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the most dishonorable thing any of us can do。〃
〃Poch！ Our little sins are not worth making such a fuss about。 I
always like to have my entries read： it makes me feel like an
author； and so in Christian duty I always read other people's。
Listen to poor Sarah's tale of guilt。 '1st October。 I am very
sorry that I slapped Miss Chambers in the lavatory this morning；
and knocked out one of her teeth。 This was very wicked； but it
was coming out by itself； and she has forgiven me because a new
one will come in its place； and she was only pretending when she
said she swallowed it。 Sarah Gerram。〃'
〃Little fool！〃 said Miss Lindsay。 〃The idea of our having to
record in the same book with brats like that！〃
〃Here is a touching revelation。 '4th October。 Helen Plantagenet
is deeply grieved to have to confess that I took the first place
in algebra yesterday unfairly。 Miss Lindsay prompted me；' and〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Miss Lindsay； reddening。 〃That is how she thanks
me for prompting her； is it？ How dare she confess my faults in
the Recording Angel？〃
〃Serves you right for prompting her；〃 said Miss Carpenter。 〃She
was always a double…faced cat； and you ought to have known
better。〃
〃Oh； I assure you it was not for her sake that I did it；〃 replied
Miss Lindsay。 〃It was to prevent that Jackson girl from getting
first place。 I don't like Helen Plantagenet； but at least she is
a lady。'
〃Stuff； Gertrude；〃 said Agatha； with a touch of earnestness。 〃One
would think； to hear you talk； that your grandmother was a cook。
Don't be such a snob。〃
〃Miss Wylie；〃 said Gertrude； becoming scarlet： 〃you are veryoh！
oh！ Stop Agoh！ I will tell Missoh！〃 Agatha had inserted a
steely finger between her ribs； and was tickling her unendurably。
〃Sh…sh…sh；〃 whispered Miss Carpenter anxiously。 〃The door is
open。〃
〃Am I Miss Wylie？〃 demanded Agatha； relentlessly continuing the
torture。 〃Am I verywhatever you were going to say？ Am I？ am I？
am I？〃
〃No； no；〃 gasped Gertrude； shrinking into a chair； almost in
hysterics。 〃You are very unkind； Agatha。 You have hurt me。〃
〃You deserve it。 If you ever get sulky with me again； or call me
Miss Wylie； I will kill you。 I will tickle the soles of your feet
with a feather；〃 （Miss Lindsay shuddered； and hid her feet
beneath the chair） 〃until your hair turns white。 And now； if you
are truly repentant； come and record。〃
〃You must record first。 It was all your fault。〃
〃But I am the youngest；〃 said Agatha。
〃Well； then；〃 said Gertrude； afraid to press the point； but
determined not to record first； 〃let Jane Carpenter begin。 She is
the eldest。〃
〃Oh； of course；〃 said Jane； with whimpering irony。 〃Let Jane do
all the nasty things first。 I think it's very hard。 You fancy
that Jane is a fool； but she isn't。〃
〃You are certainly not such a fool as you look； Jane；〃 said
Agatha gravely。 〃But I will record first； if you like。〃
〃No； you shan't；〃 cried Jane； snatching the pen from her。 〃I arm
the eldest； and I won't be put out of my place。〃
She dipped the pen in the ink resolutely； and prepared to write。
Then she paused； considered； looked bewildered； and at last
appealed piteously to Agatha。
〃What shall I write？〃 she said。 〃You know how to write things
down； and I don't。〃
〃First put the date；〃 said Agatha。
〃To be sure；〃 said Jane； writing it quickly。 〃I forgot that。
Well？〃
〃Now write； 'I am very sorry that Miss Wilson saw me when I slid
down the banisters this evening。 Jane Carpenter。'〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃That's all： unless you wish to add something of your own
composition。〃
〃I hope it's all right；〃 said Jane； looking suspiciously at
Agatha。 〃However； there can't be any harm in it； for it's the
simple truth。 Anyhow； if you are playing one of your jokes on me；
you are a nasty mean thing； and I don't care。 Now； Gertrude； it's
your turn。 Please look at mine； and see whether the spelling is
right。〃
〃It is not my business to teach you to spell；〃 said Gertrude；
taking the pen。 And； while Jane was murmuring at her
churlishness； she wrote in a bold hand：
〃I have broken the rules by sliding down the banisters to…day
with Miss Carpenter and Miss Wylie。 Miss Wylie went first。〃
〃You wretch！〃 exclaimed Agatha； reading over her shoulder。 〃And
your father is an admiral！〃
〃I think it is only fair；〃 said Miss Lindsay； quailing； but
assuming the tone of a moralist。 〃It is perfectly true。〃
〃All my money was made in trade；〃 said Agatha； 〃but I should be
ashamed to save myself by shifting blame to your aristocratic
