f course I cannot agree with you that she annoys you purposely. A child of William Cutler could not well be other than large-hearted an

; only she made a mental vow that if the lawyer were not as good as his word, if he did not take immediate steps toward rectifying

ning to inquire after the sick child's condition and to repeat Nan's story to her mother, but that lady was "not at home," and Deli

re, but I guess that's more on account of her cold than anything else. She isn't going

dared she would have liked to "coddle her child," but Nan was not one of the coddling kind, and would have scorned being made a baby of. She w

n to the balusters and hung over the railing to see who might be the new

nd made her shudder with apprehension. What if Mr. Turner had come to say that she was to be sent to the House of Correction, or some horrid boarding-school where one don't get enough to eat a

that Nan's "contrary fit" was on, and she wondered how much th

uns and absolutely refuse to be committed to either a refo

Mr. Turner's kindly greeting

ness nor permit herself to be cajoled into doing anything she did not wish to do. No one really h

ather's friend the story of yesterday's disas

tely planning to destroy the peace of any one. I knew you could not be the girl Mrs. Newton described. She seemed to think you were-why, my dear, she gave me to understand that you were qui

or hurt her children, but I do climb trees and I do race and do figures on roller-

ool?" venture

d Nan. "I had a fight with one

zed suddenly

you remember the cause of the disturban

one of the puffs that the hair-pin had come out of, and that was standing up on end, and it looked so funny on her head, the puff with the baby doll standing in it, that all the girls laughed, and then she asked me what I had done, and I told her, a

d in silence for a

away, gave me full authority to make such arrangements for you as I might feel were necessary, but until now I have rather avoided taking upon m

sure it would be! She was to be sent away! Sh

her didn't mean me to be made unhappy, Mr. Turner; I guess he didn't mean any one to have authority to send me to awful places

un away

and companion to you and whom you will be sure to love. It is rather a curious coincidence that just the other day I was talking to a lady who is anxious to procure just such a position as this with you, and I am rather inclined to think that she would be willing to come here and undertake it. At all events, I have written to her asking her to consider the plan and in a day or so

saw that Nan made no comment or

he will be, I fear," he said to himself, catching a glimpse of Nan's set mouth and flashing eyes as he made his way to the door. Later, when he recalled her expression, he was almost inclined to hop

d. Even Delia resented the new-comer's intrusion. Had she managed the house for fourteen years now, ever since Mrs. Cutler's death, only to be set aside and ruled over by the first stranger who chose to imagine her position of governess to Nan gav

in your closets, Delia, and into my bureau drawers, and she'll find out everything we don't want her to know. Her hair is black and shiny, and I guess she parts it in the middle and makes it come to the back of her head in a little hard knot. Oh! I know just how she looks! I can see her every time I shut my eyes-the horrid thing! Just like Miss Fowler at school! And how I'll hate her! I'll ha

he whole house. The furniture was all good and substantial, but Delia had a way of ranging it against the walls in a manner that made it seem stiff and uncompromising. When a piece needed repairing, and with Nan about, many a piece needed repairing often, it was stowed out of sight in the trunk-room, or the cellar, and the carpets, which had been rich and fashionable in their day, were al

o allowances either. Delia made up her mind that if things really came to the pass where Nan was being abused, she in person would "just step in and say her say, if it lost her her place." She often talked of things losing her he

ee her going for to abuse Nan, I'll set to and give her a piece of my mind such as she ain't likely to have got in

the room she

t done a single thing I told y

t and that's all there w

glad to have her, and that we've prepared for her? Well, I guess not! If she once gets into as good a

e to do?" asked Del

do! Make the room look awful-perfectly hideous. Make it so she can't h

like, Nan," she said, "I can tell you I ain't going to do anything

lly sifted back the dust Delia had just removed, it would merely prove that the people in this house were of a slovenly and careless habit, and that they were sadly in need of some one to oversee their work. Moreover, would a person as dull of feeling as th

han ever by the time noon had arrived. But suddenly, at the luncheon table, she gave a wild leap from her chair and clap

ded, while Nan caught her around the waist and w

Delia, you old duck! Oh, won't it settle her though! Won't it settle her?" But she would not reveal who was to be set

oing to be as busy as a beaver all the afternoon, so no matter

e afoot had something to do with the go

is, all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't stop her, so I might as well hold

d locked the door. Her next move was to take her n

p over the furniture and stub my toes, and give the whole business away. No, I must keep my eyes open; that's certain. Then I must glide when I walk. My step must be light and ghostly and noiseless. I must be sure to have it ghostly and noiseless. Now-eyes staring-one, two, three-step ghostly and noiseless-Oh, bother! What business had

father! father! come home from Bombay, and save me from this awful woman. Turn her out of the house! Make her go back where she came from! Her hated form haunts me in my sleep, and I dream all night of her as I see her in the daytime-tall-and thin-and lanky-with her hair all dragged into that ugly little knob behind at the back of her head! O father! father! her eyes are like needles! They pr

turn silently from her bedside and glide noiselessly from the room, wringing my hair and tearing my hands; no, I mean just the other way, and if that doesn'

been in the original. It seemed a very long, wearisome task, to commit it all to memory, but she did not grudge the trouble. She had never attempted anything that looked like study with so much willingness. The afternoon slipp

s I'd have been at the head of the class," she said to

employ in the governess' initiation. Her room was in perfect order, and in Nan's own chamber nothing was unusually amiss. She got no satisfactio

d be glad that some one's coming who may be up to managin' her. I'm free to confess I ain't. If only her mother had lived! Or, if only my dear Miss Belle hadn't gone off to the end