ard the familiar sound. Not that she was afraid. She had nothing to be afraid of, she assured herself defiantly, and besides, fear was one of the things she despised

she heard her ask the new-comer into the parlor. A

ended to be searching for some article l

e's the one moved into Leffingwell's old house last spring-has that little girl with the long curls, you know the one I mean. Shall I help you put o

the mirror. "No, Delia, I'll go as I am, and if the lady

reason with her when she had once declared her mind. She stood beside the door, and allowed Nan to pass through it before her, without saying a word. Then she followed her quietly down stairs. At the parlor door Nan paused a moment, and Delia, who thought she was

would melt her at once, where a harsh one would raise in her every sort of sullen hostility and obstinate resistance. She was, as Delia often said to herself, "as hard to manage as a kicking colt.

state of thorough disorder, and gave a sort of savage look to her sun-browned face. Her gray eyes were anything but soft at this moment; her mouth was set, and her whole attitude seemed to be one of imperturbable indifference. In reality, the girl was

r. She decided the result of the in

er?" she asked in a vo

edged the girl, insta

to Ruth Newton? You urged her to go with you, and w

the picture of inflexibility,

g enough. Your influence is bad. All the neighbors complain of you. You are noisy and careless, and rough and rude. When any one reprimands you, you give a pert retort, or else pretend not to hear-which is impudent. Unless we wish our children to be utterly ruined we must see that they are put beyond yo

ook of calm indifference; an air of unconcern in anything she m

pear to have the vaguest idea that people's rights need not be infringed on in such a manner; that they have the right to peace and quiet in their own homes. Even if you would content yourself with your own disorderliness! But you are not satisfied with doing what you know must annoy others; you seem to take a malicious delight in bringing the little children under your

became white, but she

e you shall be by some other means. They say your own

ly, but her lip cu

your mothe

no a

is your

He is in Bombay," anno

rol of you in

ared the girl

ank, overgrown, girlish fi

g as you are, you are the hardest creature I have ever known. Hard, cruel, and cold. How can you stand there and look me in the face when you know how you have injured me? Tell me, does it no

ke, and she set her li

was almost more than she could do to keep from bursting into a violent fit of sobbing from her sense of injury and shame and indignation. But she

h hurt?" sh

and the face severe again. "I came to tell you that if Ruth is injured I will hold you responsible. And not only that, but I warn you that I mean to take matters into my own hands now and see that you are permitted to do no further mischief. You shall be controlled. Who has charg

ere every once in a while to see me. My father has him for his lawyer. He's a friend of his. When Delia writes to him for money for me she sends the letter to 101 Blank Street. That's hi

inwardly quivering, and every moment found it more and more difficult to control herself. Never in all her life before had she be

the door. Nan made no attempt to intercept her, but suddenly the hard lines about her

d. "Won't you let me do something for her? Let me-pleas

no chance to vindicate herself. Her visitor's hard lips qui

her own room. What took place there it would have been impossible to discover, for the shades were jerked fiercely down, the door sharply shut and locked, and De

ed, but bearing on her face the unmistakable traces of tears

er?" asked the

" replied the woman. "Are you hungry

I have that makes me uncomfortable. But I'm not hungry. O Delia!" she burst out

ared Delia, wi

he didn't get far, for the board slipped, or something, and down she went-smash! I guess she must have hit herself on the edge or somewhere, for when I dropped down she was lying on the ground, and she had her eyes closed and wouldn't speak. Then I didn't know what to do. I wanted to lift her, but it was awful work. There was no one in sight. At last I managed to tug her to the fence, but, of course, I hadn't the strength to get her over that alone. I couldn't leave her and run for help, and for a long time I did nothing but scream, in the hope that some one would come along and hear. And by and by I heard wheels. It was a milk cart, and I got the man to help me get her home. I went right to the Newton's as fast as I could, but when Bridget opened the door and saw who it was she was simply furious. They wouldn't let me in, and Mrs. Newton sent down word she wouldn't see me, but she'd attend to me later, and this

culties. She knew Nan was to blame for much, but she thought in her heart that Mrs. Newton had no right to vent her wrath upon the girl without first having heard her side of the story. She could not console Nan, sh

mamma died and all, but if it is so dreadful to play ball and skate and do things like that, why did you let me in the first place? I hate to sew and do worsted work and be prim, but perhaps, if you had brought me up that way I might have got so I could stand it. Don't you think if you had begun when I was a baby I might have? I don't want to have people hate me-honestly, I don't. When they talk to me, and say I'm rowdyish because I walk fences and play ball with the boys and climb trees, I try not to show it, but it hurts me way deep down. I try to say something back so they'

way, and, hiding her head

r. Her heart beat loyally for Nan, and she could scarcely restrain the words of resen

them all about it. And perhaps they'll see then it's better to be slow accusin' where the guilt ain't proved. Come, come! Don't cry so! Why, Nannie, child, you haven't cried like this since

ly down stairs and on into the outer darkness. Down the street it stole until it had reached a house, which, alone in all the row of darkened barrack-like dwellings, showed a dimly lit window to