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CAPS AND CAPERS

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[Illustration: _Frontispiece--Caps and Capers_. "NOW, GIRLS, COME ON! LET'S EAT OUR CREAM. " See p. 92. ]

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CAPS and CAPERSA Story of Boarding-School Life

byGABRIELLE E. JACKSON

Author of "Pretty Polly Perkins, ""Denise and Ned Toodles, " "By Love'sSweet Rule, " "The Colburn Prize, "etc. , etc. 

With illustrationsby C. M. Relyea

PHILADELPHIAHENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

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Copyright, 1901, by Henry Altemus

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Tothe dear girls of "Dwight School, "who, by their sweet friendship, have unconsciously helped to makethis winter one of the happiest she has ever known, this littlestory is most affectionately inscribed by the AUTHOR. 

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I. Which Shall It Be? 13 II. "A Touch Can Make or a Touch Can Mar" 21 III. "A Feeling of Sadness and Longing" 29 IV. New Experiences 41 V. Two Sides of a Question 53 VI. Dull and Prosy 63 VII. The P. U. L. 71 VIII. Caps and Capers 81 IX. A Modern Diogenes 89 X. "They Could Never Deceive Me" 97 XI. "La Somnambula" 107 XII. "Have You Not Been Deceived This Time?" 119 XIII. English as She is Spelled 127 XIV. "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells" 135 XV. "Pride Goeth Before a Fall" 143 XVI. Letters 153 XVII. "Haf Anybody Seen My Umbrel?" 161 XVIII. The Little Hinge 169 XIX. "Fatal or Fated are Moments" 179 XX. "Now Tread We a Measure. " 187 XXI. Conspirators 197 XXII. "We've Got 'em! We've Got 'em!" 205 XXIII. A Camera's Capers. 213 XXIV. Whispers 225 XXV. "What Are You Doing Up this Time of Night?" 233 XXVI. "Love (and Schoolgirls) Laugh at Locksmiths" 243 XXVII. Ariadne's Clue 253XXVIII. "When Buds And Blossoms Burst" 261 XXIX. Commencement 271 XXX. "O Fortunate, O Happy Day" 279

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ILLUSTRATIONS

 PAGE"Now, girls, come on! let's eat our cream. " Frontispiece"You could have popped me over from ambush. " 37"Do you wish to join the P. U. L. ?" 71"Go, tell Mrs. Stone she isn't up to snuff. " 109"Sthick to yer horses, Moik. " 141"Let us begin a brand new leaf to-day. " 165"I feel so sort of grown up and grand. " 181"An' have ye been in there all this time?" 207"Away went Marie, vanishing bit by bit. " 231"Her hand resting lightly on the arm of her friend. " 267

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CHAPTER I

WHICH SHALL IT BE?

"And now that I have them, how am I to decide? That is the question?"

The speaker was a fine-looking man about thirty-five years of age, seatedbefore a large writing-table in a handsomely appointed library. It waslittered with catalogues, pamphlets, letters and papers sent from dozensof schools, and from the quantity of them one would fancy that everyschool in the country was represented. This was the result of anadvertisement in the "Times" for a school in which young children arereceived, carefully trained, thoroughly taught, and which can furnishunquestionable references regarding its social standing and otherqualifications. 

It was a handsome, but seriously perplexed, face which bent over theletters, and more than once the shapely hand was raised to the puckeredforehead and the fingers thrust impatiently through the golden brown hair, setting it on end and causing its owner to look more distracted thanever. 

"Poor, wee lassie, you little realize what a problem you are to me. Wouldto God the one best qualified to solve it could have been spared to you, "and the handsome head fell forward upon the hands, as tears of bitteranguish flooded the brown eyes. 

Can anything be more pathetic than a strong man's tears? And ClaytonReeve's were wrung from an almost despairing heart. 

For ten years his life had been a dream of happiness. At twenty-five hehad married a beautiful, talented girl, who made his home as nearlyperfect as a home can be made, and when, three years later, a littledaughter, her mother's living image, came to live with them, he felt thathe had no more to ask for. Seven years slipped away, as only years ofperfect happiness can slip, and then came the end. The beautiful wife andmother went to sleep forever, leaving the dear husband and lovely littledaughter alone. For six months Mr. Reeve strove to fill the mother'splace, but until she was taken from him he had never realized howperfectly and completely his almost idolized wife had filled his home, conducting all so quietly and gracefully that even those nearest anddearest never suspected how much thought she had given to their comfortuntil her firm, yet gentle, rule was missed. 

Happily, Toinette was too young to fully appreciate her loss, and althoughshe grieved in her childish way for the sweet, smiling mother who had soloved her, it was a child's blessed evanescent grief, which could findconsolation in her pets and dollies, and--blessed boon--forget. 

But Clayton Reeve never forgot, not for one moment; and though the sixmonths had in a measure softened his grief, his sense of loss andloneliness increased each day, until at last he could no longer endure thesight of the home which they together had planned and beautified. 

Unfortunately, neither he nor his wife had near relatives. She had been anonly child whose parents had died shortly after her marriage, and suchdistant relatives as remained to him were far away in England, his nativeland. His greatest problem was the little daughter. Nursemaids andnursery-governesses were to be had by the score, but nursemaids andnursery-governesses were one thing with a mistress at the head of thehousehold and quite another without one, as, during the past six months, Mr. Reeve had learned to his sorrow, and the poor man had more than oncebeen driven to the verge of insanity by their want of thought, or evenworse. 

At last he determined to close his house, place Toinette in some "ideal"school, and travel for six months, or even longer, little dreaming thatthe six months would lengthen into as many years ere he again saw her. Thetrip begun for diversion was soon merged into one for business interests, as the prominent law firm of which he was a member had matters ofimportance to be looked after upon the other side of the water, and wereonly too glad to have so efficient a person to do it. 

So, before he realized it, half the globe divided him from thesunny-haired little daughter whom he had placed in the supposed idealschool, chosen after deliberate consideration from those he hadcorresponded with. 

But this anticipates a trifle. 

As he sits in the library of his big house, a house which seems so likesome beautiful instrument lacking the touch of the master hand to drawforth its sweetest and best, the sound of little dancing feet can be heardthrough the half-open door, and a sweet little voice calls out:

"Papa, Papa Clayton. Where is my precious Daddy?" and a golden-hairedchild running into the room throws herself into his arms, clasps her ownabout his neck and nestles her head upon his shoulder. 

He held her close as he asked:

"Well, little Heart's-Ease, what can the old Daddy do for you?"

The child raised her head, and, looking at him with her big brown eyes, eyes so like his own, said, reproachfully: "You are _not_ an old Daddy;Stanton (the butler) is old, you are just my own, own Papa Clayton, andmamma used to say that you _couldn't_ grow old 'cause she and I loved youso hard. "

Mr. Reeve quivered slightly at the child's words, and with a surprisedlook she asked:

"Are you cold, dear Daddy? It isn't cold here, is it?"

"No, not in the room, Heart's-Ease, but right here, " laying his hand uponhis heart. 

The child regarded him questioningly with her big, earnest eyes, andsaid:

"Did it grow cold because mamma went so sound asleep?"

"I'm afraid so; but now let us talk about something else: I've some newsfor you, but do not know how you will like it; sit still while I tell itto you, " and he began to unfold his plan regarding the school. 

CHAPTER II

"A TOUCH CAN MAKE OR A TOUCH CAN MAR"

The school was chosen and Toinette placed therein. What momentous resultsoften follow a simple act. When Clayton Reeve placed his little girl withthe Misses Carter, intending to leave her there a few months, and seek thechange of scene so essential to his health, he did not realize that herwhole future would be more or less influenced by the period she wasdestined to spend there. No brighter, sunnier, happier disposition couldhave been met with than Toinette's when she entered the school; none morerestless, distrustful and dissatisfied than her's when she left it, nearlysix years later. 

If we are held accountable for sins of omission, as well as sins ofcommission, certainly the Misses Carter had a long account to meet. 

Like many others who had chosen that vocation, they were utterly incapableof filling it either to their own credit or the advantage of those theytaught. While perfectly capable of imparting the knowledge they hadobtained from books, and of making any number of rules to be followed asthose of the "Medes and Persians, " they did not, in the very remotestdegree, possess the insight into character, the sympathy with their pupilsso essential in true teachers. 

It is not alone to learn that which is contained between the covers of abook that our girls are sent to school or college, but also to gather inthe thousand and one things untaught by either books or words. These mustbe absorbed as the flowers absorb the sunshine and dew, growing lovelier, sweeter and more attractive each day and never suspecting it. 

And so the shaping of Toinette's character, so beautifully begun by thewise, gentle mother, passed into other and less sensitive hands. It waslike a delicate bit of pottery, the pride of the potter's heart, uponwhich he had spent uncountable hours, and was fashioning so skilfully, almost fearing to touch it lest he mar instead of add to its beauty;dreading to let others approach lest, lacking his own nice conceptions, they bring about a result he had so earnestly sought to avoid, and thevase lose its perfect symmetry. But, alas! called from his work never toreturn, it is completed by less skilful hands, a less delicate conception, and, while the result is pleasing, the perfect harmony of proportion iswanting, and those who see it feel conscious of its incompleteness, yetscarcely know why. 

We will skip over those six miserable years, so fraught with small trials, jealousies, deceptions and an ever-increasing distrust, to a certainSaturday morning in December. 

The early winter had been an exceptionally trying one, and Toinette, nownearly fourteen years old, had seen and learned many things which can onlybe taught by experience. She had seen that in some people's eyes thepossession of money can atone for many shortcomings in character, and thatcertain lines of conduct may be condoned in a girl who has means, whilethey are condemned in a girl who has not; that she herself had manyliberties and many favors shown her which were denied some of hercompanions, although those companions were quite as well born and bred asherself, and with all the latent nobility of her character did she scornnot only the favors but those who showed them, and often said to herroommate, Cicely Powell: "If _I_ chose to steal the very Bible out ofchapel, Miss Carter would only say, 'Naughty Toinette, ' in that smirkingway of hers, and then never do a single thing; but if Barbara Ellswortheven looks sideways she simply annihilates her. I _hate_ it, for it isonly because Barbara is poor and I'm--well, Miss Carter likes to have theincome I yield; I'm a profitable bit of 'stock, ' and must be well caredfor, " and a burning flush rose to the girl's sensitive cheeks. 

It was a bitter speech for one so young, and argued an all too intimateacquaintance with those who did not bear the mark patent of"gentlewoman. "

The six years had wrought many changes in the little child, both in mindand body, for, even though one had been cramped, and lacked a healthfuldevelopment, the other had blossomed into a very beautiful young girl, whowould have gladdened any parent's heart. She was neither tall nor short, but beautifully proportioned. Her head, with its wealth of sunny, wavyhair, was carried in the same stately manner which had always been somarked a characteristic in her father, and gave to her a rather dignifiedand reserved air for her years. The big brown eyes looked you squarely inthe face, although latterly they had a slightly distrustful expression. Hurry home, Clayton Reeve, before it becomes habitual. The nose wasstraight and sensitive, and the mouth the saving grace of the face, fornothing could alter its soft, beautiful curves, and the lips continued tosmile as they had done in early childhood, when there was cause for smilesonly. The mother's finger seemed to rest there, all invisible to others, and curve the corners upward, as though in apology for the hardenedexpression gradually creeping over the rest of the face. 

It is difficult to understand how a parent can leave a child wholly to thecare of strangers for so long a period as Mr. Reeve left Toinette, but onething after another led him further and further from home, first toSouthern Europe, then across the Mediterranean into wilder, newer scenes, where nations were striving mightily. Then, just as he began to think thatere long his own land would welcome him, news reached him of trouble in aland still nearer the rising sun, and his firm needed their interests inthat far land carefully guarded. So thither he journeyed. But at last allwas adjusted, and, with a heart beating high with hope, he started for hisown dear land and dearer daughter. 

