Ruth Jewsbury. "You have made a nice figure of yourself, I must say. I should think I should think you would be

ashamed."

Selina was surprised and vexed; for Ruth had hitherto been somewhat rebellious to Miss Armstrong, and she had looked to her for support in her attempt to put down Miss Van Zandt.

66

She didn't make much by it, anyway," said Faith, "only to turn the laugh on herself."

66

Selina, what does make you act so?" asked Agnes seriously. "I should think you might be pleased at having such a pleasant young lady for a teacher, instead of some one like - Miss Priscilla Davis, for instance."

"Dear me! what did I do?" asked Selina. "One would think I had murdered some one, at the very least."

"You tried to insult Miss Van Zandt, and only succeeded in making yourself ridiculous, - that's what you did. Didn't she, girls?"

"That was what it came to," answered Agnes, "but I don't think she will make much by it. - Come, Selina; do think better of it. I don't see why we should not have a very good time with Miss Van Zandt, if we all turn to and support her. I am sure nothing could be nicer than her ways this morning. And how interesting she made the geography class!" "Oh, yes, of course. It is all Miss Van Zandt now, and dear Miss Armstrong is nobody and nowhere," said Selina. "Last week you thought there

was nobody like Miss Armstrong."

"And I think so now," returned Agnes. "I have

a right to, for she is the best friend I ever had, except my mother. I never could pay her for what she has done for me, if I were to live a hundred years. But I think the best way I can show my love for her in her absence is to respect and help her friend who has taken her place."

"Agnes talks like a book, and she is right," said Ruth. “I never was so wonderfully fond of Miss Armstrong as some of you, as Selina was when she first came, for instance, excellent teacher; and, as think she is lovely."

but I think she is an

for Miss Van Zandt, I

'Yes, because she let you go up in the geography class, a thing you never did before," retorted Selina. "Oh, well, I don't propose to have any words about it," she added loftily. "You can all flatter and bow down to Miss Van Zandt as much as you please, for all me. I shall not, that's all."

And certainly Selina kept her word by doing all in her power to make Ida's work as disagreeable as possible. Ida tried the effect of a gentle remonstrance, but it did no good. Selina denied having done any thing wrong; and, when one instance after another of disrespect and disobedience was brought home to her, she burst into tears, declared that every one was against her because she was an orphan, and because she would not pretend to be religious. She was in every one's way, nobody loved her, and she wished she was dead.

Much perplexed, Ida sought a private interview with Mrs. Weston, and laid the case before her.

"I don't think I have been unjust to Selina," said

she.

"She is the only one I have any trouble with; but, really, she is so disrespectful that I do not know what to do with her."

“I can understand it," said Mrs. Weston, sighing. "Selina is very trying when she takes one of her perverse fits, and I hardly know how to manage her myself. It is not fair, however, that you should be troubled with her; and I think I will keep her at home for the present."

"That seems a pity," remarked Ida. "Perhaps if you were to talk to her

"I fear that would do no good; she seems only to resent it. But I will consult her father, and see what he thinks it best to do."

The result of the consultation was, that Selina found herself taken out of school, and set to work about the house and dairy. The change was not at all to her taste; but she was too proud to complain, and took great pains to show that she did not care.

CHAPTER XV.

MORE CHANGES.

KIT had not been able to attend the school regularly since it had been under Ida's administration, though she had managed to slip away two or three times for an afternoon. Mrs. Mallory was failing rapidly. Dr. Chase came to see her, and told her friends there was nothing to be done.

"She may last six weeks, or she may drop away at any moment," said he, in answer to a question from Phin. "Get her to take nourishing food and the tonic I have left her, and keep her as quiet as possible. I should not be surprised if her mind should clear at the last. I am glad to see her so well taken care of."

She has had all I could give her," said Phin. "I don't amount to much, but I have tried to be good to her."

"It is easy to see that, by the way she confides in you," replied the doctor kindly. "But I don't see, Mr. Mallory, why you should not amount to as much as any one in the county. Why not?"

"Too late," said Phin. "When a man has sold himself to the devil, he can't break the bargain.”

"Perhaps not; but there is One who can, and who will if you turn to Him."

Phin shook his head. "I don't know," said he; "sometimes I think so, but Well, there! we won't talk about it. It is too late for me, anyhow; but I'd like to think there was a good time ahead for that poor thing in there."

"I believe there is, as surely as I believe in my own existence," said the doctor.

"Well, I hope so. You will call again, doctor?" "I will if you wish it; but I tell you frankly, I can do nothing for her."

It was a solemn, but, on the whole, not an unhappy time for Kit. Phin staid at home, not drinking at all, but attending to his farm-work, and taking care of his wife. As Kit said, he was always good-natured when he did not drink. Kit helped Symantha with the work, waited on Mrs. Mallory, and, when she had a little time, studied her school-lessons, and read in her Testament, which she now produced without fear in her uncle's presence. Phin did not even laugh at her; and when Melissa, who came home for a Sunday, began her old fashion of teasing, she was promptly silenced by her father.

"Let the child alone. She is doing the work you ought to be about, by rights; and she shall read what she pleases. Perhaps it would be all the better for you if you read something of the same kind, instead of the stuff you do."

"Dear me, how good we are, all at once!" said Melissa, with a toss of her head; but she did not venture any further, knowing, that, if she came to an out