"Oh,  indeed!"  said  she,  with  an  air  of  pity.  "Pray
have  you  ever  been  in  the  churchyard,  and  read  the
writings  on  the  stones  ?  "

"No."

"Then  I  have.  I  have  read  every  single  word,  and
there  are  none  but  good  people  buried  there ;  not  one."
She  added,  rather  pathetically,  "  You  should  not  answer
me  without  thinking,  as  if  things  was  easy,  instead  of
so  hard.  Well,  one  comfort,  there  are  not  many  wicked
people  hereabouts;  they  live  in  towns;  so  I  suppose
they  are  buried  in  the  garden,  poor  things,  or  put  in  the
water  with  a  stone."

Compton  had  no  more  plausible  theory  ready,  and  de-


378  A  TEERIBLB  TEMPTATION.
clined  to  commit  himself  to  Euperta's,  so  that  topic  fell
to  the  ground.
One  day  he  found  her  perched  as  usual,  but  with  her
bright  little  face  overclouded.
By  this  time  the  intelligent  boy  was  fond  enough  of
her  to  notice  her  face.
"What's  the  matter,  Perta?  "

"  Euperta.  The  matter  ?  Puzzled  again !  It  is  very
serious  this  time."

"Tell  me,  Euperta."

"No,  dear."

"Please."

The  young  lady  fixed  her  eyes  on  him,  and  said,  with
a  pretty  solemnity,  "  Let  us  play  at  catechism."

"  I  don't  know  that  game."

"  The  governess  asks  questions,  and  the  good  little  boy
answers.     That's  catechism.    I'm  the  governess."

"Then  Pm  the  good  little  boy."

"  Yes,  dear ;  and  so  now  look  me  full  in  the  face."

"  There,  you're  very  pretty,  Euperta."

"  Don't  be  giddy ;  I'm  hideous :  so  behave,  and  answer
all  my  questions.  Oh,  I'm  so  unhappy.  Answer  me,  is
young  people,  or  old  people,  goodest  ?  "

"You  should  say  best,  dear.  Good,  better,  best.