It must be confessed that he had many conflicting emotions as the greatship plowed its way across the broad Pacific, and ample time in which toindulge them. Many were the mental pictures he drew of the girl thereawaiting him, and would have felt no little surprise, as well asindignation, could he have known that she was left in ignorance of thedate of his arrival. But Miss Carter had reasons of her own for concealingit, and had merely told Toinette that her father was contemplating areturn to the States during the coming year. It seemed rather a coldmessage to the girl whose _all_ he was, for she had written to himrepeatedly, and poured out in her letters all the suppressed warmth of hernature, yet never had his replies touched upon the subject of herloneliness and intense desire to see him, but had always assured her thathe was delighted to know that she was happy and fond of her teachers. AndToinette had not _quite_ reached the age of wisdom which caused her tosuspect _why_ he gave so little heed to such information, although itwould not have required a much longer residence at the Misses Carter's toenlighten her. Happily, before the revelation was made she was beyondfurther chicanery. 

CHAPTER III

"A FEELING OF SADNESS AND LONGING"

The half year was nearly ended, and most of the girls were looking eagerlyforward to the Christmas vacation, which would release them from acordially detested surveillance. But Toinette had no release to lookforward to; vacation or term time were much the same to her. She had spentsome of her holidays with her schoolmates, but the greater part of themhad been passed in the school, and dull enough they were, too. 

The past week had been a particularly stormy one, and the outcome hadreflected anything but credit upon the school. Consequently, the girlswere out of sorts and miserable, and the world looked decidedly blue, withonly a faint rosy tint far down in the horizon, where vacation peeped. 

As in most schools, Saturday was a holiday. The day was wonderfully softand mild for December, and shortly after breakfast Toinette threw hergolf-cape about her shoulders and stepped out upon the piazza to see ifthe fresh air would blow away the mental vapors hovering about her, forshe felt not unlike a ship at sea without a compass. Poor little lassie, although what might be called a rich girl, in one respect she was a verypoor one indeed, for she had scarcely known the influence of a happy home, or the tender mother love which we all need, whether we be big daughtersor little ones. True, she had never known what it meant to want thosethings which girls often wish to have, but which limited means placebeyond their reach. But often amidst the luxuries of her surroundings, forher father provided most liberally for her, she would be seized with arestless longing for something, she hardly knew what, which made her feelout of sorts with herself and everybody else. 

"What ails you, this morning?" asked her chum, Cicely Powell, joining herupon the piazza. "You look as solemn as an oyster, and I should thinkyou'd feel jolly because it's Saturday, and that horrid Grace Thatcherwon't be here to poke her inquisitive nose into all our plans, " referringto the prime mischief-maker of the school, already departed for hervacation, with the admonition to think twice before returning. 

"I don't know _what's_ the matter with me: I wish I did. Somehow, I don'tfeel satisfied with myself or anyone else, and I half believe I _hate_everybody, " was Toinette's petulant reply. 

"Well, I like that, I declare!" was the sharp retort. "Perhaps you include_me_ among those you hate, and if that is the case, Toinette Reeve, youmay just do as you like; I don't care a straw. "

Ordinarily Toinette's reply would have been as sharp as Cicely's, but thistime she just looked at her with her big eyes--eyes suspiciously bright, as though tears lay not far back of them--and walked away, leaving Cicelyto wonder what had come over her. 

"Well, I never!" was her rather vague comment. "I don't see what has comeover Toinette since that last flareup. Mercy knows, we've had so many thatwe all ought to be used to them by this time. She has acted as though shewere sorry that that horrid Grace was sent off earlier than the others, and I'm sure she has as much reason to be glad of it as any of us have. She did nothing but tell tales about all of us, and peep and spy upon hermore than anyone else. Miss Carter would never have found out about halfthe things she did if it hadn't been for Grace, and we could have had noend of fun, " and after this rather prolonged monologue Cicely went to jointhe other girls. 

Meanwhile Toinette had drawn the hood of her cape over her head andstrolled down to the lower end of the garden, where a rustic summer-housenot far from the gate afforded a quiet little nook in which to indulgeone's fancies, whether pleasant or painful. Curling herself up in onecorner, she rested her cheek upon her arm, which she had thrown over therailing, and looked down the road toward the railway station. 

Although a very beautiful one, it was a sad, wistful young face whichturned toward the sunshine and shadows dancing upon the road. Poor littleToinette, now is the moment in which the mother-love you are unconsciouslylonging for would make the world anew for you. If, as you sit there, agentle form and face could creep up quietly, slip an arm about your waistas she takes her seat beside you, and ask in the tender tone that onlymothers use: "Well, Sweetheart, what is troubling you? Tell mother allabout it, and let us see if there is not a sunny lining to the dark cloudthat is casting its unpleasant shadow over this cozy nook. "

Where is the daughter who could resist it? It would not be many minutesbefore the head would find a happy resting-place upon the shoulder besideit, and all the little trials and troubles--trials so very real and veryappalling to young hearts--would be put into words, and lose half theirbitterness in the telling just because love--that mighty magician--hadcome to help bear them. 

A great man once said: "O opportunity, thy guilt is great!" and I haveoften wondered why he did not add, "or thou art very precious. " So muchdepends upon an auspicious moment. A big door can swing upon a very smallhinge. 

As Toinette looked down the road with unseeing eyes, the whistle of anincoming train, brought her back to a realization of things around her. The station was barely half a mile away, and ere ten minutes had passed aman appeared in the distance. Evidently the owner of that athletic figureknew where he was bound, and was going to _get_ there as quickly as hisfirm, long strides could carry him. He was a large man, sun-burned to thepoint of duskiness, bearded and moustached as though barbers were unknownin the land from which he hailed. Dressed in servicable tweedknickerbockers and Norfolk jacket, his Alpine hat placed upon his head to_stay put_, his grip slung by a strap across his broad shoulders, he camestriding over the ground as though intent upon very important business. Toinette watched his approach in a listless sort of way, but as he drewnearer and nearer seemed to recognize something familiar. 

"Who can he be, and where have I seen him, I wonder?" she said, halfaloud, as she peered at him from behind the lattice-work of thesummer-house. 

On he came, quite unconscious of the big eyes regarding him so intently, and presently stopped to look about him, as though trying to recall oldlandmarks. He now stood almost opposite Toinette, when, chancing to glancetoward the house, he became aware of her presence. 

"Why, little lady, you could have popped me over from ambush if you hadhad a gun, for I walked straight upon you and never suspected that youwere there. Can you direct me to the Misses Carter's school? Thestation-master said it was about ten minutes' walk, but it is so manyyears since I have been here that I find I've forgotten the lay of theland, and I don't want to waste much time, for I've a very precioussomebody there whom I'm very anxious to see. Last time I saw her she wasonly about knee-high to a grasshopper, but I suspect I shall find a younglady now, and have to be introduced to her. "

At the sound of his voice Toinette arose to her feet, her color coming andgoing, and her heart beating so loudly that she was sure he could hear it. As he finished speaking he regarded with very genuine surprise the younggirl who, with parted lips and outstretched hands, was walking toward himlike one who doubted the evidence of her own senses, and with a cry of, "Papa! oh, papa! don't you know me?" she was gathered into the strong armswhose owner had travelled half around the globe in order to win that oneprecious moment. 

[Illustration: "YOU COULD HAVE POPPED ME OVER FROM AMBUSH. "]

CHAPTER IV

NEW EXPERIENCES

It did not take Clayton Reeve very long to gain a pretty clear idea of thecondition of things at the Misses Carter's school, or to realize whatinfluences had been brought to bear upon his only daughter. To say that hewas keenly disappointed but mildly expresses it, and he reproached himselfbitterly for having left her so long to the care of strangers. He remainedwith Toinette until the school closed for the holidays, and the time wasthe happiest she had ever known. Nor was it for her alone, for the othergirls came in for their full share. He was a very liberal man, and it gavehim genuine pleasure to make others happy. 

The Misses Carter lost no opportunity of putting their establishment in afavorable light, for they had a strong suspicion that they were in a fairway to lose something of much more tangible value to themselves: a veryhandsome income. But Mr. Reeve easily saw through their little foibles, and was not deceived by the pretty veneer into believing that all wasstrong and firm beneath. 

He had traveled about the world too much during the past six years not tohave learned something of human nature, and to read it pretty correctly. Furthermore, his feeling of self-reproach made him keenly alive to everychange upon Toinette's speaking countenance, and when he saw the look ofquestioning surprise which came over it when one or the other of theMisses Carter made some playful overture at petting her, or one of theother girls, he drew his own deductions. 

When vacation arrived he settled his bill for the year, bade them acourteous farewell, and, with Toinette, "scraped the dust from his feetand left the mansion. " Then came a two-weeks' holiday such as she hadnever even dreamed of. Mr. Reeve took rooms in one of New York's finesthotels, and gave himself up to the pleasure of renewing his acquaintancewith his daughter. That holiday was never forgotten by either of them, butfor very different reasons. 

"By Jove, " he said to himself more than once, "I've let a good bit ofprecious time, and many happy hours, slip away, if I'm not mistaken, and Idon't know whether I shall ever catch up. "

During their stay in the city Mr. Reeve went in quest of his old collegechum, Sydney Powell, Cicely's father, and had an interview with him thatwas brief, but very much to the point. 

"Go ahead, Clint, old chap, and find what is needed for the little girls, if you can. Cicely will never go back to the Carter school, and I shouldbe glad to have the girls keep together. They seem fond of each other. Howwould you like to run out to Montcliff to look up that school? I've hadfine reports of it from Fred Hubbard, whose daughter is a pupil there?"

And so it came to pass that directly after vacation the two girls wereescorted to Sunny Bank, as the school was called, and, after a verysatisfactory talk with its sensible principal, Mr. Reeve left them to hercare, feeling sure that this time he had not made any mistake. 

Toinette and Cicely had adjoining rooms, and nothing could have beendaintier than the room appointments. From their windows they could lookout over a wide sweep of the western valley, where the sun was justsinking behind the hills, and leaving upon the sky a glorious promise ofthe day to follow. 

They were still busy arranging their pretty trifles about the rooms whenthe soft chime of the Chinese gong in the wide hall below announceddinner. Thus far they had not seen any of the other girls, but as theystepped from their rooms they were met by Miss Preston, who said, as sheslipped an arm about each waist:

"I do not forget how lonely _I_ felt when I first entered a strangeschool, so let me try to make it easier for my new girls by introducingsome of my old ones; _real_ old, " she added, laughingly, as she called totwo girls who were curled up on one corner of the big divan at the lowerend of the hall. 

"Come here, chicks, and let me make you acquainted with Miss Reeve andMiss Powell. These are Miss Gordon and Miss Osgood, my dears, but as weare all sort of 'sisters, cousins and aunts' in this big home, I'll justhint right off that their home names are Ruth and Edith, who will be gladto welcome my Toinette and Cicely. "

By this time they had reached the cheerful dining-room, and with a verysignificant exchange of glances Toinette and Cicely took their seats, thelatter whispering under cover of the bustle caused by the entrance of theother pupils: "My goodness, if Miss Carter had ever spoken like that tous, we should have fallen flat, shouldn't we?"

Ruth sat upon one side, and Edith upon the other, and it did not take thenew girls long to discover that the dinner hour must be one of thepleasantest of the day, for all talked and chatted in the liveliestmanner, discussing various happenings, and again and again appealing toMiss Preston, who was not one whit behind in the spirit of good-fellowshipwhich prevailed. 

There were six tables, each accommodating ten people, and a teacher sat atthe head of each. In every instance a teacher who was wise enough not toobserve _too_ much, but who in reality saw everything, although she couldlaugh and joke with the girls, put them at their ease, and at the sametime set them so perfect an example that few girls would have cared tofail in following it. Far from exercising a restraining influence, theyproved the jolliest of companions, as the repeated appeals to theiropinions, or the requests for some anecdote or amusing story, evidentlyold favorites, amply testified. 

When the pleasant dinner was ended the girls gathered in the big hall, where Toinette and Cicely were introduced to many of the others. 

"What have we to do now?" asked Toinette, whose sharp eyes had beenobserving everything worth observing, and whose active mind had receivedmore impressions within the past hour than it had been called upon toreceive in a year. It is needless to add that she was quick enough toprofit by them, and to appreciate that in _this_ school were taught moresurprising things than chemistry or science. 

"Do?" asked Ruth. 

