“Don’t tell any one,” begged Persis. “I’d like to keep it a secret. I don’t want even mamma and papa to know just yet, for if I should fail I should feel so ashamed.”
“Do you think you can keep it a secret?” Miss Adams asked, meaningly.
Persis’s tone held a little reproach as she answered, “Oh, Miss Adams, I don’t tell everything, as I used to do. I’m getting a little more discretion, don’t you think?”
“I hope so,” returned her teacher. “I think your vineyard contains fewer little foxes to steal the grapes.”
From this time Persis bent herself to her studies with redoubled energy, and her strict application puzzled even Lisa. “I don’t see why you study so unusually hard,” she said.
“I want to be graduated with highest honors,” Persis returned. But a little injured look on her sister’s face told her that she had made a mistake in making this answer.
“Oh, dear, I forgot that Lisa came out second,” she thought to herself. “No,” she corrected, “it isn’t that, Lisa; but I want to study as hard as I can this year, so as to be that much further ahead next.”
“Oh,” responded Lisa, more graciously; “I see! It is a good plan, Perse, for you will need all your wits if you hope to keep up with Annis.” And the subject was dropped for the time being.
