and appeared at breakfast afterwards as if nothing had happened; for she had now got bolder, or more hardened.

When Clara knelt down to prayers in the break fast room, which was also the dinner and tea room, a small piece of paper or card caught her eye, and she picked it up: Edith was kneeling next her, and wondered for an instant why she did so, and then it was forgotten. But Clara took the piece of paper in her hand, and examined it closely; then she held it tight in her hand; and then for greater safety she put it into her pocket. The prayer seemed very long, for her heart was not with it; and Clara fidgetted about, and wondered when it would be over. At last it was over, and then she had to sit down to breakfast. She began to eat, and then left off again; she put her hand in her pocket, and then drew it hastily out again: her cheeks flushed, and then grew pale as death.

Directly breakfast was over she rushed up

stairs, and out of Mabel's desk she collected and put together all the scraps of card: then she drew something from her pocket and put it to the vacant space, it fitted exactly; then Clara trembled all over, she seemed as if some great struggle were going on within her; in a moment she rose, and threw the whole thing into the fire-place, set light to it with one of Mabel's lucifer matches, and watched it burn to ashes, and this time she was careful that no bit remained behind. When all was quite consumed, Clara returned to the school-room; but very pale and wretched, for she had left her peace of conscience behind her.

171

CHAPTER IV.

It was about a fortnight before the grand day, for the donation of the prizes, that Mabel told Clara that Edith was crying bitterly, because she was so afraid she should not get the prize; as if, she did not, her uncle would not send her any more to school. As some slight relief to her great sorrow, the usually reserved Edith had confided this to one of her friends, and that friend had told it to Mabel. Now Mabel repeated it to Clara, and soon it was known over the whole school, and the greatest sympathy prevailed for her. Many indeed went so far as to say that if Clara had a spark of generosity, she would give up trying for the prize at all.

And Clara-Clara was somehow hardened, she never thought of giving up trying for the prize, but

her heart beat thick, and tears almost came into her eyes when Mabel told her about Edith; she wished she had never tried for the horrid prize—but she had sacrificed too much for it-she could not give it up now; and yet, if it should chance that Edith got it: Clara felt that she should not be very sorry, but further than this she would not go.

She and Mabel talked it over; warm-hearted Mabel was so sorry for Edith, and though she said nothing, yet Clara thought she seemed as if she felt it would be more noble of her friend, if she gave up trying for the prize altogether, now she knew how deeply it concerned Edith; but she said nothing definite, and Clara would take no hint.

But often, when Clara was thinking the matter over alone, did she repent her cowardice in not confessing all when she discovered that in reality Edith was one before her; she repented deeply, but if it was difficult then, she felt it impossible now.

At last a plan struck her which she thought would ease her conscience, and spare her the pain of confessing the meanness and deceit she had been guilty of Clara knew that now both she and Edith must be even, but she knew that at the end of the half year there was to be an essay written on some subject that Mrs. Kingby would choose, and that Edith had little or no power of diction, so that Clara, who had a clear concise way of writing, must, she thought, inevitably get the most tickets for it. She would write anonymously to Mrs. Kingby and say that Edith was much more worthy of the prize than Clara; that she had shown more perseverance, &c., and that if the essay was not so good as it ought to be, it was not for want of trying. Clara wrote this to ease her conscience, but still she half wished it might not be attended to; having once yielded to her own selfishness she was growing more selfish day by day, and when the time came