He right. She lifted the brass catch cau

[Coltharp Ram <concretist@maxeco.nl>]

Ne, I guess," replied Comfort, who was not crying any more, but was
quite pale. "I'm real obliged to you, Matilda." "Well, I'd just as lief
go as not, if you wanted me to," said Matilda. "I hope your mother won't
say much. Good-by, Comfort." "Good-by," returned Comfort. Then Matilda
went into her house, and Comfort hurried home alone down the snowy road
in the deepening dusk. She kept thinking of that dreadful story which
Matilda had read. She was panting for breath. Anxiety and remorse and
the journey to Bolton had almost exhausted poor little Comfort Pease.
She hurried as fast as she could, but her feet felt like lead, and it
seemed to her that she should never reach home. But when at last she
came in sight of the lighted kitchen windows her heart gave a joyful
leap, for she saw her mother's figure moving behind them, and knew that
Matilda's story was not true in her case. When she reached the door she
leaned against it a minute. She was so out of breath, and her knees
seemed failing under her. Then she opened the door and went in. Her
father and mother and grandmother were all in there, and they turned
round and stared at her. "Comfort Pease," cried her mother, "what is the
matter?" "You didn't fall down, or anythin', did you?" asked her
grandmother. Then Comfort burst out with a great sob of confession.
"I--took--it," she gasped. "I took my gold ring that Aunt Comfort gave
me for her name--and--I wore it to school, and Miss Tabitha pinned it in
my pocket, and