ley. The self-centered chilliness of the English teacher deepened the solitary child's sense of isolati

ed brusqueness of gesture, a more rigid set of the defi

Rosamund Seely, a kind-hearted child, as a parting gift, had offered it to Meg on receiving the present of a beautiful new doll. "Poor Meg, you are going

felt toward it as toward a companion, bidding her answer when she spoke. After awhile that constant comrade, sitting opposite to her with its grimy cheeks, its faded and ragged finery, became in its look of abando

d. She was always seeing that place on the stairs from which she had watched the coming and going of her only friend during those neglected years. Why did he not write to her? Why? Her lonely heart asked itself this question with insistence. He had promised to write to her, he was true, he never told a falsehood. Why did he not write? Then the conviction was borne in upon her that a letter was waiting for her at Mrs. Browne's house. Mr. Standish thought the landlady would forward

hing her hand for the bread and butter she upset her cup of milk on the teacher's dress. Miss Grantley had on her best m

companions shun you. It must be most painful for young ladies to be as

savage," sai

e has softened, does not possess the very rudiments of civilized society.

retorted Meg, her eyes br

ke that!" and forgetting herself, Miss Grantley rose a

y she knew not whither. A couple of slugs were crawling across her path. With an impulse of revenge she picked

and when two short shrieks reached her ear she shook with impish

u did this

" repli

es comes home to-morrow, and the first thing I will do on her return

and Meg heard the

s lock

led her courageous spirit. The silence of the school, the empty dormitory, deepened the impression of reprobation cast upon her. She felt herself disowned by a law-abiding community. Suddenly an idea came which held her breath in suspense-she would run away! She would go to London. There was a finger post on the highroad they sometimes passed in their walk

e brown paper and the bit of cord that had held them at her coming. The silver pencil-case and the roll of articles she resolved to carry inside the bodice of her

ke nothing m

ed, abandoned air, seeming to be watching her. With a movement of sudden, unac

nces like a little general. She looked out of the window. The door being locked, this was her single means o

chinks or irregularities that might serve as stepping-stones, when the door

al amount of bread and butter ther

orders and delivered messages with the exactitude of a sundial

bit of cake which she made for the

alacrity, recognizing the value of this contribution to her commi

uff silence, and departed, deliber

took a page of newspaper lining one of the drawers and carefully packed the cak

lculations as to her mode of escape. If she had b

rom fires, recounted to her by Mr. Standish, effected by the

up. As soon as she was safe from interruption: when Miss Grantley had returned

sit up till daybreak, and at the first s

nd make her round over the various rooms. At this thought Meg swiftly set about obliterating every trace of

steps coming up the garden path and

e of a silk dress. Miss Grantley was making her rounds. Meg appeared to be profoundly aslee

r the click of the key turned again upon her, but this ti

s not drawn; the key was not turned. There was no necessity to make a ladder of bedclothes, no need to have recourse t

ardian angel child wer

d that all the household was asleep, she softly drew back the curt

ed off into a doze. She had a dream, rather the sketch of a dream. She had a glimpse of a road-she was walking. She started up frightened,