presents, and she never failed to give Delia a gift, but there was no scent of mystery about the holiday celebration; no delicious

fined her preparations to her own room, while the governess apparently needed the library and all the rest of the house, too, and Nan found herself barred out of Miss Blake's room by her own stubborn pride which still forbade her to g

and she proved such a tender nurse and entertaining companion that the child's moth

ed. It gives me a free minute to tur

s children, and they know it and love her back again. She is very gentl

whole truth of the matter. You've

If I were not sure of that I should despair many and many a tim

nto her lap and looked up earn

think me! Why, I was as bad as Nan herself, to go over there and simply

She does not bear malice. She has a vast amount of

h-such constant care and responsibility. It is Nan's salvat

hen nodded her head decidedly. "I

st control of myself entirely, and felt that, come what might, the girl must be attended to. There's no doubt of it, your Nan is improved, and if this neighborhood is not made mis

politely at

on cordially, and the governess loo

ome right up," explai

he'll be awake soon now, I'm sure.

be in t

y, it will be very pleasant to have you here to take a cup of tea with Miss Bla

oom," said Nan to Miss Blake

dn't you knock? What was

wasn't anything I wanted you to do, only-it s

own room for the rest of the afternoon. How

and flung it on the lounge. Then she wrenched off her hat (

d straightened the unti

nce pie-lets for di

f her!" said

Nan. "She said

erness

ment later and after her

Miss Blake and Mrs. Newton sipped their tea and talke

herself useful. And somehow she managed to make people depend on her in spite of themselves. And yet she never made a fuss or exaggerated the things she did. She was always doing "little things "-little things that didn't make any show, and yet they were so kind they "sort of made you li

use," Mrs. Newton was saying. "It is a vast impr

She wondered what this

work?" Miss

e did it well. I haven't a fault to fin

an one knows nothing about," resumed Miss Blake. "I'm glad to profit by your

ence it's a great satisfaction. It's the best school I know of.

hool you know of?"

," replied

O

put in Mrs. Newton. "But we might make it a good deal easier for ourse

Nan asked, half in fun

erself. "Graduated! Well, I should think so! Why, she has carri

of the sort, Nan. I've had

won't you?" cried Nan, eager

rness co

remember, if you care to hear," she answered, with a wistfu

e governess' knee quite as if that person were, in reality, her prop and s

when my mother died; too young to realize it, and my father scarcely outlived her a week. He died very suddenly. They used to tell me that he died from grief. Anyway, he

ay to die!" broke

xclamation of real ho

I think it must be worlds better than being sick, or hurt i

ontinued the governess. "They were good, conscientious people, but they had no children o

ve been a dot of a thing, with crinkly hair and dimples, and mites of hands and feet.

ham pinafore, and my hair was drawn tight behind my ears and braided into two tiny tails with red ribbons on the ends. I knew it was against the rule to play house in the hall, anywhere, in fact, but in my own little room-with the doors shut, but somehow I felt reckless that day, and when I heard Aunt Rebecca walking to and fro, just above my head, I didn't scamper off as I ordinari

she, 'what is it?

her voice didn't disma

precious doll. 'She's in her little chair in

rd went to my room and got Lilly from her 'little chair.' I was as complacent as if it had been quite the usual thing for Aunt Rebecca to fetch a

ey me to the letter. She 'pitched me Lilly.' I gave a dismal wail of dismay as I saw my dear baby come hurtling through the air, but when she landed on her blessed head, and I heard the crack of breaking china, I just abandone

ignantly. "What a detestable woman! As if s

t was a wholesome lesson, and I am grateful

sisted the girl rebelliously. "The idea of

en it. I have never asked any one to 'pitch me Lilly' since

t. "And did you have to stay in that hou

ent to boarding-school, and everything

ow

eir love. All that other hungry, empty time was over, and for many years I never knew what it was

Nan. "Dear me! I should think you would h

s from the glare of the fire, and for a second or two there was

bound. "It's as dark as a pocket outside, and Delia'

nd slipped it into her bag. "Yes, we must scamper," she

exclaimed Mrs. Newton, as the gir

I'm glad you like it!"

iked it. She busied herself with Miss Blake and her wra

"Good-night," and saw both h

e street to see which coul

ood in the vestibule and saw Miss Bl

d the governess as Delia let them in, cha

, going upstairs

step and the two went flying up in

urniture and casting off her coat and hat in her old headlong fashion, not stopping to think of all Miss Bl

nd a neat dress for dinner!"

t the mantelpiece for a match. She struck it and lit the

s the floor, and then Nan's voice exclaiming "Great Scot

ent but hurried instan

in her hand was her cherished hat-a ruined

Miss Blake, horri

ll about it, and it was ablaze in a minute. Don't say a word! I know you've told me hundreds of times not to p

tried to

aid, kindly, without a hint of reproach in her voice.

the floor. A sudden impulse seized her, and she st

from the start. And now I'm going to tell you something-two things! First: I'm never going to hang up my clothes on the gas

oked up, and

es to pat the girl approvingly on the head. "Good for

airly knew she had gone she was back again

, just to please myself-and now you'll wear it, won't you, dear? It's ve

s of tissue-paper, and displayed what e

; then she ducked down impulsively, and gave

ort of gulp, and then she ran out of the