whispered Comfort.

Matilda turned astonished eyes upon her. "You ain't."

"Yes, I have."

"Who gave it to you?"

"My Aunt Comfort, for my name."

"Were you named for her?"

"Yes, and she gave me a real gold ring for it."

"Matilda Stebbins and Comfort Pease, stand out on the floor," said
Miss Tabitha Hanks, sharply. Comfort gave a great jump--the teacher
had been standing at the blackboard with her back toward them, and
how had she seen? Never after that did Comfort feel quite safe from
Miss Tabitha's eyes; even if they were on the other side of the wall
she could not quite trust it.

"Step right out on the floor, Matilda and Comfort," repeated Miss
Tabitha, and out the two little girls stepped. Comfort's knees shook,
and she was quite pale. Matilda looked very sober, but her black eyes
gave a defiant flash when she was out on the floor and saw that her
sister Rosy had lowered her arm and was looking at her with gentle
triumph. "You see what you've got because you called my ring brass,"
Rosy seemed to say; and Matilda gave a stern little nod at her, as if
she replied, "It is brass."

Poor little Comfort did not feel much sustained by the possession of
her real gold ring. It was dreadful to stand out there facing the
school, which seemed to be a perfect dazzle of blue and black eyes
all fastened upon her in her little red gown and gingham tier, in her
little stout shoes, which turned in for very meekness, with her
little dangling hands, which could not wear the gold ring, and her
little strained face and whispering lips, and little vain heart,
which was being punished for its little vanity.

They stood on the floor until recess. Comfort felt so weak and stiff
that she could scarcely move when Miss Hanks said harshly, "Now you
can go." She cast a piteous glance at Matilda, who immediately put
her arms around her waist and pulled her along to the entry, where
their hoods and cloaks hung. "Don't you cry," she whispered. "She's
awful strict, but she won't hurt you a mite. She brought me a whole
tumbler of currant jelly when I had the measles."

"I sha'n't whisper again as long as I live," half sobbed Comfort,
putting on her hood.

"I sha'n't, either," said Matilda. "I never had to stand out on the
floor before. I don't know what my mother will say when I tell her."

The two little girls went out in the snowy yard, and there was Rosy,
with Charlotte Hutchins and Sarah Allen, and she was showing them her
r