shoulders。 You pitiful thing！ Here： give me the pen。〃
〃I will strike it out if you wish； but I think 〃
〃No： it shall stay there to witness against you。 How see how I
confess my faults。〃 And she wrote； in a fine； rapid hand：
〃This evening Gertrude Lindsay and Jane Carpenter met me at the
top of the stairs； and said they wanted to slide down the
banisters and would do it if I went first。 I told them that it
was against the rules； but they said that did not matter； and as
they are older than I am； I allowed myself to be persuaded； and
did。〃
〃What do you think of that？〃 said Agatha； displaying the page。
They read it； and protested clamorously。
〃It is perfectly true；〃 said Agatha； solemnly。
〃It's beastly mean；〃 said Jane energetically。 〃The idea of your
finding fault with Gertrude； and then going and being twice as
bad yourself！ I never heard of such a thing in my life。〃
〃'Thus bad begins； but worse remains behind；' as the Standard
Elocutionist says；〃 said Agatha； adding another sentence to her
confession。
〃But it was all my fault。 Also I was rude to Miss Wilson； and
refused to leave the room when she bade me。 I was not wilfully
wrong except in sliding down the banisters。 I am so fond of a
slide that I could not resist the temptation。〃
〃Be warned by me； Agatha；〃 said Jane impressively。 〃If you write
cheeky things in that book； you will be expelled。〃
〃Indeed！〃 replied Agatha significantly。 〃Wait until Miss Wilson
sees what you have written。〃
〃Gertrude；〃 cried Jane； with sudden misgiving； 〃has she made me
write anything improper？ Agatha； do tell me if〃
Here a gong sounded； and the three girls simultaneously exclaimed
〃Grub！〃 and rushed from the room。
CHAPTER II
One sunny afternoon； a hansom drove at great speed along Belsize
Avenue； St。 John's Wood； and stopped before a large mansion。 A
young lady sprang out； ran up the steps； and rang the bell
impatiently。 She was of the olive complexion； with a sharp
profile： dark eyes with long lashes； narrow mouth with delicately
sensuous lips； small head； feet； and hands； with long taper
fingers； lithe and very slender figure moving with serpent…like
grace。 Oriental taste was displayed in the colors of her costume；
which consisted of a white dress； close…fitting； and printed with
an elaborate china blue pattern； a yellow straw hat covered with
artificial hawthorn and scarlet berries； and tan…colored gloves
reaching beyond the elbow； and decorated with a profusion of gold
bangles。
The door not being opened immediately； she rang again； violently；
and w as presently admitted by a maid； who seemed surprised to
see her。 Without making any inquiry； she darted upstairs into a
drawing…room； where a matron of good presence； with features of
the finest Jewish type； sat reading。 With her was a handsome boy
in black velvet； who said：
〃Mamma； here's Henrietta！〃
〃Arthur；〃 said the young lady excitedly； 〃leave the room this
instant； and don't dare to come back until you get leave。〃
The boy's countenance fell； and he sulkily went out without a
word。
〃Is anything wrong？〃 said the matron； putting away her book with
the unconcerned resignation of an experienced person who foresees
a storm in a teacup。 〃Where is Sidney？〃
〃Gone！ Gone！ Deserted me！ I〃 The young lady's utterance failed；
and she threw herself upon an ottoman； sobbing with passionate
spite。
〃Nonsense！ I thought Sidney had more sense。 There； Henrietta；
don't be silly。 I suppose you have quarrelled。〃
〃No！ No！！ No！！！〃 cried Henrietta； stamping on the carpet。 〃We had
not a word。 I have not lost my temper since we were married；
mamma； I solemnly swear I have not。 I will kill myself； there is
no other way。 There's a curse on me。 I am marked out to be
miserable。 He〃
〃Tut； tut！ What has happened； Henrietta？ As you have been married
now nearly six weeks； you can hardly be surprised at a little
tiff arising。 You are so excitable！ You cannot expect the sky to
be always cloudless。 Most likely you are to blame； for Sidney is
far more reasonable than you。 Stop crying； and behave like a
woman of sense； and I will go to Sidney and make everything
right。〃
〃But he's gone； and I can't find out where。 Oh； what shall I do？〃
〃What has happened？〃
Henrietta writhed with impatience。 Then； forcing herself to tell
her story； she answered：
〃We arranged on Monday that I should spend two days with Aunt
Judith instead of going with him to Birmingham to that horrid
Trade Congress。 We parted on the best of terms。 He couldn't have
been more affectionate。 I will kill myself； I don't care about
anything or anybody。 And when I came back on Wednesday he