about to go upstairs, "if you have an ax, or some

lectric thrill, and sent her blood tingling. Then she dragged herself un

had carried her halfway up the staircase, "I'm sure your strong y

n longing to do? But she could not have lingered unless she had been given the

Delia smiled above her head as she bent down, wrenching and tugging with her main strength at the boa

ith the pride of a possessor, when the last stay had been unscrewed, and the slender

a machine, but she had pleaded for one in vain. Mr. Turner had explained to her that wha

, and naturally all this costs. Your father is willing to make many sacrifices that you may be well provided for, but he is not able to indulge you in a matter like this of the bicycle. I wish I did not have to refuse you, but I

verness had come and had proved so "horrid," she felt it still less. "Half the money she gets would buy me a

in the house, and if it did not belong to her, what

ift the saddle up a bit, that is, if you care to ride. As

d. "I've practiced lots on-on-a person's I know.

wn the slender spokes wit

to use mine, then

he governess accepted it, and really felt a glow of satisfaction in having calle

ceived," she thought with a

oeuvres of the leathern rag as it flashed up and down the nickel spokes and ar

ar of snow, and after we are clear of our lessons. We'll begin our studies on Monday, Nan. That will be co

se it. I guess she's sorry she promised in the first place, and wants to kind of back out of it. Oh, well, I might have k

st the surbase, silently watching the sparkling machine.

towing her property safely away against the closet wall, closed the door upon it and

stinctly as if the sudden wrinkles on her forehead and t

d-me. How she rebels against restraint. So she thinks I am t

d the door, but after a moment s

he girl cared to come in she would not have to knock. She smiled to herself as she did it. She knew well e

ievance all the afternoon. Delia was miserable. She had tried by every means in her power to win at least a look from the girl, but all her attempts were repelled and she was

utter the word of admittance. Delia was not to be daunted, however, by this, a

e matter with you that you treat me so? Me that has waited on you han

m her book-or else they were so rapidly fill

civil question?" she faltered, try

ang up to face the woman with blazing

ur life before! But that isn't the worst of it! Do you s'pose I'm going to stand your coming to my door and listening at the key-hole when I was rehearsing and then going and telling on me-telling her all I was going to do to her, I'd like to know? You just wanted to get on the right side of her, and it was the meanest thing I ever heard of in all my life. You came and peeked at me when I was rehearsing and then went and told her, and I s'pose you both laughed and

eek nor anything, and you scream so loud she'll hear every word you say. You-now be quiet and let me speak-you walked in your sleep last night. You went in

an imploring, f

reathlessly, "do you-d

hook he

he replied. "Her door may have been

!" she whispered earnestly, and tip-toed noiselessly into the

e inside her room she couldn't possibly have heard. So

go 'way," suggested Deli

ld be to have her leave-like that! Can't you go to her and say I'm-you're good friends with her. Delia, won't you please go and tell her I didn't really mean to say off that speech at her. I learned it before she cam

e has heard and is packing up to go 'way, why, it wouldn't do much good, I'm afraid, to try to stop her. With all being such a lady and so gentle in her ways, she's got a mind of her own-I can see that-and you won't

on her hat now," gasped Nan. "She'll go away and think I'm a heathen and all sorts of horrid things. And she hasn't got any friends or folks of her own, and no house to go to but this. And I s'pose she's awfully poor, because she wouldn't be a governess if she wasn't, and o

way her face t

f I go in there and tell her, and she hasn't heard

way things go wrong in this house! It's just perfectly horrid! I wish I was with my father, I do so! I guess it's ni

table with the corner of her apron, and

his call and the whistle of his oven growing fainter and fainter, and finally fading quite away as he disappeared in the distance. Nan pricked up her ears. Surely the sounds she heard were those of moving feet in the next room. Back and forth they went, now nearer, that was to the closet, now further away again, that must be to the bureau. What could the gover

t was just in time to see the door swing heavily to; and tha

you? She's gone-Miss Blake's gone. Trunks packed-! Everything's packed! She'll send men to get them. She's gone clean off. I told you what it would be, and yo

uddenly. She set her

tairs without another word. Nan did not care to follow her into the governess' room, but

irl, eagerly, as so

ut and locked,

's gone f

ere ain't a dou

, you know you did. You said no matter how she felt,

ht so. I believe now she'

t, Delia! You mean it and you might as well sa

A second later she heard a rush of flying feet behind her

world you wouldn't stand it for a minute. But don't you go away from me too, Delia! Please don't! Honest Injun, I'll try to behave! Cross my heart I will. And I tell you this much, I fee

inging arms. "What makes you think Miss Bla

And she is so little too. She looked so glad to get into this h

person that's next-door

t I guess they're made over and cast-off, or something. Maybe

e did," s

the kitchen. It was beginning to gro

s dreadfully particular about them. There's never a speck on her fingers that she do

folks," said Delia, as she

sn't stay with them

s they'

hose whose "folks" were dead. For the first time she felt sorry for Miss Blake.

ne of her wild impulses took possession of her and she ran fr

a shake of impatience. "Mr. Turner told Miss Blake if she was worried or anything to go to him. She

s she scudded down the pavement the electric lights suddenly gleamed out pale and

at did not detain her, and she raced on, putting block after block between her and home