If you are guilty , come to me at any hour of the day or night and confess it , and I will forgive and help you to amend . If you are innocent , the truth will appear sooner or later , and the instant it does , I will be the first to beg your pardon for doubting you , and will so gladly do my best to clear your character before us all . '' `` I did n't ! I did n't ! '' sobbed Nat , with his head down upon his arms , for he could not bear the look of distrust and dislike which he read in the many eyes fixed on him . `` I hope not . '' Mr. Bhaer paused a minute , as if to give the culprit , whoever he might be , one more chance . Nobody spoke , however , and only sniffs of sympathy from some of the little fellows broke the silence . Mr. Bhaer shook his head , and added , regretfully , `` There is nothing more to be done , then , and I have but one thing to say : I shall not speak of this again , and I wish you all to follow my example . I can not expect you to feel as kindly toward any one whom you suspect as before this happened , but I do expect and desire that you will not torment the suspected person in any way , he will have a hard enough time without that . Now go to your lessons . '' `` Father Bhaer let Nat off too easy , '' muttered Ned to Emil , as they got out their books . `` Hold your tongue , '' growled Emil , who felt that this event was a blot upon the family honor . Many of the boys agreed with Ned , but Mr. Bhaer was right , nevertheless ; and Nat would have been wiser to confess on the spot and have the trouble over , for even the hardest whipping he ever received from his father was far easier to bear than the cold looks , the avoidance , and general suspicion that met him on all sides . If ever a boy was sent to Coventry and kept there , it was poor Nat ; and he suffered a week of slow torture , though not a hand was raised against him , and hardly a word said . That was the worst of it ; if they would only have talked it out , or even have thrashed him all round , he could have stood it better than the silent distrust that made very face so terrible to meet . Even Mrs. Bhaer 's showed traces of it , though her manner was nearly as kind as ever ; but the sorrowful anxious look in Father Bhaer 's eyes cut Nat to the heart , for he loved his teacher dearly , and knew that he had disappointed all his hopes by this double sin . Only one person in the house entirely believed in him , and stood up for him stoutly against all the rest . This was Daisy . She could not explain why she trusted him against all appearances , she only felt that she could not doubt him , and her warm sympathy made her strong to take his part .
She would not hear a word against him from any one , and actually slapped her beloved Demi when he tried to convince her that it must have been XXXXX , because no one else knew where the money was .
Coventry Daisy Emil Nat Ned first night right torture week