"Yes; isn't there some RULE to be observed after dinner?" and a ratherironical tone came into Toinette's voice. 

"Yes; come along, and Edith and I'll show you the rule, as you call it, "answered Ruth, as she caught up the big basket-ball lying upon one of thechairs in the hall, flew through the door with it, across the piazza andinto the gymnasium beyond. 

After an instant's hesitation the two girls followed, joining her andEdith, who had run Ruth a lively race. 

"You don't mean to say that the teachers let you run and romp like this, do you?" demanded Cicely. 

"Let us!" cried Edith in surprise. "Why shouldn't they? We aren't doingany harm, are we?"

"No, I don't suppose there is any harm, but if we had done such a thing atMiss Carter's, what do you think would have happened, Toinette?"

Toinette pursed her mouth into the primmest pucker, rolled her eyes in ahorrified way, clasped her hands before her, and said, in a tragic tone:"Young _ladies!_ Such conduct is most _unseemly_, " in such perfect mimicryof Miss Carter that Ruth and Edith shouted. 

"Well, all I can say is, that I'm thankful _we_ were not sent to thatschool; aren't you, Ruth?" said Edith. 

"Better believe I am, " was the feeling reply. "I get skittish even in thisblessed place sometimes, but if I had been sent there I'd have been justlike one of those little red imps that Miss Preston has standing on herwriting table. "

"Yes, you'd have felt all rubbed the wrong way, just as Cicely and I feel, and just hate the sight of a teacher, and want to do everything you couldto plague them, " said Toinette, petulantly. 

"Well, you won't want to do that _here_" answered Edith, emphatically. "Ifyou cut any such capers in _this_ school, it won't be the _teachers_ whowill go for you, but the _girls_, " with a significant wag of her head. 

"The girls?" asked Cicely, with a puzzled expression. 

"Certain. We think our school about the best going, and we aren't going tolet anyone else think differently, if we can help it; are we, Ruth? So, ifa girl takes it into her head to be rude and cranky to the teachers, orother girls, she finds herself in a corner pretty quick, I can tell you. "

"Suppose you break the rules?" asked Toinette. 

"Aren't any to break, " answered happy-go-lucky Ruth, as she pranced downthe big room after the ball, which had gone bouncing off. 

"No _rules!_" incredulously. 

"Not a single one. All you've got to do is to be nice to everybody, remember you're a gentlewoman (or you wouldn't be here, let me tell you), and do your jolly best to pass your examinations. If you don't it is yourown fault, and you have to suffer for it; no one else, that's sure; foryou can have all the help you ask for. "

Toinette and Cicely exchanged glances. 

"Oh, I daresay you don't believe us, " said Edith, who had correctlyinterpreted the glances, "but just you wait and see. All the new girlsthink the same, and I daresay that we should have, too, if we had comehere from some other school; but, thank goodness, we didn't. There aren'tany more schools like this, are there, Ruth?"

"Nary one; there's only one, and we've got it, " cried the irrepressibleRuth, and two weeks later the girls found that, truly, no rules could bebroken where none existed. 

CHAPTER V

TWO SIDES OF A QUESTION

It could hardly be expected that, after her training of the past six and ahalf years, Toinette would at once respond to the wiser, more elevatinginfluences now surrounding her. The old impulses would return, and adesire to conceal where no concealment was necessary often placed her in afalse light. She distrusted those in authority simply because they were inauthority, rather than that they ever made it apparent. It seemed to havebecome second nature with her, and bade fair to prove a work of almostinfinite patience and love upon the part of the teachers to undo themischief wrought in those miserable years. 

But, after making a toy of the poor child for all that time, fickle fateseemed about to make amends, and, although it was yet to be proven, Toinette was now launched upon a sunny sea, and destined to sail into ahappy harbor. 

She was sitting in her room one beautiful afternoon about a week after herarrival at the school, and, unconsciously doing profitable examples inrhetoric by drawing nice contrasts between her present surroundings andher former ones. Presently a tap came upon her door, and she called: "Comein. "

In bounced Ruth, crying: "Come on down to the village with us, will you?Edith and Cicely are waiting at the gate. "

"Which teacher is going with us?" asked Toinette, suspiciously. 

"Teacher?" echoed Ruth. "Why, none, of course. Why don't you ask if we aregoing in a baby-carriage?" and she laughed as she slipped her arm throughToinette's. 

"You don't mean to say that we will be allowed to go by ourselves?"

"Toinette Reeve, I think you've got the queerest ideas I ever heard of!Come on!"

In spite of Ruth's assurance, Toinette cast apprehensive glances abouther, as though she expected a frowning face to appear around some cornerand rebuke them. Instead, however, they came upon Miss Howard just at theend of the corridor, who asked in a cheery voice:

"Where away so briskly, my lady birds?"

"Only to the village; good-bye, " answered Ruth, waving her hand infarewell. 

"Pleasant journey. You will probably run across Miss Preston down theresomewhere, and can act as bodyguard for her. "

The girls walked briskly on, and presently Cicely asked:

"What are you going for, anyway?"

"Some good things, to be sure. I'm just perishing for somecream-peppermints, and my week's pocket-money is scorching holes in mypocket as fast as ever it can. "

"Do you think Miss Preston would scold if I got something, too?" askedToinette. 

"What would she scold about? You didn't _steal_ the money you're going tobuy it with, did you? And your stomach's your own, isn't it? Besides, whenyou've been here a while longer you'll learn that Miss Preston _doesn't_scold. If she thinks a thing isn't good for you to do, she just asks younot to do it, and she takes it for granted that you've got sense enough tounderstand why. "

"Oh, I guess you're all _saints_ in this school, " replied Toinette, sarcastically. 

"Well, as near as _I_ can make out, you had a pretty good supply ofsinners where you came from, " was the prompt retort. 

When Ruth's pocket was saved from destruction the girls started homeward. They had not gone far when three of the boys from the large school at theupper end of the town were seen coming toward them. 

"Oh, jolly, " cried Edith, "there are Ned, Allan and Gilbert! Now we'llhave fun; they're awfully nice. Allan has the dearest pony and trap youever saw, and is just as generous as can be with it. "

The boys were now beside them, and, raising their caps politely, joinedthe party and were introduced to the new girls. This was a completerevelation to Cicely and Toinette, for at Miss Carter's school boys hadbeen regarded as a species of wild animal, to be shunned as though theycarried destruction to all whom they might overtake. 

But here were Ruth and Edith walking along with three of those monsters inmanly form, and, still worse, talking to them in the frankest, merriestmanner, as though there were no such thing on earth as schools andteachers. Toinette and Cicely dropped a little behind, and soon found anopportunity to draw Edith with them. 

"Don't forget that Miss Howard said that Miss Preston was down in thevillage. I'll bet a cookie there'll be a fine rumpus if she catches usgallivanting with all these boys, " whispered Toinette. 

A funny smile quivered about the corners of Edith's mouth, but before shecould answer Miss Preston herself stood before them. She had suddenlyturned in from a side street. As though detected in some seriousmisdemeanor, Toinette and Cicely hung back, and Edith remained besidethem. 

With such a smile as only Miss Preston could summon, she bowed to thegroup, and said:

"How do you do, little people? Are you going to let me add one more to theparty? I'm not very big, you know, and I like a bodyguard. Besides, Ihaven't seen the boys in a 'blue moon, ' and I think it high time I tookthem to task, for they haven't been to call upon us in an age. Give anaccount of yourselves, young sirs. Before very long there is going to be adance at a house I could mention, and you don't want to be forgotten bythe hostess, do you?"

Toinette and Cicely found it difficult to believe themselves awake. Touching Edith's elbow, they indicated by mysterious signs that theywished to ask something, and dropped still further behind. 

"What does it all mean, anyhow? She doesn't really mean to have the boysat the house, does she?"

Edith's eyes began to twinkle as though someone had dropped a littlediamond into each, and, without answering, she gave a funny laugh and tooka few quick steps forward. Slipping an arm about Miss Preston's waist, shesaid: "Miss Preston?"

"Yes, dear, " turning a pleasant face toward the girl. 

"The girls are planning a candy frolic for next Friday night, and weregoing to ask your permission to-day, only they haven't had time yet. Maywe have it over in the kitchen of the cottage, and may the boys come, too?"

A merry smile had overspread Miss Preston's face, and when Edith finishedspeaking, she said:

"Young gentlemen, I hope you didn't hear the last remark made by myfriend, Miss Osgood; at all events, you're not supposed to have done so;it would be embarrassing for us all. But, since you did not, I'll say toher: Yes, you may have your candy frolic, and that is for her ears alone. Now to you: The girls are to have a candy frolic Friday evening, and wouldbe delighted to have your company. "

It had all been said in Miss Preston's irresistibly funny way, and wasgreeted with shouts of laughter. Toinette and Cicely had learned somethingnew. All now crowded about her urging her to accept some of their goodies, and, joining heartily in the spirit of good-comradeship, she took asweetie from first one box and then another. Possibly another person, witha stricter regard for Mrs. Grundy's extremely refined sensibilities, mighthave hesitated to walk along the highways surrounded by half a dozen boysand girls, all chattering as hard as their tongues could wag, and munchingcream-peppermints; but Miss Preston's motto was "Vis in ute, " and, withthe fine instinct so often wanting in those who have young characters toform, she looked upon the question from their side, feeling sure thatsooner or later would arise questions which she would wish them to regardfrom hers; and therein lay the key-note of her success. 

She would no more have thought of raising the barrier of teacher and pupilbetween herself and her girls than she would have thought of deprivingthem of something necessary to their physical welfare. The girls were herfriends and she theirs--their best and truest, to whom they might comewith their joys or their sorrows, sure of her sympathy with either, and, rather than cast a shadow upon their confidence, she would have toiled upthe hill with the whole school swarming about her, and an express-wagon ofsweets following close behind. That was the secret of her wonderful powerover them. They never realized the disparity between their own ages andhers, because she had never forgotten when life was young. 

CHAPTER VI

DULL AND PROSY

It is to be hoped that those who read this story will not run off with theidea that I am trying to set Miss Preston's school up as a model in everysense of the word, for I am not. I am simply trying to tell a story ofboarding-school life as it really was "once upon a time. " And I think thatI ought to be able to tell it pretty correctly, having seen with my owneyes and heard with my own ears many of the pranks related. The methodsfollowed and the results obtained may be believed or not; that rests withthe individual reading. Long ago, in my own childhood days, our "oldVirginy" cook used to say to me: "La, chile, dey's a heap sight mo' fliesketched wid 'lasses dan vingegar, " and I have come to the conclusion thatshe had truth on her side. 

The girls were by no means saints. Saints, after all, are rather etherealcreatures, and Miss Preston's girls were real flesh and blood lassies, brimful of life and fun, and, like most lassies, ready for a good time. 

As Ruth had said, there were no rules; that is, the girls were never toldthat they must _not_ do this, or that they _must_ do the other thing. Aspirit of courtesy dominated everything, and a subtle influence pervadedthe entire school, bringing about desired results without words. The girlsunderstood that all possible liberty would be granted them, and that theiroutgoings and incomings would be exactly such as would be allowed them intheir own homes, and if some were inclined to abuse that liberty they soonlearned where license began. 

No school turned out better equipped girls, and none held a higherstandard in college examinations. A Sunny Bank diploma was a surepassport. When the girls worked they worked hard, and when playtime cameit was enjoyed to the full. Naturally, with so many dispositionssurrounding her, Miss Preston often in secret floundered in a "slough ofdespond, " for that which could influence one girl for her good might provea complete failure when brought to bear upon another. Never was the oldadage, "What is one man's meat is another man's poison, " more trulyillustrated. 

But Miss Preston had a stanch friend, and trusted Him implicitly. Often, when perplexed and troubled, a half-hour's quiet talk with Him close shutbehind her own door would give her wisdom and strength for the bafflingquestion, and when she again appeared among them the girls wondered at herserene expression and winning smile, for in that half-hour's seclusion shehad managed to remove all trace of the soil from the "slough, " and, refreshed and strengthened by an unfailing help, could resume her"Pilgrimage. "

She often said, in her quaint way: "The hardest work I have to do is toundo, " and that was very true. Many times the home influence was of theworst possible sort for a young girl, or else there was just none at all. Such girls were difficult subjects. Many had come from other schools, asin Toinette's case, where distrust seemed to be the key-note of theestablishment, and then came Miss Preston's severest trials. Theconfidence of such girls must be won ere a step could be taken in theright direction. It was a rare exception when Miss Preston failed to winit. 

