. "He slipped it among my books
to hide it, ma'am, but not intending to do me any harm; and when
it was found he was afraid to speak the truth."

"And so you bore the blame--and did you not try to clear yourself?"

"To be sure, ma'am; but he was older and better known than I was,
and so he was believed."

"And you couldn't help yourself? I thought you bore it out of
kindness to him."

"Afterwards I found it out, ma'am. I found that Alfred Hamilton
knew something about it."

"Who is Alfred Hamilton?" asked Mrs. Paget.

"A little boy, ma'am, at school."

"And he found it out--and didn't he tell of it?"

"I did not wish him," replied Louis, with less reserve. "It would
have been very unkind to poor Ferrers; he would have been expelled.
Alfred was going to tell, but you would not have wished him to do it,
I am sure."

Ah Louis, Louis! anxiety for Ferrers' reputation was quite lost in the
selfish desire of admiration. Mrs. Paget put her arm round him, and her
kindly eyes nearly overflowed with affectionate emotion, for she, poor
lady, could only see the surface; the inward workings of the little vain
heart were hid from her, or she would have been surprised to find under
the appearance of sweetness and humility, Louis was only thinking of
seeming lovely and amiable in her eyes.

"No, my darling, I know you could not do any thing unkind--you
are a sweet, dear creature, and I am sure I love you; and so this
Master Ferrers never spoke the truth, and you bore the blame?"

"He did at last, ma'am, at the end of the half-year: but it was not
very long to bear it, only five weeks."

"_Only!_ I wonder you could have done it for so long; Ferrers,
that was the name, was it?"

"If you please, don't mention it," exclaimed Louis, with unaffected
earnestness; "I did not mean to say his name. Please, dear Mrs. Paget,
do not mention it. He is so very sorry, and confessed all so
handsomely--I think you would like him if you knew all about him,
for he is not so bad as others make him out to be."

Mrs. Paget had only time to give him a kind of half promise, when she
was called away; and Loui