66 THE MISSING BOOK.

It is a most thrilling story. If you read this, I know
you will thankfully accept my proposal.”

Maurice drew back, and refused the book.

“No, Philip,” he said, “you cannot by any means
tempt or persuade me to have anything to do with
that book, or any other that is forbidden us. It is
wrong, and I am afraid to do what is wrong.”

At this moment the bell rang for dinner. Footsteps
were heard in the hall. Philip, unperceived by Maurice,
hastily concealed the book under some pamphlets and
papers on his desk, and left him. Maurice thought no
more of the book ; and Philip was that day summoned
home to visit his father, who was very ill.

A fortnight passed away, when one morning Mr.
Harding was called out of school, and after being
absent a few minutes, he returned looking unusually
grave, and addressing his school, said, “That Mr.
Shaw from the village had just called to look upa
book that had for several weeks been missing from his
library, and which was taken out by one of the pupils
of the school. He refuses to give the name of the boy,
as he is under a solemn promise of secresy, unless the
book cannot be otherwise obtained. The book, he
said, was a new one, and the only copy he had; and
as one volume was missing he could not use the other,
or he would not have made known the circumstance to
me. But as the young gentleman who had it had not
called for some time, he must excuse him for using the