hairs, twisted together, would make a beautiful chain for the neck of her china doll, her one treasure; and, of course, Mary Jane Sullivan would never miss them, if she only pulled out one here and there.
Forward crept Rue's eager little fingers; but they were too nervous in their haste to be sure that they held but a single coarse hair before they twitched, and the result was a sudden explosive "Ow!" from Mary Jane, the turning of a battery of eyes in that direction, and an immediate investigation by the authorities into the cause of the disturbance. Poor little Rue was marched off in disgrace; but, as she reached the door, she heard the speaker say:—
"I am sorry this has happened; sorry that any one should miss what I am going to say; for I hoped to interest all these dear children in the work of sending the gospel to the heathen."
It was kind of him to call them all dear children after that dreadful event, Rue reflected, as, with burning cheeks and tearful eyes, she stood, with a number of other little culprits, in one of the wide halls, for even punishment was in rows at the Home. Shifting her weight from one restless foot to the other, yet trying to stand sufficiently upright to answer the requirements of the penance, Rue did sincerely wish that she had been a good girl and remained quietly in the chapel, partly because of the humiliation that had befallen her, but also because she wanted to hear what he had to say on the particular subject he had named.
"Why didn't he begin with that, and then I'd have listened!" she thought, rather resentfully. For back
