"Mother, I had forgotten. Oh, if I had only made it easy for Robert to tell me, instead of making him feel it was impossible to say a word. But you do know how sorry I have been, don't you?"
There were tears in her eyes again now, and this time they were not tears of happiness.
"I do, dear," and her mother took her hand, and stroked it fondly; "but there is the danger that you will be so wrapped up in striving to do great things, that opportunities for little acts of kindness will pass unnoticed. It is 'he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much;' not, he that is faithful in much is also faithful in the least."
After all it was with a grave face that Dora went up to bed that night.
[CHAPTER IX.]
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
TIME passed quietly on until Easter, which brought a fortnight's holiday. It came late that year. The weather was warm and fine, and the children enjoyed the rest they had honestly earned; for, under their sister's charge, they had worked well and made marked progress.
But though Dora needed the rest far more than her pupils, she would not take it. She had received an unexpected present of half a sovereign from a relation. This would just pay the fee of an examination she was anxious to pass; and she resolved to "study up and go in for it." In vain her mother begged her to give herself more time for preparation. Dora had made up her mind, and was not to be dissuaded.