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