"I'll tell you what it is," said Mary, "we must all bind ourselves by a solemn promise not to say a word about it, whether questions are asked or no. Yes I believe Bessie will keep her word, for we all know how squeamish she is. Mrs. Ashton will never suspect her, even if she remembers she was in the room; and the worst we have to fear is some kind of general inquiry, which can easily be passed over. Let us bind one another to silence."
It was done; Mary and Fanny giving their word for this with much energy, Julia more slowly, and Kate with a hesitation and unwillingness which provoked the ridicule of the two first; and then they parted, Mary and Fanny going one way, Kate and Julia another.
Meanwhile, Bessie had gone home with a heavy heart. Maggie and Jane both noticed how dull she was, but could not find out what ailed her; though the former seemed rather hurt that Bessie should have any secret from her.
Mrs. Bradford, too, saw that her little girl was not in her customary spirits; and when she found that she did not, as usual, give her an account of all that had passed in school that morning, she asked her if she were "in any trouble."
"Yes, mamma," said Bessie. "I have a very great weight on my mind, and it makes it worse because I can't tell you; but it is not my own secret, and so I s'pose it's not for me to talk about."
"You have not been doing anything wrong in school, dear?"
"No, mamma; I think not. I did want to do what was wrong for a moment, 'cause it seemed as if it would be a great help to a good thing; but I asked Jesus to help me to know what He would like me to do, and I think He did let me see it would not be His work if it came by a wicked way."
"But you are not sorry now, dear, that you were not suffered to do wrong that good might come of it?"
"No, mamma; I am very glad, and very much grateful; but I feel sorry about some other people. I think they fell into a very bad temptation, and did not try to get out of it."
"Well, I will not ask you any more, since you do not feel at liberty to speak about it," said Mrs. Bradford.