It was Friday－the most tiring day of a teacher's week．As I was going to dismiss the class, Jan, who sat behind Bill suddenly shouted,“Teacher, Bill took my dime(=10 cents)．It was 1 here by my ink bottle when I went to sharpen my pencil and now it is 2 ”
Bill only dropped his head 3 ．
The dime had 4 been there．I had seen it．And Bill was the only one who had been 5 Jan's desk．
By now the children were quiet, obviously waiting for me to 6 action．Perhaps I hadn't slept well the night before; or perhaps it was the expectation in the children's eye． 7 , I lost my control．I scolded Bill for being 8 ．
“Give Jan her dime,”I ordered．Bill didn't say a word in 9 ．
“Stand up!”he stood beside his seat．
“Now turn all your 10 inside out and take off your shoes!”He did so, 11 to cover one foot with the other to 12 the holes in his socks．But there was no dime．
“ 13 your desk!”I ordered．Patiently he did so．The dime wasn't there either．He returned the books and papers to his desk without a word．Then he 14 his face in his arms．Immediately I 15 my mistakes．I, the person who could defend him, had failed him．
It was very late that afternoon 16 one of the boys went to the front of the room to sharpen his pencil．“Hey!”he cried,“Here's Jan's dime on the board ledge．She must have put it here when she sharpened her pencil．”
I felt heartsick．I went to Bill, and 17 him into my arms．“I'm so sorry, Bill．I had no 18 to scold you．Will you pardon me?”
Slowly he raised his eyes to 19 ．There were no tears but the 20 in his eyes branded(印在)my heart forever．