"This comes of disobedience," said Mrs. Gray, gravely, looking at Kittie as she led her, and carried the little boy into the house. "What is it all about?" asked the father. "Kittie has been disobedient," she answered, as she soothed Harry's cries and prepared to bathe his forehead. "I am sorry for that; come and tell me about it, Kittie." Kittie was sobbing piteously and holding her arm. It was two or three minutes before she could reply: "Mother told me not to lift Harry, and I tried to carry him down the steps, and we both toppled down." "You see, father, Kittie is always trying to carry Harry, and he is far too heavy for her, and they have fallen once or twice. This morning I forbade her to do it again, but she has disobeyed, and you see the consequence. I told her I should punish her if she lifted him again; and, as she has done so, she must take her tea alone to-night; and see how poor Harry is hurt, too!" "How came you to be so disobedient, Kittie?" asked her father. "I forgot, father, and I wanted to lift him down the steps," sobbed the little girl. "But you said that before, Kittie. Little girls must not forget. Perhaps father will take little Harry up the garden now; you had better stay here, we cannot speak to you till after tea." Father looked lingeringly back as he led Harry away, but he knew mother was right, and Kittie had been growing rather thoughtless lately; so he only said, "I am sorry." Of course Kittie was very miserable, and she did not know how to keep quiet. "Mother, speak to me; don't look grave," she kept saying, and when she found her mother did not answer, she said, "and I s'pose God is angry too, and now there is a black spot made on my heart. What shall I do?" "I am not _angry_, Kittie," replied her mother, "only very sorry, and you know what washes sin away, you know Whom to go to. But I cannot talk to you now." "I am going to tell Jesus all about it, mother. Can I kneel down?" "Oh! yes," replied her mother. So Kittie slipped off her chair and sobbed and prayed, and her mother caught the words, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." CHAPTER XVI. BEN'S PRESENT. Soon Ben came in, and missing the little girl at the gate, cried, "Where's Kittie?" Mrs. Gray looked towards the chair where she sat, and Kittie's tear-stained face told the story. "You haven't been naughty, have you. O Kit! What is it, mother?" "She has been lifting Harry again, and both have fallen, and he has got hurt. You've heard me tell her not, Ben, many times; now she has to sit there and no one is to speak to her, and"--Mrs. Gray hesitated. She dreaded carrying out the rest of the punishment. "And me's to have tea all alone," cried Kit. "Oh! what a pity!" said Ben, "O mother! isn't she sorry enough?" "She is sorry, I believe; but you must not beg her off, Ben," and Mrs. Gray made ready a plate of bread and butter and a mug of milk and carried them into the other room, saying, "Come, Kittie."