"You feel such a nasty little bit of a crawling thing when you've done amean thing to Miss Preston, " a girl once said. "If she'd only give you afirst-class blowing up--for that's just what you know you deserve all thetime--you could stand it, but she never does. She just puts her arm aroundyou and looks straight through you with those soft gray eyes of hers, andnever says one word. Then you begin to shrivel up, and you keep right onshriveling till you feel like Alice in Wonderland. You can't say boo, because _she_ hasn't, and when she gives you a soft little kiss on yourforehead, and whispers so gently: Don't try to talk about it now, dear;just go and lock yourself in your room and have a quiet think, and I'msure the kink will straighten out. I could lie flat on the floor and lether dance a hornpipe on me if she wanted to. "

It was not to be expected that all the other teachers would display suchremarkable tact as their principal, but her example went a long way. Moreover, she was very careful in the choice of those in whose care hergirls were to be given, and often said: "Neither schools nor colleges maketeachers: it is God first, and mothers afterward. " And she was not farwrong, for God must put love into the human heart, and mothers must shapethe character. When I see a child playing with her dollies, I can form apretty shrewd guess of the manner of woman that child's mother is. 

Frolics and pranks of all sorts were by no means unknown in the school, and often they were funny enough, but what Miss Preston did not know aboutthose frolics was not worth knowing. Her instructions to her teacherswere: "Don't see _too much_. Unless there is danger of flood or fire, appendicitis or pneumonia, be blind. "

Many of the girls had their own ponies and carriages, and drove about thebeautiful suburbs of Montcliff. If the boys chose to hop up behind a trapand drive along, too, where was the harm? The very fact that it need notbe concealed made it a matter of course. Friday evenings were always onesof exceptional liberty. Callers of both sexes came, and the girls danced, had candy pulls, or any sort of impromptu fun. Once a year, usually inFebruary, a dance was given, which was, of course, _the_ event of theseason. 

During the week the girls kept early hours, and at nine-thirty the housewas, as a rule, en route for the "Land o' Nod, " but exceptions came toprove the rule, and nothing was more liable to cause one than the arrivalof a box from home. Upon such occasions the "fire, flood, appendicitis andpneumonia" hint held good. 

CHAPTER VII

THE P. U. L. 

"What upon earth are you doing!" exclaimed Toinette, as she opened Ruth'sdoor, in response to the "come in" which followed her knock, and stoodtransfixed upon the threshold at the spectacle she beheld. 

"Cleaning house, to be sure. Didn't you ever do it?"

"Well, not exactly that way, " was Toinette's reply. 

Ruth threw back her head and gave a merry peal of laughter. 

"It _is_ rather a novel way, I will admit, but, you see, I hate to dothings just exactly as everybody else does, so I sailed right in, headover ears. To tell the truth, now I'm in, I wish it wasn't _quite_ sodeep, " and Ruth cast a look strongly savoring of despair at theconglomeration surrounding her. 

She was seated in the middle of the floor, and almost buried beneath thecontents of every drawer and closet in the room. Not only her own, butEdith's belongings, too, had been dumped in a promiscuous heap on thefloor, and such a sea of underclothing, stockings, shoes, dresses, waists, jackets, coats, hats, gloves, collars, ties, ribbons, veils, dressing-sacques, golf-capes and belts, to say nothing of the contents ofboth their jewel boxes, no pen can describe. 

Not content with the contents, the drawers, too, had been dragged out tobe dusted, and were standing on end all about her, a veritable rampart ofdefence. 

"I shouldn't think you would know where to begin, " said Toinette. 

"I don't, and I think I'll leave the whole mess for Helma to tidy up inthe morning, " and up jumped Ruth, to give the last stroke to the disorderby overturning the tray of pins and hairpins which she had been sortingwhen Toinette entered. 

"There, now you have done it!" exclaimed Edith, "and I can tell you onething, you may just as well make up your mind to put my things back whereyou got them, 'cause I'm not going to, " and she wagged her headpositively. 

"Oh, dear me, this is what comes of trying to be a P. U. L. , " said Ruth. 

"A P. U. L. ?" asked Toinette. "What in the world is that?"

"_That's_ what it is! I found it stuck up in my room when I got back fromrecitations to-day. I've been in such a tear of a hurry for the last fewmornings that my room hasn't been quite up to the mark, I suppose, butMiss Preston never said a word, and now here's this thing stuck here. "

Toinette took the sheet of paper which Ruth handed to her, and began toread:

 THE PICK-UP LEAGUE

 Do you wish to join the P. U. L. ? Then listen to this, but don't you tell, For it's a great secret, and will be--well-- We _hope_, as potent as "book and bell. "

 A P. U. L. Has a place for her hat, And keeps it there; O wonder of that! Her gloves are put away in their case; Her coat hung up with a charming grace. 

 School-books and papers are laid away, To be quickly found on the following day. Then, ere she starts, so blithe and gay, She tarries a moment just to say:

 "Wait, just a jiff, while I stop to put This blessed gown on its proper hook, And tuck this 'nightie' snugly from sight Under my pillow for to-night. 

 "And all these little, kinky hairs, Which, though so frail, can prove such snares, And furnish some one a chance to say: 'Your comb and brush were not cleaned to-day. '

 "Hair ribbons, trinkets, scraps and bits, Papers and pencils and torn snips, Left scattered about can prove _such_ pits! And _in_ we tumble, and just 'catch fits. '

 "And this is the reason we formed the league, And will keep its rules, you had better believe: To keep our rooms tidy, to keep things neat, So much that is 'bitter' may be turned 'sweet. '"

[Illustration: "DO YOU WISH TO JOIN THE P. U. L. ?"]

When she had finished reading, she sat down on the edge of the bed andlaughed till she cried. 

"Great, isn't it?" asked Ruth. "That's the way Miss Preston brings us upto schedule time. When I came home from the school-building this afternoonI thought I'd do wonders; and, " she added, ruefully, "I guess I've donethem. Good gracious, I'm so hungry from working so hard that I just can'tsee straight. Isn't there something eatable in the establishment?"

"If that much work reduces you to a state of starvation, what will you bewhen it's all done?" asked Edith. "There _were_ some crackers on theshelf, but land knows where they are now; you've dragged every blessedthing off of it. "

"There are your crackers, right under your nose, " said Ruth, triumphantly, as she pointed to a box of wafers half hidden under Edith's best hat. "There's some tea in that caddy, and you can heat some water in thekettle. What more do you want?"

Edith scratched a match and held it to the little alcohol lamp under thetea-kettle, but no flame resulted. 

"Every bit of alcohol is burned out. Have you any more?"

"Not a drop; used the last to get the pine-gum off my fingers after wecame back from the woods last Tuesday. Here, take the cologne, that willdo just as well, " and forthwith the cologne was poured into the lamp, which was soon burning away right merrily. The water was heated, the teamade, and four girls sat down in the midst of the topsy-turvy room to siptea and munch saltines. 

"I came in to ask, " said Toinette, "whether you girls have any secretsocieties in this school; have you?"

"Nary one, as I know of, " answered the irrepressible Ruth. "Wish we had. "

"Let's start one, " said Toinette. "We had two or three at Miss Carter's;they had to be secret or none at all, and it was no end of fun. Papa wroteme that he was going to send me a box of good things before long, and whenit comes let's meet that night and have a feast. He will no doubt sendenough for the entire school, he always does, and I want some of the girlsto have the benefit of it. "

"Don't believe you will have to urge them very hard, " said Edith, laughing. 

"Good!" cried Ruth. "Which girls shall we ask?"

Toinette named eight girls beside themselves, saying:

"That will make an even dozen to start with. More may come later, but thatis enough to begin; don't you think so?"

"Plenty. If we have too many there will be sure to be someone to let thecat out of the bag. Come on, Cicely, let's go hunt the others up, " and, leaving Toinette and Edith in the orderly (?) room, off they flew. 

CHAPTER VIII

CAPS AND CAPERS

The eight girls were quickly gathered in Ruth's and Edith's room andlistening eagerly to the scheme afoot. It need not be added that it wasunanimously carried, and it was only necessary to choose a name for thesociety. 

"Let's all wear masks and caps and cut all sorts of capers. It will bejust no end of fun, " cried Ethel Squire, a pretty, bright girl of fifteenwho was always ready for a frolic. 

"Splendid!" cried Toinette, "and Ethel has given me a fine idea for aname; let's call it the C. C. C. "

"C. C. C. ? What under the sun does that stand for?" asked Helen Burgess, aquiet, serene little body, and a general favorite with the other girls. 

"Guess, " said Toinette. 

"Cuffs and Collars Club, " said May Foster; "mine cause me more troublethan all the rest of my toilet, so they are never far from my thoughts. "

"Cake and Cackle Club, " said another. 

"Cheese and Cider; a delicious combination when you've acquired a tastefor them!" said Marie Taylor. 

"Clandestine Carnivori, " was the last guess, which raised a shout. 

"Good gracious! let me tell you quickly before you exhaust thedictionary, " laughed Toinette; "how will the Caps and Capers Club do?"

"Hurrah!" cried Ruth, "just the very thing. We'll all wear our bath-robesand white caps and masks. I've loads of white crepe paper, which will bethe very thing to make them of, so let's sit down and make them rightaway. Come on, girls, help clear up this mess, and then I'll find thepaper. I can give the finishing touches to the closets and bureau drawersto-morrow. "

All turned to with more ardor than skill, and in a very few moments theconglomeration upon the floor had vanished. How it fared with Ruth andEdith when it came time to dress has never been disclosed. However, theroom restored to outward order, twelve girls set to work to fashion capsand masks, and, as the last one was completed, the dressing-bell rang andall scattered to prepare for dinner. 

The evening hours at Sunny Bank were very pleasant ones, for during thewinter, while days were short and nights were long, there was not muchopportunity for outdoor diversion. Immediately after dinner Miss Howard, the literature teacher, would place her snug little rocking-chair beforethe cheerful open fire in the big hall, and the girls would gather abouther; some on chairs, some on hassocks, and some curled upon the large furrug in front of the blazing logs, while she read aloud for an hour. A finelibrary in Mont Cliff supplied books of every imaginable sort, and thegirls were allowed to take turns in selecting them; providing, of course, their selections were wise ones. But with Miss Howard as guide they couldnot go far astray, and many a delightful hour was passed before the fire. Just at present the books chosen were those relating to English history, and contained good, hard facts, but, when the girls grew a little tired ofsuch substantial diet, historical novels came handy for a relish. AsEngland was cutting a prominent figure in the world just then, the girlswere encouraged to keep in touch with the current events, and to talkfreely about them. The last book read, at least the one they were justconcluding, was one which brought into strong contrast the reigns ofEngland's two greatest queens, and the subject was discussed in a livelymanner. 

The book was finished shortly before the hour ended, and, laying it uponher lap, Miss Howard began to ask a few leading questions in order to getthe girls started. As always happens, there were some girls not wildlyenthusiastic over historical subjects, and such books did not hold theirattention as a modern novel filled with thrilling situations would havedone. But these were the very ones whom Miss Howard most wished to reach, and, feeling sure that her chances of doing so through such methods werefar greater than could be hoped for if she pinned them right down to hard, dry facts, she took infinite pains to make her readings as interesting asmuch research and a careful selection of books could make them. 

The conversation was in full swing, and Miss Howard, in high feather overthe very evident impression the book had made, was congratulating herselfupon her choice of that particular volume, when one girl asked:

"Miss Howard, what particular act of Elizabeth's reign do you think hadthe greatest influence upon later reigns?"

"That is rather a difficult question to answer, Natala. It was such abrilliant reign and so fraught with portentous results in the future thatit would be very difficult to say that this or that one act was greatestof all; although, unquestionably, the translation of the Bible was one ofthe greatest blessings to posterity. Who can tell me something of greatinterest which happened then?"

