Oxford Democrat., 1915-07-13

| CHAPTER vi.
Uncle John.
AR ISS SPENCE gasped. So di
the pupils. The whole roou
H filed with a swelling, COZ
glomerate "O-o-0-6.h"
As for Penrod himself. the wall
reeled with the shock. He sat wit
his mouth open. a mere lump Of stupe
faction. For the appalling words tina
he had hurled at the teacher were a
ineIplicable to him as to any othe
who heard them.
Nothing Is more treacherous than th
human mind; nothing else 80 loves t
play the Iscariot. Even when patient
ly bullied into semblance Of Orde
and training It may prove but bas
and shifty servant. And Penrod'
mind was not his servant 1t was
master, with the April winds whims
and 1t had just played him a diabolica
trick. The very jolt with which b
came back to the schoolroom In tn
midst of his fancied fight Jared hi
day dream utterly out Of him and b
sat open mouthed in horror at wha
he had said.
The unanimous gasp Of awe was pro
tracted. Miss Spence, however, final
ly recovered her breath, and, returning
deliberately to the platform, faced tn
school. "And then, for little while,
as pathetic stories sometimes recount
everything was very still" It was 81
still, In fact that Penrod's newborn
notoriety could almost be heard grow
ing. This grisly silence was at las
broken by the teacher.
"Penrod Schofeld, stand up"
The miserable child obeyed.
what did you mean by speakin,
to me in that way?"
he hung his head, raked the foo
with the side o. his shoe, swayed
swallowed, looked suddenly at hi
hands with the air Of never having
seen them before, then clasped then
behind him. The school shivered u
ecstatic horror, every fascinated ey'
upon him, yet there was not soul II
the room but was profoundly gratefu
| to him for the sensation-including th'
offended teacher herself. Unhappily
all this gratitude was unconscious ant
altogether different from the kline
which results In testimonials and low
| ing cups. On the contraryl
"Penrod Schofield!"
He gulped.
ANSWER me at once! Why did yo'
speak to me like thatT
II was"- He choked, unable b
continue.
Speak out"
II was just-thinking," he managet
to stammer.
"That will not do" she returned
sharply. II wish to know immediate
ly why you spoke as you did,"
The stricken PenrOd answered help
lessly:
Because was Just thinking"
Upon the very rack he could hav
offered no ampler truthful explanation
It was all he knew about 1t.
Thinking whatT'
aJuaf thfnkinp.n
Miss spence's expression gave ev,
dence that her power Of self restrain
was undergoing q remarkable test
However, after taking counsel wit
herself, she commanded:
"Come herer'
He shufled forward, and she place.
chair upon the platform near he
own.
"sit therer'
Then Out not at all as II nothinl
had happened she continued the lea
son In arithmetic. Spiritually tn
children may have learned a lesson Il
very small fractions, indeed, as the,
gazed at the fragment Of sin befor
them on the stool Of penitence. The,
all stared at him attentvely, wit
hard and passionately interested eye
In which there was never one trace 0
pity. It cannot be said with precision
that he writhed. His movement wa
more a slow, continuous squirm, effect
ed with a ghastly assumption Of Ian
guild Indifference, while his gaze, Il
the effort to escape the marble hearte'
glare Of his schoolmates, affixed itsel
with apparent permanence to tn
waistcoat button of James Russel
Lowell just above the ~" in "Rus
SELL"
Glasses came and classes went, grill
ing him with eyes. Newcomers re
ceived the story Of the crime in dark
ling whispers, and the outcast ga
| and squirmed and squirmed an
| squirmed. (He did one or two thing
with his spine which professions
| eontortionist would have observe
with real interest) And all this whil
Of freezing suspense was but tn
criminals detention awaiting trial. !
known punishment may be anticipate
with some measure Of eQuanimity-a
least, the prisoner may prepare hin
self to undergo it-but the unkn0w
looms more monstrous for every al
tempt to guess 1t. Penrod's crime wa
unique. There were no rules to al
him in estimating the vengeance to IA
upon him for IT. What seemed mos
probable was that he would be expe
led from the school In the presenc
Of his family, the mayor and counc
and whipped afterward by his fathe
upon the state house steps, with th
entire city as audience by invitato
Of the authorities.
Noon came. The rows Of childret
fled out, every head turning for Las
unpleasingly speculative look at tn
outlaw. Then Miss Spence closed tn
door into the cloakroom and that int
the big hall and came and sat at he
desk. near Penrod The tramping o
feet outside, the shrill calls and shout
ing and the changing voices Of tn
older boys ceased to be heard-an'
there was silence. Penrod, still anect
ing to be occupied with Lowell, wa
conscious that Miss Spence looked a
him intently.
"Penrod." she said graveiy. "wha