"I  don't  believe  it,"  she  said  again.  "Teacher  is  all
alone  in  the  school  -  house,  correcting  exercises.  Why
don't  you  get  right  up,  and  go  back  and  ask  her?  I'll
go  with  you,  if  you  want  me  to."

Wollaston  raised  himself  indeterminately  upon  one
elbow.
"Come  along,"  urged  Maria.
Wollaston  got  up  slowly.     His  face  was  a  burning  red.
"You  are  a  good  deal  younger  and  better  looking  than
father,"  urged  Maria,  traitorously.
The  boy  was  only  a  year  older  than  Maria.  He  was
much  larger  and  taller,  but  although  she  looked  a  child,
at  that  moment  he  looked  younger.  Both  of  his  brown
hands  hung  at  his  sides,  clinched  like  a  baby's.  He  had
a  sulky  expression.
"Come  along,"  urged  the  girl.
He  stood  kicking  the  ground  hesitatingly  for  a  mo
ment,  then  he  followed  the  girl  across  the  field.  They
went  down  the  road  until  they  came  to  the  school-house.
Miss  Slome  was  still  there ;  her  graceful  profile  could  be
seen  at  a  window.
Both  children  marched  in  upon  Miss  Slome,  who  was

55


BY    THE    LIGHT    OF    THE    SOUL

in  a  recitation-room,  bending  over  a  desk.  She  looked
up,  and  her  face  lightened  at  sight  of  Maria.
"Oh,  it's  you,  dear?"  said  she.
Maria  then  saw,  for  the  first  time,  the  white  sparkle
of  a  diamond  on  the  third  finger  of  her  left  hand.  She
felt  that  she  hated  her.
"He  wants  to  speak  to  you,"  she  said,  indicating
Wollaston  with  a  turn  of  her  hand.
Miss  Slome  looked  inquiringly  at  Wollaston,  who
stood  before  her  like  a  culprit,  blushing  and  shuffling,
and  yet  with  a  sort  of  doggedness.
"Well,  what  is  it,  Wollaston?"  she  asked,  patroniz
ingly.
