Ready to faint with pain and terror, she rose, pale as death, and staggered up to the master, carrying the tawse with something of the same horror she would have felt had it been a snake.

With a grim smile, he sent her back to her seat.

The moment she reached it her self-control gave way, and she burst into despairing, though silent tears.

The desk was still shaking with her sobs, and some of the girls were still laughing at her grief, when a new occurrence attracted their attention.

Through the noise of the falling rain a still louder rushing of water was heard, and the ears and eyes of all sought the source of the sound.