“Oh, Mrs. Kane, the pride has got so bad again; and I have been quarrelling with Phyllis and wanting to run away.”

“Run away!” said Mrs. Kane; “oh, no, dearie, never run away from your post.”

“What is my post?” said Hetty weeping; “I have no post.  I am only a charity girl and in everybody’s way.  Phyllis hints it to me in every way she can, even when she does not say it outright.  Oh, how can I have patience to grow up?  Why does it take so long to get old?”

Mrs. Kane sighed.  “It doesn’t take long to grow old, dear, once you are fairly in the tracks of the years.  But it does take a while to grow up.  And you must have patience, Hetty.  There’s nothing else for it but the patience and meekness of God.”

Hetty drew a long breath.  All that was spiritual within her hung now on Mrs. Kane’s words.  The patience of God was such a different thing from the prudence of this world.  That was the difference between Miss Davis and Mrs. Kane.

“There was something beautiful you said one day,” said Hetty in a whisper; “say it again.  It was, ‘Learn of me—­’”

“Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart,” said Mrs. Kane.  “That is the word you want, my darling, and it was said for such as you.”

Hetty’s tears fell fast, but they were no longer angry tears.  She was crying now with longing to be good.

“There was something else,” she said presently, when she could find her voice; “something that was spoken for me too.”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” said Mrs. Kane, stroking her head.  And then Hetty cried more wildly, thinking with remorse of her own pride.

“If He is for you, my dear, you needn’t care who is against you,” continued Mrs. Kane; “take that into your heart and keep it there.”

After that they had a long talk about all Hetty’s difficulties, and when at last the little girl left the cottage, it was with a lighter step than had brought her there.  When she walked into the school-room just in time for tea the signs of woe were gone from her countenance, and she looked even brighter than usual.  Without giving herself time to think, or to observe the looks of those in the room, she went straight up to Phyllis and said cheerfully: 

“Phyllis, I am sorry I gave you offence.  I hope you will forget it and be friends with me”; and then she took her seat at the table as if nothing had happened.

Miss Davis, who had been rather dreading her appearance, fearing a renewal of the quarrel, looked up at her and actually coloured all over her faded face with pleasure and surprise.  Hetty had really taken her lessons to heart, and was going to be a wise and prudent girl after all.  She little thought that a far higher spirit actuated the girl than had at all entered into her teachings.

Phyllis glanced round with a triumphant air as if saying, “Now I am indeed proved in the right.  She herself has acknowledged it!” and then she said gently: