Penrod

gasped. So d

with a swelling cong

h open, a mere lump of stupefaction. For the appalling words that he had hur

but a base and shifty servant. And Penrod's mind was not his servant; it was a master, with the April wind's whims; and it had just played him a diabolical trick. The very jo

form, faced the school. "And then for a little while," as pathetic stories sometimes recount, "everything was very still." It was so

chofield,

able chil

an by speaking t

nd him. The school shivered in ecstatic horror, every fascinated eye upon him; yet there was not a soul in the room but was profoundly grateful to him for the sensation-including

d Scho

gul

! Why did you spea

choked, unabl

ak o

nking," he mana

sharply. "I wish to know immedi

Penrod answer

was just

offered no ampler truthful explan

king

thin

of self-restraint was undergoing a remarkable test. Ho

e he

she placed a chair upon t

the

e. They all stared at him attentively with hard and passionately interested eyes, in which there was never one trace of pity. It cannot be said with precision that he writhed; his movement was more a slow, continuous squirm, effected with a ghas

his while of freezing suspense was but the criminal's detention awaiting trial. A known punishment may be anticipated with some measure of equanimity; at least, the prisoner may prepare himself to undergo it; but the unknown looms more monstrous for every attempt to guess it. Penrod's crime was unique; there were no rule

akroom and that into the big hall, and came and sat at her desk, near Penrod. The tramping of feet outside, the shrill calls and shouting and the changing voices o

excuse have you to offer before I

or, Grand Khan, Sultan, Emperor, Tsar, Caesar Augustus-these

Why did you shout

mured, "I was

hat?" she a

n't k

won'

in his right hand and

severely. "If that is all the excuse you have

se with fa

whom the precipice inspires.

sed impatientl

t one coming, and replied auto

gh what I had to go through, last ni

though with the air of being r

o do with your insolen

turned, emphasizing the plaintiv

ther and father, and it would hurt me to distress them, but you must either t

, spurred by the dread name. "It's

e question was put

dryness. "No

even you were kept up all night, how does it h

ad mournfully. "It was lots worse'n anybody's be

ed with anxiety the i

ut Aunt Cla

you mean your mother's sister who m

d Penrod sorrowfully. "Th

uspicion. "She and I were in school together," she said. "I used to know her v

til last year when Uncle John took

ha

husband, but these travelling men would coax him into a saloon on his way home from

nro

a'

private affairs; I'm asking you if you h

he pleaded,-"if you'd jest only let me. When Aunt Clara a

arry is visitin

l of course, little baby Clara, she was so bruised up

h a thing as THAT!" exclaimed Miss Spe

ttle Clara-and AUNT Clara was in such a state SOMEBODY had to kee

s your father

a'

your fath

m some more. I wanted to do that, but they said if he did come I mightn't be strong enough to hold him and--" The brave lad paused again, modestly. Miss Spence's expression was encouraging

up with Aunt Clara. She had some pre

ctor?" However, this question was

n't want anybody to HEAR about it because Uncle John might reform-and then where'd h

aid Mis

ht as anybody," he went on ex

n, Pe

idness, such abundance of colour, and such verisimilitude to a drunkard's life as a drunkard's life should be, that had Miss Spence possessed the rather chilling attributes of William J. Burns himself, the last trace of skepticism must have vanished from h

during his description of his ministering night with Aunt Clara. "And I said to her, 'Why, Aunt Clara, what's the use of takin' on so about it?' And I said, 'Now, Aunt Clara, all th

es, his theme became more exalted; and, only partially misquoting a phrase from a psalm, he related how h

y of building magnificence upon cobwebs-and Penrod was gifted. Under the spell of his really great performance, Miss Spence gazed more and more sweetly upon the pr

, "that you were all worn out and

es

l those dreadful things so hard

e said simply, "how

his mighty boy was that