“As you please, Mr. Peckham,” Helen answered, with a smile so sweet that the Principal (who of course had trumped up this opposition-teacher for the occasion) said to himself she would stand being cut down a quarter, perhaps a half, of her salary.

“Here is your accaount, Miss Darley, and the balance doo you,” said Silas Peckham, handing her a paper and a small roll of infectious-flavored bills wrapping six poisonous coppers of the old coinage.

She took the paper and began looking at it.  She could not quite make up her mind to touch the feverish bills with the cankering coppers in them, and left them airing themselves on the table.

The document she held ran as follows: 

Silas Peckham, Esq., Principal of the Apollinean Institute, In Account with Helen Darley, Assist.  Teacher.

Dr. Cr.

To salary for quarter              By Deduction for absence
ending Jan 1st @ $75 per             1 week 3 days ...........$10.00
quarter ................ $75.00
“Board, lodging, etc for
10 days @ 75 cts per day.. 7.50

“Damage to Institution by
absence of teacher from
duties, say ............. 25.00

“Stationary furnished .....   .43

“Postage-stamp ............   .01

“Balance due Helen Darley.  32.06
------                             --------
$75.00                               $75.00

Rockland, Jan. 1st, 1859.

Now Helen had her own private reasons for wishing to receive the small sum which was due her at this time without any unfair deduction,—­reasons which we need not inquire into too particularly, as we may be very sure that they were right and womanly.  So, when she looked over this account of Mr. Silas Peckham’s, and saw that he had contrived to pare down her salary to something less than half its stipulated amount, the look which her countenance wore was as near to that of righteous indignation as her gentle features and soft blue eyes would admit of its being.

“Why, Mr. Peckham,” she said, “do you mean this?  If I am of so much value to you that you must take off twenty-five dollars for ten days’ absence, how is it that my salary is to be cut down to less than seventy-five dollars a quarter, if I remain here?”

“I gave you fair notice,” said Silas.  “I have a minute of it I took down immed’ately after the intervoo.”

He lugged out his large pocket-book with the strap going all round it, and took from it a slip of paper which confirmed his statement.

“Besides,” he added, slyly, “I presoom you have received a liberal pecooniary compensation from Squire Venner for nussin’ his daughter.”

Helen was looking over the bill while he was speaking.

“Board and lodging for ten days, Mr. Peckham,—­whose board and lodging, pray?”

The door opened before Silas Peckham could answer, and Mr. Bernard walked into the parlor.  Helen was holding the bill in her hand, looking as any woman ought to look who has been at once wronged and insulted.