"
Arthur returned a scowl of defiance, muttering almost under his
breath, "I'll do as I please about that;" but cowed by his
brother's determined look and manner, he slowly and reluctantly
obeyed.
"Now, sir," said Mr. Dinsmore, when he had him fairly in the room,
and had closed the door behind them, "I wish to know how you came
to meddle with Elsie's copy-book."
"I didn't," was the angry rejoinder.
"Take care, sir; I know all about it," said Mr. Dinsmore, in a
warning tone; "it is useless for you to deny it. Yesterday, while
Elsie was out and Aunt Chloe in the kitchen, you went to her room,
took the key of her desk from the mantel-piece where she had left
it, went to the school-room and did the mischief, hoping to get
her into trouble thereby, and then relocking the desk and
returning the key to its proper place, thought you had escaped
detection; and I was very near giving my poor, innocent little
girl the whipping you so richly deserve."
Arthur looked up in astonishment.
"Who told you?" he asked; "nobody saw me;" then, catching himself,
said hastily, "I tell you I didn't do it.
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