"I can!" cried Pauline Holden. 

"I'm more than delighted to hear it, " answered Miss Howard, for Paulinewas at once her joy and her despair. Affectionate and good-natured to thelast degree, she was never disturbed by anything, but I put it very mildlywhen I say that Pauline did not possess a brilliant mind. 

"Yes, " continued Pauline. "There are not many things in history that Icare two straws about, but I remembered that because the names made methink of a rhyme my old nurse used to say when she put me to bed. "

"Miss Howard's hopes received a slight shock, but she asked:

"Will you tell us what it is?"

"It was letting Matthew, Mark, Luke and John out, " triumphantly. 

"Letting whom out?" asked Miss Howard, wondering what upon earth was tofollow. 

"Yes, don't you remember they let them out during Elizabeth's reign?"

"Let them out of _where_?"

"Why, out of the Tower, to be sure, and it made such a difference in ahistory some man was writing just then, because they had had a lot to dowith it somehow--I don't remember just what it was. Maybe one of the othergirls can. "

By this time all the other girls were nearly dying of suppressed laughter, and when poor Pauline turned to them so seriously it proved the laststraw, and such a shout as greeted her fairly made the wall ring. It wastoo much for Miss Howard, and, with one last look of despair, she gave wayand laughed till she cried. 

When the laugh had subsided and they had recovered their breath, MissHoward endeavored to explain to the brilliant expounder of English historythat Queen Elizabeth had had more to do with keeping Matthew, Mark, Lukeand John out of the Bible than _in_ the Tower of London. 

CHAPTER IX

A MODERN DIOGENES

"Half-past nine. Sh! Yes, down in the old laundry. "

"Who's coming?"

"The whole club. No end of fun. "

This whispered conversation took place in the upper corridor. Many of thegirls had come from schools where frolics were looked upon as an almostheinous crime, and strict rules and surveillance had made their lives aburden to them. 

It was about ten o'clock when ghostly figures began to slip through thedark halls. Lights had been extinguished at nine-thirty and all was nowsilent. 

Miss Preston was in her room in a remote part of the house, and most ofthe other teachers had rooms in the adjoining building. The laundry inthis house was never used, and stout blinds shut out--and in--all light. 

Tap, tap, tap. 

"Who's there?" was whispered from within. 

"C. C. C. , open for me. "

The door opened, and in skipped a figure arrayed like the six alreadyassembled, in a warm dressing-gown and a high peaked paper cap, with whitetissue mask and spy-holes. 

All spoke in whispers, so it was almost impossible to recognize any one. But this only added to the fun and mystery. "Spread the feast, girls; theothers will soon be here. Let's see, how many are there? Seven! Why don'tthe other five hurry? I wonder which ones here aren't here?" one girllaughingly whispered. 

"They'll come, never fear, but their rooms are nearer 'headquarters, '"said another. 

"What luck! Miss Preston doesn't suspect a thing. I met her in the halljust before 'lights' bell, and she said as innocently as could be, 'Youlook as though you were quite ready for the "land o' dreams, " Elsie, butso long as you do not take a gallop on a "night mare" all will be well, 'and I could hardly help laughing when I thought how soon I might beequipped for one. "

"This fudge is my contribution, " said another. 

"Hold on, girls! I've a brilliant idea, " said Toinette. "Who's got a longhairpin? Good! that's fine. Now prepare for something delectable, " and, straightening out the pin, she stuck a marsh mallow on it and held thewhite lump of lusciousness over the one candle until it was toasted agolden if rather smoky brown. 

Tap, tap, tap. 

"It's the others. Quick! let them in, for it's half-past ten already. "

The signals were exchanged, and in walked not five but nine more figures. 

"Oh, girls, such luck! Just as I came out of my room I ran right into MaudHanscomb's arms, and she _wouldn't_ let me go till I'd told her what wasup and promised to let her and the other girls share our fun. She saidthey suspected something was up, and they were bound to share it. And sucha spread! Land knows how they got it! Just look. "

The tubs were now groaning under their burden of king apples, cookies, which bore a striking resemblance to those served at dinner; crackers, which had surely rested in the housekeeper's pantry, and, joy of joys, ahuge tub of ice cream, to say nothing of what the original five brought. 

"Now, girls, come on! Let's eat our cream and make sure of it in case ofaccidents, " said the stout red ghost, in red cap and mask, who presidedover the tub. "No time to get plates, so hand over anything you've got, and excuse the elegance of my spoon. It's cook's soup spoon, and may givethe cream an oniony flavor, but that will add to the novelty, " she said asshe served it. 

"Who is she, anyhow?" asked one girl, who sat eating cream from a soapdish. 

"Haven't the least idea. One of the old girls, I dare say, but who careswhen she can conjure up such delicacies?"

As midnight struck appetites and feast came to an end. 

"I vote, " whispered one girl, "that we all take off our masks and have agood look at each other, so we'll know who's who when we meet in public. "

"It's a go, " whispered several others, and off they all came. 

"Let's have more light, " said the donor of the cream, and reached up andtouched the electric button. 

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Don't! Miss Preston will catch us!" cried dismayed voices, but Miss Preston herself stood before them, a red mask in one hand and agreat spoon in the other. 

"This isn't the first spread I've attended, " she said, "and I hope itwon't be the last. I've had too good a time. I had an idea the old laundrywould prove an inviting place to-night, but I never attend a feast withoutmy tub and candle--or electric light in this twentieth century--for, likeanother mortal who had a fancy for tubs and a candle, I am in search ofhonest folk. 

"Your spread was a great success, girls. Only next time let me knowbeforehand. I may not be able to be present in person, but I can stillfurnish the tub and light, and it will be a comfort to me to know the menuin order to guard against future ills. Good-night. I'm ready for my bed, and I shouldn't wonder if you were, too, " and, with a flourish of her redcap and big spoon, Miss Preston slipped through the door. 

Some very wise ghosts sped away through the dark corridors, and whisperedconversations were held far into the "wee, sma' hours. "

The next day the story was all over the school, and met with variouscomments. One of Miss Preston's combined torments and blessings was theteacher of chemistry, a thoroughly conscientious woman, and exceptionallycapable, but a woman who took life very seriously. Miss Preston used tosay that Mrs. Stone must have been forty years old when she was born, andconsequently had missed all her child and girlhood. She was kind and justto the girls, but could not for the life of her understand why they _must_have fun, and that fun in secret was twice the fun that everybody knewabout. 

Well Miss Preston knew that Mrs. Stone would take advantage of herprivilege as an old friend, as well as one of the oldest teachers, andcome in her solemn way to discuss the latest escapade, pro and con, so shewas not in the least surprised when there came a light tap upon her doorthat afternoon, and Mrs. Stone entered. "'Save me from my friends, '"quoted Miss Preston, under her breath. 

CHAPTER X

"THEY COULD NEVER DECEIVE ME"

"Well, Mrs. Stone, what can I do for you, and why such a seriousexpression?"

"My dear Marion, " said Mrs. Stone, using Miss Preston's Christian name, asshe sometimes did when more than usually solicitous of her welfare, "I'vecome to have a little talk with you regarding what happened last night, and I'm sure you will not take it amiss from one who has known you sinceyour childhood. "

"Do I often take it amiss?" asked Miss Preston, with an odd smile. 

"Indeed, no; you are most considerate of my feelings, and I fullyappreciate it, considering our business relations. Of course, I have notthe slightest right to dictate to you, nor would I care to have you regardit in the light of dictation. It is only my extreme interest in yourwelfare that prompts me to speak at all. "

"And is my welfare in serious peril now?" asked Miss Preston, halflaughing as she recalled the previous evening's prank and her own verythorough enjoyment of the fun. 

"No, my dear, not in peril, but I fear that you will never grow to lookupon your position in the world with sufficient seriousness, for, I assureyou, your responsibility is enormous. "

"Would I could forget that mighty fact for one little fleeting moment, "thought Miss Preston, but, aloud, she asked:

"And do you think that I am not fully conscious of it, Mrs. Stone?"

"Oh, most conscious! most conscious! You could not be more conscientious, I am sure, but you sometimes let a misdemeanor, such as occurred lastnight, go unpunished, and it establishes an unfortunate precedent, Ifear. "

"Did you ever know me to punish any girl placed in my charge?" asked MissPreston, a slight flush creeping over her face. 

"Certainly not! Certainly not!" cried Mrs. Stone, hastily, for she hadtouched upon a point which she knew to be a very sensitive one with herprincipal, and wished to smooth matters down a trifle. "I do not meanpunishment in the generally accepted term, but do you think it wholly wiseto let the girls feel that they can do such things and, in a measure, findthem condoned?"

"Do you think that forbidding them would put an end to them?"

"Merely forbidding might not do so, but exacting some penalty for suchdisobedience would probably make them think twice before they disobeyedagain. "

"Did they disobey this time?" Miss Preston asked quietly. 

Mrs. Stone looked a trifle disconcerted as she answered:

"Possibly it was not direct disobedience, but it certainly savored ofdeceit. "

"I should be glad to have you ask any girl who has become a member of thatcomical C. C. C. If she thinks she has been guilty of deceit, and I'llventure to say that she will look you squarely in the eyes and say:'Deceit! How could _that_ fun be deceitful?'"

"Do you not think that it may lead to other undesirable lines ofconduct?"

"It may lead to other sorts of innocent fun, " was the dry remark. "Mrs. Stone, were you ever young? Surely, you have not forgotten what the worldlooked like then. Wasn't it invariably the thing you were least expectedto do that it gave you the most satisfaction to do? Listen to me onemoment, for, while I appreciate your sincere interest in my work andmyself, I cannot allow you to run off with the idea that I regard my girlsas prone to deceitful actions. It is just fun, pure and simple, and thenatural result of happy, healthy girlhood. Far better let it have a safevent than try to suppress it, and take very strong chances of directing itinto less desirable channels. At the worst, a deranged stomach can follow, and a glass of bi-carbonate of soda-water is a simple remedy, if not anover-delightful one. I knew all about the feast several days ago, and tookmy own way of letting the girls know that I'd found it out. It was no useto forbid it for that night, for, just as sure as fate, they would haveplanned it for another, and devoured a lot of stuff far less wholesomethan the contents of Toinette's box and my tub. As it was, we all had agood time, and I'll warrant you that the next time the C. C. C. 's meetI'll get a hint regarding the tub, at any rate. "

"Perhaps it will prove so. I trust so, at all events. You are a far wiserwoman than I am. "

"Perhaps no wiser, but better able to recall the things which helped tomake my girlhood a sunny one, and school frolics played no small part inthem. "

"I can but hope that the girls will refrain from practicing deceit. Ofcourse, they cannot deceive _me_; no girl has ever yet succeeded in doingso, although many have tried to. But I can invariably detect the sham, andmeet it successfully. "

"I hope you may never find yourself undone, " said Miss Preston, with alaugh. "Girls are pretty quick-witted creatures. "

Girls are not blind to their elders' weaknesses and pet delusions, and itwas an understood thing among them all that Mrs. Stone was easily "takenin, " to use their own expression. Consequently, they told her things, andlaid innocent little traps for her to walk into, such as they would neverhave thought of doing for a more wide-awake teacher, or, at least, one whodid not make such a strong point of her power of discernment. 

It was the very night after the Caps and Capers escapade that the girlswere gathered in the upper hall talking about the previous night's fun. 

"It's no use talking; you _can't_ get ahead of Miss Preston, " said one ofthe older girls. "You may think you have, and feel aglow clear down to thecockles of your heart, then--whew! in she walks upon you as cool as--"

"Ice cream!" burst in another girl. "To my dying day, girls, I shall neverforget that red ghost. "

"How did she ever find it out, I'd like to know, " asked Toinette. "Not asoul said a word, and my box didn't come till the very last minute. Ihardly had time to let the girls know, and how Miss Preston ever got hertub of cream in time is more than I can puzzle out. Maybe Mrs. Stores hadit on hand. "

"Mrs. Stores! Yes, I guess so, " cried the girls, scornfully. "You don'tfor one moment suppose that _she_ would let us have a whole tub of icecream, do you? Not much, " said Lou Perry. 

