THE HEDGE OF THORNS.

(Continued from p. 117.)

CHAPTER II.

OU are not fit to go to school, Clement,'

You

said Mrs. Harley, as the boys rose from the breakfast-table. Your hair looks as though it had never been combed at all this morning, and your clothes want brushing. Run upstairs and see to yourself; and you'd better put on a clean collar, too.'

These little attentions to his toilet took up more time than Clement was prepared to lose. It quite frightened him to think of his unwritten exercise. Mr. Jones has been so angry lately,' he said to himself; 'he is sure to report me to Dr. Green. I don't know whatever I am to do.' Then came the tempting suggestion,- Bob Freeman is very good-natured, and he is quite certain, besides, to have his exercise ready; there wouldn't be much harm for once in getting him to give one a peep at it; no need to copy it word for word, but it would save no end of bother looking up the rules and declensions: if I start at once I can get done before school begins." You have always despised the lads who crib; it isn't honest to take credit for work you have not done,' whispered conscience sternly; but Clement stopped his ears to the warning voice, and shouting to Harry that he was off, walked briskly along the road, glancing hurriedly at his lessons as he went.

The boarders hailed his early arrival with glee, there was time for a game of some sort before school; but Clement declined to make one of the party, and put his hesitating request to Bob. It was complied with easily enough; Bob made very light of the matter, and laughed at the other's scruples. Only mind you're not found out. You must make a bit of difference here and there, or old Jones will smell a rat.'

Clement felt a good deal ashamed as he

listened to this advice, which nevertheless he was careful to act upon. He had scarcely finished his task and set to his lessons, when the masters came in and the classes were called up: he felt very guilty and anxious while his exercise was being examined, and when the critical moment had passed, and the chance of detection was safely over, the relief seemed very great, but not for long. The sense that he had acted unworthily still weighed upon him and crushed down his spirits. Bob's whispered congratulation of All right; you see he didn't twig,' fell flatly on his ear. Clement knew it was far from being all right. He had done a wrong and deceitful thing, and though it had not been found out, its stain still clung to him; his lessons, never properly learned, were most imperfectly said. Mr. Jones was displeased, and Clement felt more depressed than ever.

What ails you?' asked Harry as they were going home to dinner. You seem so dull.'

Clement did not care to own the truth to his brother, who was younger than himself, and who, like himself until now, had never stooped to the school tricks for imposing upon masters and escaping work, so he answered :—

I didn't know my lessons, and Mr. Jones was in a regular wax. I expect I shall be getting expelled one of these days, and then what would father say?'

'Nonsense!' returned Harry cheerfully. And your exercise was well done. I was afraid you mightn't have got through it properly after all, and so asked Tim Robinson as he passed our form.'

Bother Tim Robinson!' Clement cried impatiently, flaming up as red as a turkeycock; and little Harry said no more, but silently wondered what could have put his brother out so.

Mrs. Harley too noticed the cloud on her boy's face at dinner, and asked the cause.

"Something has gone wrong, Clement: was it the exercise? I didn't think to ask what time you got up, but I noticed you were off to school early.'

Clement coloured, as he had done when questioned by Harry; but he had no answer ready what, indeed, could he say that would not imply a falsehood?

'I understand,' went on Mrs. Harley coldly it was bad, as usual. I ought not to have let you go out last evening.'

Clement still kept silence. Mrs. Harley continued, with some severity in her tone:

'I shall soon lose my faith in you: didn't you promise to get up and have all ready this morning?'

'Yes, mother,' Clement replied, in a constrained voice, and without venturing to look up, but I fell asleep again after Ann called me.'

'But his exercise was all right,' here called out Harry though he was not sure how the interruption might be taken. 'Tim Robinson told me that Mr. Jones said it was very fair; he was working at it in school before the forms were called.'

Then

Mrs. Harley's face brightened. I think I must apologise to Clement. Come, my dear,' she said, smiling fondly at her eldest boy, I didn't mean to be hard upon you. I was a little too ready with my conclusions, wasn't I? But I am so anxious for you to get on, and you so often

But why couldn't you tell me yourself? You must have known how glad I should be.'

'Please say no more,' cried Clement desperately. 'I don't deserve any praise, my lessons were as bad as they could be.' He could not accept his mother's approval, still less dared he confess the truth. He knew her horror of all underhand ways, her entire reliance on his own straightforward

ness, and he shrank from lowering himself in her eyes: her hearty That's right, my boy, always tell the truth,' nearly maddened him, and he dropped his face into his hands with a little cry of pain.

What is it?' she asked anxiously. "I don't understand you at all, you used to be so perfectly frank and outspoken. What is altering you like this I cannot conceive.'

But she pressed him no further. To wring from him an unwilling confidence was a very different thing from his giving it her unasked, and Clement left the diningroom utterly miserable, and wandered off into the little rustic arbour at the bottom of the garden, that he might be out of everybody's way. Here, unseen, he gave way to his feelings, and sobbed aloud out of the bitterness of his heart :-

'How could I have done it! How could I have done it! Mother would never think well of me again if she knew; even now she suspects something and is not pleased. Other boys do the same thing over and over again, and never care a bit; Bob himself saw no harm in it, and yet I feel I shall never be able to look mother again in the face; it all comes of my going to see James last night; or if only I hadn't played with Tartar before tea-yes, or even if I had set about my exercise when I got in, mother would say it is all the fault of my idleness. Well, I know I am idle, but I never thought till this morning I should ever do anything I was ashamed of-that I should act a lie, as mother talks about. Oh, dear! dear! how I hate the thought of that exercise!'

Yes, Clement, you are content to be idle; and yet you chafe against the evil into which your idleness has led you. You suffer the thorns to grow unchecked about your path; and then you make piteous moans when they tear your feet.

(To be continued.)

Copyright.

NOW

OW doth the sun ascend the sky, And wake creation with its ray; Be present with us, Lord most high! Through all the actions of the day. Create in us a heart sincere, Simplicity of word and will,

And may the morn, so bright and clear, Its own sweet calm in us instil.

Keep us, eternal Lord, this day,
From every sinful passion free;
Grant us in all we do or say,

In all our thoughts, to honour Thee.

So when the evening stars appear,

And in their train the darkness bring, May we, O Lord, with conscience clear, To Thee our grateful praises sing.