"You had better run, then," suggested his mother, "and leave her to herself."
"I'll go and post Ellen's letter."
"Ellen Saunders, perfect recitation," repeated the teacher as the class were leaving their seats.
The young girl smiled and looked so pleased that the lady, who had heretofore considered her a dull scholar, detained her a moment for a few questions.
"Did you do the answers by yourself?"
"Yes, ma'am," was the unhesitating, self-complacent reply. "They were very easy at last."
She was turning away, when with a sudden start she said, eagerly, "My Cousin Frank helped me do the first one and explained the rule, else I don't think I could have done them at all."
The lady smiled approvingly, and Ellen, turning to go too her seat, met the kind glance of Mary, and felt a thrill of pleasure such as she had not experienced for many a day.
In the evening they were scarcely seated around the cheerful fire, before Ellen began,—
"What did you mean, Aunt Collins, about it not being right to tell all the truth?"