"Why, if Miss Preston wanted it it would be different, you see, " answeredToinette. 

"No, it wouldn't, either. Miss Preston never bothers with the housekeepingor the housekeeper, although she is always just as lovely to her as shecan be--she is to everybody, for that matter. "

"For my part, I'm glad she found it out, " laughed Cicely, "but if I'dsuspected beforehand that she would, wild horses wouldn't have dragged meinto that laundry. It's pretty easy not to be afraid of such a teacher;she seems just like one of us. Wasn't she too funny with that big spoonand the red mask?"

"Are all the other teachers so quick to 'catch on?'" asked Toinette. 

"Most of them are sharp as two sticks, " replied Ethel, "but they never leton. There is only one who makes the boast that she has never been deceivedby any girl, and we've all been just wild to play her some trick, onlywe've never yet hit upon a really good one. "

"You ought to get Toinette to do the scene from 'Somnambula, '" saidCicely, laughing. 

"What is it? What is it? What is it?" cried a half-dozen voices. 

"The funniest thing you ever saw in all your born days, " said Cicely. 

"Oh, tell us about it; please, do, " begged the girls. 

"Let her do it for you; it will be ten times funnier than telling it. "

"When will you do it?"

"To-night, if I can manage it; it will be a good time after last night'scut-up. "

CHAPTER XI

"LA SOMNAMBULA"

When the bell for retiring rang at half-past nine that night, it produceda most remarkable effect, for, instead of suggesting snug beds anddream-land, it seemed instantly to banish any desire for sleep which theprevious study hour from eight to nine had aroused in several of thegirls. 

They all went to their rooms, to be sure, but once within them a startlingchange took place. Instead of undressing like wise young people, theyslipped off their dresses, and put on their night-dresses over the rest oftheir clothing, then all crawled into bed to await the first act of "LaSomnambula. "

They had barely gotten settled when footsteps were heard coming softlydown the corridor, as though the feet taking the steps were encased inwool slippers, and the owner of those feet wished to avoid being heard. Afew steps were taken, then a pause made to listen, then on went thecat-like tread from door to door. 

Toinette's and Cicely's rooms communicated, and just beyond, with anothercommunicating door, was the room occupied by Ruth and Edith, but the doorwas always fastened. Perhaps Miss Preston considered three communicatingrooms altogether too convivial, and decided that "an ounce of preventionwas always worth a pound of cure. "

As the stealthy footfalls passed on down the hall, a light tap fell uponToinette's door, and, springing out of bed, she flew to give acorresponding tap, and listen for what might follow. 

"Sh-h!" came in a whisper from the other side. 

"Yes, " was the low reply. 

"Did you hear the 'Princess' walk down the hall?" The Princess was the bigMaltese house cat, and a privileged character. 

"A pretty big _cat_, " was whispered back. 

"That was Mother Stone, and she was just as anxious to avoid being heardby Miss Preston as she was anxious to hear what might be going on in ourrooms. If Miss Preston caught her listening at anybody's door, she wouldbe angrier than if we sat up all night. "

"What does she think we're up to, anyway?" whispered Toinette. 

"No telling, but she knows we had a frolic last night and is on thelookout for another to-night, I guess. "

"Maybe she won't look in vain, " laughed Toinette, softly. 

Twelve o'clock had just been struck by the tall clock in the lower hall, when a white figure walked slowly down the corridor. Her hair fell inlong, waving ringlets far below her waist, her pretty white hands wereoutstretched in front of her, and the great eyes, wide open, staredstraight before her with a strange, unseeing stare. As she walked alongshe whispered softly to herself, but the words were hardly audible. On shewent, through the long corridor, down the little side hall, which led tothe pantry below, still muttering in that uncanny manner. 

It had long been a standing joke in the school that Mrs. Stone slept likea cat, with one eye open and one ear alert for every sound, for she wascontinually hearing burglars, or marauders of some sort or other. So it isnot surprising that before that ghost had gone very far another whitefigure popped its head out into the hall and uttered a smotheredexclamation at sight of number one. 

"Dear me! dear me!" she murmured, "my suspicions were not amiss. Poor, dear Marion, is so very self-confident. I was sure the last night's follywould lead to something else. Such is invariably the case, " and shefollowed rapidly after the figure which was just vanishing around the turnin the lower hall. 

"Those children are certainly planning another supper, and, what is farworse, are adding to the discredit of such an act by resorting todishonest means of procuring the wherewithal for it. Oh, it is shocking, shocking! And yet Marion cannot be convinced that her girls are capable ofdeceit. Poor child, poor child, it is fortunate for her that there issomeone at hand to come to her rescue at such a crisis, " and Mrs. Stonereached the bottom of the stairs just as the evil-intentioned ghostslipped into the housekeeper's pantry. 

"Really, I must be quite sure before I speak, or I may bring about stillgreater trouble. But what _can_ she want here at this hour of the night ifit be not some of Mrs. Store's provisions?" and she wrung her hands indespair. 

A dim light burned in the lower hall, rendering everything there plainlyvisible from above; and if Mrs. Stone had not been so distressed by thatwhich was before her, she might have been aware of certain happenings justabove her. Why did not some good fairy whisper in her ear just at thatmoment: "An' had you one eye behind you, you might see more detraction atyour heels than fortune before you, " but there were apparently none out ofDream Land. 

As her foot touched the lower step, five or six heads peered over thebanister railing above, and what mystery of gravitation prevented as manybodies from toppling over after them I am unable to say. 

"Do look! Do look! She is after her full tilt, girls, " whispered Cicely. "Didn't I tell you it would be the funniest thing you ever saw?"

"Sh! She'll hear us, and the whole thing will be spoilt, " said Ethel. 

"No, indeed, she won't, " answered Ruth, "she is too intent upon catchingToinette. "

"O, why _can't_ I stretch my neck out a yard or two so that I may see whatis going on in that pantry? Come on girls, I'm going downstairs if I diefor it, " and down crept Lou, followed by all the others, for there was nolack of bedroom slippers at Sunny Bank. 

Meantime Toinette had entered the store-room, and, going straight to thecorner where some smoked hams and bacon were hanging, took a monstrous hamfrom its hook, then, muttering, "Crackers, too, crackers, too, " opened thecracker box and drew forth a handful. 

Mrs. Stone was thoroughly scandalized, but, just as she was about tospeak, Toinette turned full upon her and said:

"Yes, I will have some mustard, and a beefsteak, and baked beans, please. Mrs. Stores had some on the table to-night. "

By this time Mrs. Stone began to realize that the girl was not accountablefor her actions, for never was there a better bit of acting for anamateur. Yet she dared not wake her, for stories of the serious harm whichhad befallen somnambulists, when wakened suddenly in unfamiliarsurroundings, flashed through her brain, and she was nearly beside herselfwith anxiety. 

"What shall I do? what _shall_ I do?" she said aloud in great distress;and, as though in answer to her question, Toinette answered:

"Go, tell Mrs. Stone that she isn't up to snuff as much as she thinks sheis. "

This was too much, and, laying her hand gently on Toinette's arm, shesaid, softly:

"My dear child, hadn't you better come back upstairs with me?"

Without changing her expression, Toinette replied:

"How oats, peas, beans and barley grow, nor you, nor I, nor Mrs. Stoneknows, " and began to dance around in a circle with her ham tightly claspedin one arm, and the crackers scattering from one end of the pantry to theother. 

Now thoroughly alarmed, and almost in tears, Mrs. Stone said:

"Oh, my dear, dear little girl, won't you come back to your room with me?"and, grasping hold of Toinette's arm, endeavored to lead her from thepantry. 

[Illustration: "GO, TELL MRS. STONE SHE ISN'T UP TO SNUFF. "]

But my lady was having altogether too good a time to end her frolic sosoon, while the audience upon the stairs were nearly dying from theirefforts not to scream. So, without changing that dreadful stare which shehad maintained throughout her performance, she said, as though repeatingMrs. Stone's own words:

"Come back--come back--come back, my Bonny, to me, " and turned to leavethe pantry. She had barely gotten outside the door, however, when shepaused, and, muttering something about lemons and pickles, slipped awayfrom Mrs. Stone's grasp and disappeared within the pantry again. 

Trembling with excitement, Mrs. Stone stood for one instant, and thensaying, "Miss Preston must be called, Miss Preston must be called, " turnedand literally flew up the stairs, for once too lost to everything but thematter in hand to be aware of anything else, which was certainly fortunatefor the white-robed figures, which nearly fell over each other in theirscramble to escape. 

CHAPTER XII

"HAVE YOU NOT BEEN DECEIVED THIS TIME?"

When Miss Preston arrived upon the scene Toinette was serenely making herway upstairs, her burdens still in her arms, but supplemented by severallemons and a bottle of pickles. She took no notice whatever of the newarrival, but walked straight to her own room, and, placing her treasuresupon her bed, covered them carefully with her bedclothes. At this covertact poor Mrs. Stone gasped despairingly, and, grasping Miss Preston's arm, said, in a most tragic whisper: "Marion, Marion, what did I tell you?"

But "Marion" was very much alive to the situation, and, had not a slightquiver about Toinette's mouth while Mrs. Stone was speaking confirmed hersuspicions, some very audible giggles from the rooms close at hand wouldhave done so. 

Having tucked her ham snugly to bed, Toinette proceeded to tuck herselfthere, and, with a sigh as innocent as a tired infant's, she closed thosestaring eyes and slipped off to the land of dreams. 

"Well, I think the first act is ended, " said Miss Preston, with thefunniest of smiles, "and we shall not have the second to-night, at anyrate. But this one was certainly performed by a star, " and, stepping toToinette's bedside, she quietly drew from beneath the covers the "drystores" there sequestered, placed them upon the table, and then smoothedthe clothes carefully about her. 

Mrs. Stone began to gather up the articles Miss Preston laid upon thetable, and, consequently, did not see her slyly pinch the rosy cheekresting upon the pillow nor the flash of intelligence which two big browneyes sent back. 

They then left Toinette to her slumbers (?), and, after carrying thepilfered articles back to the housekeeper's pantry, returned to MissPreston's room, where Mrs. Stone dropped into the first chair that camehandy. She was as near a nervous collapse as she well could be, and camevery close to losing her temper when Miss Preston seated herself upon hercouch, clasped her hands before her, and laughed as poor Mrs. Stone hadnever known her to laugh before. 

"Why, Marion! Marion!" she cried. "_Have_ you taken leave of yoursenses?"

It was some seconds before Miss Preston could control her voice enough toreply, and, when she did, it proved the very last straw to complete Mrs. Stone's discomfiture, for her words were:

"Mehitable Stone, had anyone told me that I was sheltering beneath myroof-tree such a consummate actress, I should have been the most surprisedwoman in Montcliff. Upon my word I never saw anything better done. "

"Acting!" exclaimed Mrs. Stone, aghast. "You do not for one moment imaginethat poor child was acting? Impossible! Why, she was as sound asleep asshe ever was in all her life, and there was not the least sign that shewas conscious of my touch when I took hold of her arm to lead her from thepantry. Do you suppose it would have been possible for her to dissemble tothat extent? _Never!_"

Miss Preston did not answer, but laughed softly again. 

It was too much for Mrs. Stone; rising suddenly to her feet, she said, with asperity: "It is useless for us to discuss the matter furtherto-night, nay, _this morning_, " looking at the tiny clock ticking awayupon Miss Preston's desk, "but I trust that in broad daylight you may seemore clearly. For my part, nothing will ever convince me that that childwas deceiving me; my knowledge of girls is too perfect. It was a mostpronounced case of somnambulism, the outcome of last night's injudiciouseating, and, in my opinion, a very alarming condition, as one can nevertell to what it may lead. Her digestion may be seriously impaired. It isquite unsafe to leave her alone to-night, for she may be seized withanother attack at any moment. I shall spend the remainder of the nightupon the couch in her room, " and away she went to take up her sentinelduty. 

"It is quite unnecessary, " called Miss Preston after the retreatingfigure, but no heed was given to the words, and when Toinette waked in themorning what was her surprise to find Mrs. Stone bending over her asking, in the most solicitous of voices, if she were feeling quite well. 

