Evening star., 1917-05-06

Because I was just thinking"
Upon the very rack he could have Of
fered no ampler truthful explanation.
Thinking what?"
lust thinking"
Miss Spences expression gave evil
was undergoing remarkable test.
However. after taking counsel with
herself. she commanded
Come here"
He shuffied forward. and she placed a
chair upon the platform near her own.
"Sit there"
Then she continued the lesson in
arithmetic. Spiritually, the children
may have learned a lesson in very small
fractions indeed as they gazed at the
fragment of sin before them on the
stool of penitence. They all stared at
him attentively with hard and passion
ately interested eyes. in which there
was never one trace of pity. 1t cannot
be said with precision that he writhed:
his movement was more a slow. contin-
uous squirm, effected with ghastly as
sumption of languid indifference.
Glasses came and classes went, grill
ing him with eyes. Newcomers received
the story of the crime in darkling whis-
pers. and the outcast sat and sat and
sat. and squirmed and squirmed and
squirmed. And all this while of freeZ-
ing suspense was but the criminals de-
tention awaiting trial.
Noon came. The rows of children filed
out. every head turning for a last un-
pleasingly speculative look at-the out
law. Then Miss Spence closed the door
into the cloakroom and that into the big
hall and came and sat at her desk. near
.Penrod. The tramping of feet outside,
-l,1 he
changing voices Of the older boys
ceased to be heard-and there was ST.
lence. Penrod was conscious that Miss
Spence looked at him intently.
''Penrod," she said, gravely, what
excuse have you to offer before l report
your case to the PRINCIPAL"
The word principal" struck him to
the vitals. Grand inquisitor. grand
khan. sultan. emperor. tsar. Caesar Au-
gustus-these are comparable.
Il want an answer. Why did you shout
those words at me?"
thinking"
Thinking whato" she asked sharply.
Il don't know.
THAT won't do"
He took his left ankle in his right
hand and regarded it helplessly.
THAT won't do. Penrod Schofield." she
repeated severely. IF that is all the
excuse you have to offer l shall report
your case this instant,
And she rose with fatal intent
But Penrod was one Of those whom
the precipice inspires. We'll, 1 have
got an excuse"
We'll. what is it?'
He had not an idea. but he felt one
coming and replied automat tically, in a
plaintive tone:
Il guess anybody that had been
through what / had to go through last
night would think they had an ex-
cuse."
What has last night to do with your
insolence to me this morning."
We'll. l guess you'd see." he returned,
emphasizing the plaintive note. "if you
knew what / know"
Now, Penrod," she said, in kinder
voice, Il have a high regard for your
mother and father. and 1t would hurt
me to distress them, but you must either
tell me what was the matter with you
or I'll have to take you TO Mrs. Hous-
ton"
We'll. amt l going to-" he cried
spurred by the dread name. IT'S be-
cause 1 didn't sleep last night
Were you ill?" The question was put
with some dryness.
He felt the dryness. Nom: / wasn't"
Then If some one in your family was
so i'll that even you were kept up all
night. how does it happen they let you
come to school this morning.:
"It wasn't Illness" he returned, shak-
ing his head mournfully. 1T was lots
worse'n anybodys being sick. 1t was
well, it was jest awful"
What was?" He marked with anxi-
ETY. the incredulity in her tone.
st was about Aunt Clara" he said.
"Your Aunt Clara?" she repeated. do
you mean your mothers sister who
married Mr.. Fairy Of Dayton. ul.?"
"Yes--Uncle john" returned Penrod
sorrowfully. The trouble was about