"Seen it? No, indeed! Do you suppose I'd steal and lie too?"
This was said with such a tone of honest indignation, that the young girl's heart beat furiously; but she presently comforted herself that he supposed her innocent.
"Two days after," Frank went on, "master found his pencil in an old vest pocket, and he made an apology to the school."
"I am vexed with myself," Ellen heard Mary say, "that I did not take better care of my memorandum! I am ashamed to ask my teacher again; it seems so careless!"
"I don't believe you like to play checkers," said Frank. "You have made a false move twice, and I've had to take your king."
"I don't feel like playing to-night," she said, softly; "my head aches so hard." And to his surprise, she rose suddenly and left the room.
"That's polite!" exclaimed the youth, trying to conceal his vexation, as he deliberately restored the checkers to the box.
Ellen ran to her own room, and throwing herself on the bed, wept as if her heart would break.
"Oh, what a dreadful day this has been!" she kept repeating. "How little I thought when I bought that first candy that it would ever make me do so many wicked things! Mary and Frank will hate me when they find out I have deceived them; and I fear God will hate me too," she added, with a fresh burst of tears. "Oh! Will he ever forgive me?"