For a moment Toinette was unable to take in the situation, but her witsgot into working order pretty quickly, and only her quivering lips wouldhave betrayed her to a more discerning person. Mrs. Stone, however, sawnothing but an inclination to weep, and, stooping over Toinette, said, soothingly: "There, there, dear, don't hurry to rise, you are a littlenervous this morning and ought to rest. "

But Toinette was at the breakfast table as promptly as anyone, and as shetook her seat she gave a quick glance toward Miss Preston; but that astutewoman was pouring cream into her coffee-cup. An hour later, when all werescurrying about getting ready for the walk to the schoolhouse, which wassituated several blocks from the home house and its adjacent cottages, Toinette came face to face with Miss Preston in one of the upper halls. Both stopped short, looked each other squarely in the eyes, and saidnothing. Then Miss Preston's eyes began to smile, and her mouth followedtheir example, and, placing one finger under Toinette's chin, she said:

"I am forced to admit that it was one of the funniest things I've everseen, and extremely well done, but it scared Mrs. Stone nearly to death;so, please, don't favor us with the second act. "

And that was the only allusion ever made by Miss Preston to the midnightramble, nor was it ever repeated for Mrs. Stone's benefit, althoughnothing could ever have persuaded the good lady that she had been thevictim of a hoax that night. 

It would have been difficult to find a more consummate teacher than MissPreston, or one who, without their ever suspecting it, could so bring hergirls up to the mark. It was a rare exception when she failed toaccomplish her aim, and her tact was truly wonderful. There was rarely aharsh word spoken, although Miss Preston could speak sharply enough whenoccasion required. But she seldom felt that it did. She had most uniquemethods, and they proved wonderfully successful. Then, too, some veryold-fashioned ideas were firmly imbedded in her mind, which in the presentday and age are often forgotten. That bad spelling is a disgrace to anygirl was one of these, and most nobly did she labor to make such adisgrace impossible for any of her girls. 

Knowing how cordially human nature detests doing the very thing best forit, she never had regular spelling lessons in the school, but twice a weekevery girl in it, big and little alike, gathered in the large assemblyroom to choose sides and spell each other down. So irresistibly funny werethese spelling matches, and so admirably did they display Miss Preston'speculiar power over the girls, and their response to her wonderfulmagnetism, that I think they deserve a chapter to themselves. 

CHAPTER XIII

ENGLISH AS SHE IS SPELLED

The last half hour before recess on Wednesdays and Fridays was the timeset aside for the spelling matches. On Wednesday the words were chosen atrandom, sometimes from history, sometimes from geography, again fromsomething which the classes had been reading; but Friday's words wereinvariably a surprise. 

One morning, immediately after the opening exercises were concluded, MissPreston rang her bell, and, when the girls were all attention, said:

"It will be well for those girls who are to lead the opposing sides of thespelling match to-day to choose with exceptional acumen--Annabel, spellthat word!" So suddenly had the command been sprung upon her that, whatever knowledge poor Annabel might have possessed five seconds before, promptly flew straight out of her head, and she answered:

"_Ackumen. _"

"Sorry I haven't time to pass it on just now, but I'll reserve that honor. As I was saying, the heads had best keep their wits wide-awake, for I'mgoing to choose the words from a highly scientific and instructive volumeto-day. It is called "How to Feed Children, " and in this you will observethat I have a double object in view: to teach you which words, as well asthe sort of food, to be digested. Wholesome instruction, my dears; and nowto work, every woman Jill of you. "

At ten-thirty all were again assembled in the big room, and a livelychoosing of sides ensued. It was not by any means invariably the oldergirls who could spell best, for often some of the younger ones led them afine race. 

Taking up the brilliantly bound little book, Miss Preston said:

"Now, my friends, I hope you will look upon the cover of this book as abrilliant and rosy example of what I expect, and, I beg of you, do notdisappoint me, " holding up the bright red book for the inspection of all. "Do not become excited, but learn to take a 'philosophical' view of it. "Miss Preston paused, and so well did the girls understand her original wayof doing things that "philosophical" was at once essayed. The firstattempt resulted in "_philosopical_. "

"A little too suggestive of milk-toast, I'm afraid, Marion. We must haveour philosophy upon a sound basis. Next. "

Several words passed successfully down the line until "course" was given, and when that was spelled "_cource_" Miss Preston's face was a study. 

"That which we are most inclined to accept as a matter _of course_ we maybe sure will prove a matter of mortification to us. Katherine, you aregiven to poetic flights. Who was it that said: 'The course of true lovenever did run smooth?' He would have had an opportunity to learn thatthere were also other courses which did not run smoothly had hefollowed--'pedagogy. '"

This proved a stumbling-block for the first girl, but the next one spelledit correctly. 

"You see, Alma, that even the road thereto has its pitfalls, so takewarning. "

"Catch me ever teaching, " was the half-audible reply, but softly as it wasspoken sharp ears caught it. 

"Posterity will be grateful for the blessings in store for it, 'undoubtedly. '"

The word fell to a little girl, but was rattled off as quick as a wink, toMiss Preston's great amusement, for the child was an ambitious little bodywho hated to be outdone by the big girls. 

"Desirability" was the next word, and was given to one of the largest, although by no means the most brilliant, girls in the school. 

She hesitated a moment, and then said: "If desire is spelled d-e-s-i-r-e, I suppose the other end of it will be a-b-i-l-i-t-y. "

"A quality in which you are lacking, " was the instantaneous retort. "Ifyou desired it more, your ability would be greater. "

When desirability had been successfully dealt with, ten or more words werehappily disposed of, then came another poser in the form of'physiognomical, ' and the groans which greeted it foretold its fate. 

"What does it _mean_, anyway, Miss Preston?" asked one girl. 

"Well, there is more than one way of telling you its meaning, but Ibelieve in simple explanations, so I will say, that when you all rush offto the cloak-room at one o'clock that it would be well for you to observecarefully the expression upon the other girl's face when you throw downher hat and coat in your eagerness to get your own first. You will then, doubtless, have an excellent opportunity to form a correct idea of themeaning of physiognomical. Then you may come and tell me whether youconsider her character an angelic or impish one. "

How well Miss Preston was aware of their besetting sins, and how shrewdlydid she use them to their undoing. 

I should never dare tell the wonderful combinations of letters which werebrought together ere that dreadful word was spelled correctly; but such arapid sitting down followed that a stranger coming suddenly upon themmight have supposed that Miss Preston's girls were fainting one afteranother. 

About fifty words, all told, were spelled with more or less success, andthen came the grand summing up, and those girls who could not yield aclean record from beginning to end had to pay the penalty. 

Not a very severe one, to be sure, but one they were not likely to forget, for each word that they had misspelled was written upon a good-sized pieceof paper and pinned upon their breasts "as a reward of demerit, " MissPreston told them, and, although it was all done in fun and joked andlaughed over at the time, each girl knew that those words must bethoroughly committed to memory before the Wednesday spelling match beganits lively session, or her report at the end of the term would be lackingin completeness. 

And so, between "jest and earnest, " did Miss Preston handle her girls, drawing by gentleness from a sensitive nature, by firmness from a carelessone, by sarcasm (and woe to the girl who provoked it, for it was, truly, "like a polished razor keen") from a flippant, and by one of her rare, sweet smiles from the ambitious all that was best to be drawn. 

Toinette was naturally a remarkably bright girl, and possessed qualitiesof mind which only required gentle suggestions to develop their latentpowers. Refined and delicate by nature, keen of comprehension, she slippedinto her proper niche directly way was made for her, and filled it to herown credit and the satisfaction of others. Nor did it take Miss Prestonlong to discover that a delicately strung instrument had been placed inher hands, and that it must be touched with skillful fingers if its bestnotes were to be given forth. 

The weeks slipped away, and winter, as though to pay up for its tardyarrival, came in earnest, bringing in February the heavy snowstorms onelooks for much earlier in the season in this part of the globe. The girlshailed them with wild demonstrations, for snow meant sleigh-rides, and itis a frosty old codger who can frown and grumble at the sound ofsleigh-bells. 

CHAPTER XIV

"JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS"

One morning early in February the girls looked out of their windows tobehold a wonderful new world--a white one to replace the dull gray one, which would have made their spirits sympathetically gray, perhaps, hadthey been older. But, happily, it must be a very smoky gray indeed thatcan depress fifteen. 

"Quick, Edith, come and look!" and then, flying across the room, Ruththumped upon Toinette's door, and called out: "Sleigh-bells! Sleigh-bells!Don't you hear them?"

The snow had fallen steadily all night, piling up softly and silently thegreat white mounds, covering up unsightly objects, laying the downiest ofcoverlids upon the dull old world until it was hardly recognizable. Everyledge, every branch and tiny twig held its feathery burden, or shook itsoftly upon the white mass covering the ground. Hardly a breath of airstirred, and the fir trees looked as though St. Nick had visited them inthe night to dress a tree for every little toddler in the land. 

Down, down, down came the flakes, as though they never meant to stop, andas one threw back one's head to look upward at the millions of tinyfeathers falling so gently, one seemed to float upward upon fairy wingsand sail away, away into the realms of the Snow Maiden. 

It was hard to keep one's wits upon one's work that day, and many a stolenglance was given to the fairy world beyond the windows of therecitation-rooms. About five o'clock the weather cleared, the sun settingin a glory of crimson and purple clouds. An hour later up came my ladymoon, to smile approval upon the enchanting scene and hint all sorts ofpossibilities. 

Lou Cornwall came flying into Toinette's room just after dinner to find itwell filled with seven or eight others. 

"May I come, too?" she asked. "Oh, girls, if we don't have a sleigh-rideto-morrow, I'll have a conniption fit certain as the world. "

"Do you always have one when there is snow?" asked Toinette. 

"Which, a sleigh-ride or a conniption fit?" laughed Lou. "You'd betterbelieve we have sleigh-rides. "

"You'd better believe! I've been here five years, and we've never missedone yet. Do you remember the night last winter, when we all went sleighingand came home at eleven o'clock nearly frozen stiff, Bess? Whew! it wascold. When we got back we found Miss Preston making chocolate for us. There she was in her bedroom robe and slippers. She had gotten out of bedto do it because she found out at the last minute that that fat old Mrs. Schmidt had gone poking off to bed, and hadn't left a single thing forus. "

"I guess I _do_ remember, and didn't it taste good?" was the feelinganswer. 

"You weren't here the year before, " said Lou. "Sit still, my heart! ShallI ever forget it?"

"What about it? Tell us!" cried the girls in a chorus. 

"That was the first year Mrs. Schmidt was here, and, thank goodness, sheisn't here any longer, and she hadn't learned as much as she learnedafterwards. My goodness, wasn't she stingy? She thought one egg ought tobe enough for six girls, I believe. It took Miss Preston about a year toget her to understand that we were not to be kept on half rations. Well, that night we were expecting something extra fine. We got it!" and Loustopped to laugh at the recollection. "We rushed into the house, hungrierthan wolves, and ready to empty the pantry, and what do you think wefound? A lot of _after-dinner coffee cups_ of very weak cocoa, with _nary_saucer to set them in, and two small crackers apiece. 'I was thinking youwould come in hungry, young ladies, so I make you some chocolate. Youdon't mind that I have not some saucers, it make so many dishes forwashing, ' she said, smiling that pudgy smile of hers. Ugh! I can't bear tothink of it even to this day, and she was ten million times better beforeshe left last spring. That was the reason Miss Preston took matters intoher own hands the next time, I guess. "

Just then a tap came at the door, and Miss Preston put her head in toask:

"Can you girls do extra hard work between this and eight o'clock?"

Had she entertained any doubts of their ability to individually do thework of three, the shout which answered her in the affirmative would havebanished them forever, for the girls were not slow to guess that somesurprise was afoot. 

"Very well, I'll trust you all to prepare tomorrow's lessons withoutexchanging an unnecessary word, and at eight o'clock I'll ring my bell, and then you must all put on extra warm wraps and go out on the piazzato--look at the moon. I shall not expect you to come in till ten-thirty. "

As the last word was uttered Miss Preston met her doom, for five girlspounced upon her, bore her to the couch and hugged her till she cried formercy. 

