hand pointed to the candle.

"Don't put it out." Saying those words, she looked round the room, and
satisfied herself that the other girls were asleep.

Emily laid down the extinguisher. "You mean to report us, of course,"
she said. "I am the only one awake, Miss Jethro; lay the blame on me."

"I have no intention of reporting you. But I have something to say."

She paused, and pushed her thick black hair (already streaked with gray)
back from her temples. Her eyes, large and dark and dim, rested on
Emily with a sorrowful interest. "When your young friends wake to-morrow
morning," she went on, "you can tell them that the new teacher, whom
nobody likes, has left the school."

For once, even quick-witted Emily was bewildered. "Going away," she
said, "when you have only been here since Easter!"

Miss Jethro advanced, not noticing Emily's expression of surprise. "I am
not very strong at the best of times," she continued, "may I sit down
on your bed?" Remarkable on other occasions for her cold composure, her
voice trembled as she made that request--a strange request surely, when
there were chairs at her disposal.

Emily made room for her with the dazed look of a girl in a dream. "I
beg your pardon, Miss Jethro, one of the things I can't endure is being
puzzled. If you don't mean to report us, why did you come in and catch
me with the light?"

Miss Jethro's explanation was far from relieving the perplexity which
her conduct had caused.

"I have been mean enough," she answered, "to listen at the door, and I
heard you talking of your father. I want to hear more about him. That is
why I came in."

"You knew my father!" Emily exclaimed.

"I believe I knew him. But his name is so common--there are so many
thousands of 'James Browns' in England--that I am in fear of making a
mistake. I heard you say that he died nearly four years since. Can you
mention any particulars which might help to enlighten me? If you think I
am taking a liberty--"

Emily stopped her. "I would help you if I could," she said. "But I was
in poor health at the time; and I was staying with friends far away in
Scotland, to try change of air. The news of my father's death brought on
a relapse. Weeks passed before I was strong enough to travel--weeks and
weeks before I saw his grave! I can only tell you what I know from my
aunt. He died of heart-complaint."

Miss Jethro started.

Emily looked at her for the first time, with eyes that betrayed a
f