"Come with us, oh! come with us, " they cried. "It will be twice as nice ifyou'll come!"

"Come _where_? Do you suppose I've lived all these years and never seenthe _moon_?" and laughing merrily she slipped away from them, only pausingto add: "It is ten minutes of seven now. "

The hint was enough, and not a girl "got left" that night. 

At eight o'clock a silvery ting-a-ling was heard, and never was bell morepromptly responded to. Had it been a fire alarm the rooms could not havebeen more quickly emptied. 

The moonlight made all outside nearly as bright as day, and when the girlswent out upon the porch they found three huge sleighs, with four horseseach, waiting to whirl them over the shining roads for miles. Miss Prestondid not make one of the party, but Miss Howard was a welcome substitute, for, next to Miss Preston, the girls loved her better than any of theother teachers, and Toinette was sorely divided in her mind as to whichshe was learning to love the better. 

Off they started, singing, laughing at nothing, calling merrily to allthey overtook, or passed, and sending the school yell, which Miss Howardhad made up upon the spur of the moment for them, "Hoo-rah-ray! Hoo-rah-ray! Sunny Bank, Montcliff, U. S. A. , "

out upon the frosty air, until the very hills rang with the cry, and flungit back in merry echoes. 

Miss Howard's sleigh led the van, and one or two of the girls hadclambered up to ride upon the high front seat with the driver, a sturdyold Irishman, who would have driven twenty horses all night long to pleaseany of Miss Preston's girls. Ruth sat beside him, with Toinette next toher, and Edith was squeezed against the outer edge. But who cares aboutbeing squeezed under such circumstances? It's more fun. 

The snow had fallen so lightly that sometimes the runners cut throughslightly; but, all things considered, the sleighing was very good. Still, the driver kept the horses well in hand, for they were good ones and readyto respond to a word. Moreover, the hilarity behind them seemed to haveproved infectious, for every now and again a leader or a wheeler wouldprance about as though joining in the fun, and presently another animalbecame infected and wanted to prance, too. Had she not, the next chapterneed not have been written. 

CHAPTER XV

"PRIDE GOETH BEFORE A FALL"

More than five miles had slipped away under those swiftly-moving runnersere Ruth was suddenly seized with a desire to emulate a famous charioteerof olden time, one "Phæton, of whom the histories have sung, in everymeter, and every tongue, " if a certain poet may be relied upon. So, turning a beguiling face toward the unsuspecting Michael beside her, shesaid:

"You're a fine driver, aren't you, Michael?"

"'T is experience ivery man nades; I've had me own, " observed Michael, complacently. 

"It must be very hard to drive four horses at once. "

"Anny one what kin droive two dacently should be able enough to handlefour; 't is not the number of horses, but the sinse at the other ind avthe reins. "

"Is that so? I thought it needed a strong man to drive so many. "

"Indade, no; it does not that. I've seen a schmall, little man, hardlybigger than yerself, takin' six along with the turn av his hand. "

"Could he hold them if they started to go fast?"

"Certain as the woirld, he cud do that same. 'T was meself that taught himthe thrick av it. 'T is easy larnt. "

"Then teach me right now, will you?"

Poor Michael, he saw when it was too late that boasting is dangerous work, but to refuse anything to "wan av the young ladies" never for an instantoccurred to him. Probably had he asked Miss Howard's consent he would havebeen spared complying with a request which his better judgment questioned, but that did not occur to him, either, so, giving one apprehensive glancebehind him at the twenty or more passengers in the sleigh, he placed thereins in Ruth's hands, adjusting them in the most scientific manner. 

They were skimming along over a beautiful bit of road with a thick firwood upon one side and open fields upon the other. The road was level as afloor, and no turn would be made for fully half a mile. Horses know sowell the difference between their own driver's touch and a stranger'shand, and the four whose reins Ruth now held were not dullards. They hadbeen going along at a steady round trot, with no thought of making thepace a livelier one, but directly the reins passed out of Michael's handsthe spirit of mischief, ever uppermost in Ruth, flew like an electricfluid straight through those four reins, and, in less time than it takesto tell about it, those horses had made up their minds to add a little tothe general hilarity behind them. 

The change was scarcely perceptible at first, but little by little theyincreased their pace, till they were fairly flying over the ground. Notone whit did the girls in the sleigh object; the faster the better forthem. The sleighs behind did their best to keep up, but no such horseswere in the livery stable as the four harnessed to Michael's sleigh, forMichael was the trusted of the trusted. 

But he was growing very uneasy, and, leaning down close to Ruth, said:"Ye'd better be lettin' me take thim now, Miss. We've the turn to makejist beyant. "

"O, I can make it all right; you know you said that anybody who drives twohorses decently could drive four just as well, and I've driven papa'salways. "

"Yis, yis, " said Michael quickly, seeing when too late that he had talkedto his own undoing, "but ye'd better be lettin' me handle thim bemoonlight; 't is deceptive, moonlight is, " and he reached to take thereins from her. But alas! empires may be lost by a second's delay, and asecond was responsible for much now. 

As Michael reached for the reins the turn was reached also, and where isthe livery stable horse that does not know every turn toward home evenbetter than his driver, be the driver the oldest in that section of thecountry! Around whirled the leaders, and hard upon them came the wheelers, and a-lack-a-day! hard, _very_ hard, upon a huge stone at the corner camethe runner of the front bob. 

Had the whole sleighful been suddenly plunged into a hundred cubic feet ofhydrogen gas, sound could not have ceased more abruptly for one second, and then there arose to the thousands of little laughing stars and theirdignified mother, the moon, a howl which made the welkin ring. 

Shall I attempt to describe what had happened in the drawing of a breath?A bob runner was hopelessly wrecked; two horses were sitting upon theirhaunches, while two others were striving to prove to those who were nottoo much occupied with their own concerns to notice that, after all issaid and done, the Lord _did_ intend that such animals should walk upontwo legs if they saw fit to do so. Michael stood up to his middle in asnow-drift; Ruth sat as calmly upon a snow bank as though she preferred itto any other seat she had ever selected, albeit she was well-nighsmothered by the back and cushions of her novel resting-place; Toinettewas dumped heels-over-head into the body of the sleigh, where she landedfairly and squarely in Miss Howard's lap; Edith hung on to the seatrailing for dear life, and screamed as though the lives of all in thesleigh (or out of it) depended upon her summons for assistance. The sleighhad not upset, yet what kept it in a horizontal position must foreverremain a mystery, and such a heap of scrambling, squirming, screaminggirls as were piled up five or six deep in the bottom of it may never beseen again. Some had been dumped overboard outright, and were flounderingabout in the snow, which, happily, had saved them from serious harm. Withthe inborn chivalry of his race, Michael's first thoughts said: "Fly tothe rescue of the demoiselles, " but stern duty said: "Sthick to yerhorses, Moik, or they'll smash things to smithereens, and, bedad, I sthuckwid all me moight, or the Lord only knows where we'd all have fetched upat that same night, " he said, when relating his experiences some hourslater. 

[Illustration: "STHICK TO YER HORSES, MOIK. "]

When excitement was at its height the other sleighs arrived upon thescene, and if there had been an uproar before, there was a mighty cryabroad in the land now. But, dear me, it is all in a lifetime; so whyleave these floundering mortals piled up in heaps any longer? They wereunsnarled eventually, gotten upon their feet (or their neighbors'), packedlike sardines into the two other sleighs, and, with six instead of fourhorses now drawing each, started homeward, none the worse for their spill, excepting a good shaking up, a few handfuls of snow merrily forming rillsand rivulets down their necks, some badly battered hats and torn coats, and one of them, at least, with some wholesome lessons regarding handlingfour frisky horses when the air is frosty and a number of lives may dependupon keeping "top side go, la!"

CHAPTER XVI

LETTERS

When the sleighing party reached home they found hot chocolate and gingercookies awaiting them. Before retiring, Miss Preston had seen to it thatneither shivering nor hungry bodies should be tucked into bed that night. 

Five weeks had now sped away, and Toinette was beginning to look upon hernew abiding-place as home; at least, it was nearer to it than any shecould remember. The old life at the Carter school seemed a sort ofnightmare from which she had wakened to find broad daylight and all themiserable fancies dispelled. 

She and Cicely were seated at their desks one afternoon. It was half-pastfour and study hour. Cicely was hard at work upon her algebra lesson, butToinette was writing a letter. This, she knew quite well, was not what shewas supposed to be doing, but the five weeks had not sufficed to undo themischief done in seven years, and she was writing simply from a spirit ofperversity. There was ample time to do it during her hours of freedom, butthe very fact of doing it when she knew full well that she ought to be atwork on her German added piquancy to the act. Moreover, the letter was toa boy with whom she had become acquainted while at Miss Carter's, and hadkept the acquaintance a most profound secret. Not that she cared speciallyfor the boy, although he was a jolly sort of chap, and had been a pleasantcompanion during their stolen interviews, and often smuggled boxes ofcandy and other "forbidden fruit" into the girl's possession. 

Still, at Miss Carter's a boy sprouting angel's wings would have beenregarded in very much the same light as though he were sprouting imp'shorns, and any girl caught talking to one--much less corresponding--wouldhave had a very bad quarter of an hour, indeed. So, though she did notcare two straws whether she ever saw him again or not, all thewrong-headedness which had been so carefully fostered for the past yearsdelighted in the thought that she was doing something which might not beapproved; indeed, from her standpoint, would be decidedly criticised, andto get ahead of a teacher had been the "slogan" of the Carter school. 

It was the custom at Sunny Bank for the teachers to go around to thegirls' rooms during the study hour to help, suggest, or give a little"boost" over the hummocky places, so when a pleasant voice asked at thedoor: "Can I help you any, dearies?" Cicely answered from her room:

"Oh, Miss Howard, will you please tell me something about this problem? Iam afraid my head is muddled. "

"To be sure, I will, " was the cheery reply, and Miss Howard passed throughToinette's room to Cicely's. 

As she did so her dress created a current of air which carried a paperfrom Toinette's desk almost to her feet. She stooped to pick it up andhand it back to Toinette, who had sprung up to catch it, and, as shehanded it to her, Miss Howard noted the telltale color spring into thegirl's face. 

"Zephyrus is playing you tricks, dear, " she said, smiling, and passed onto Cicely. After giving her the needed assistance, she left them, and alittle further down the corridor met Miss Preston. 

"How are my chicks progressing, Miss Howard?"

"Nicely, Miss Preston. Cicely needed a little help with a problem inalgebra, but I think Toinette needs a little of yours in the problem oflife, " and Miss Howard went her way. 

A word to the wise is sufficient. 

Meanwhile, the letter was finished, addressed, and slipped into Toinette'spocket, to be mailed later. 

Ordinarily, all letters were placed in a small basket to be carried to theoffice by the porter. As Toinette came down the hall shortly before dinnerMiss Preston was just taking the letters from the basket to place them inthe porter's mailbag. 

"Any mail to go, dear?" she asked. 

"No, thank you, Miss Preston, " answered Toinette, and, jumping from thelast step, ran off down the hall to join Cicely and the other girls. Injumping from the step something jolted from her pocket, but, falling uponthe heavy rug at the foot of the stairs, made no sound. As the porter wasabout to take the pouch from her hands Miss Preston's eyes fell upon theletter, and, supposing it to be one which had been dropped from thebasket, stooped to pick it up. She was a quick-witted woman, and theinstant she saw the handwriting and the address she drew her ownconclusions. 

"So that is part of the life problem, is it? Poor little girl, she has gotto learn something which the average girl has to unlearn; where theyentirely trust their fellow-beings, she entirely distrusts them. I wonderif I shall ever be able to show her the middle path?" Telling the porterto wait a moment, Miss Preston slipped into the library, and, catching upa pencil and slip of paper, wrote down the name and address which waswritten upon the envelope, then, stepping back to the hall, handed theporter the letter to post. 

Toinette joined the girls, and in the lively chatter which ensued forgotall about the letter until several hours later, and then searched for itin every possible and impossible place, but, of course, without findingit, and was in a very _un_comfortable frame of mind for several days, andthen something happened which did not serve to reassure her, for a replycame to her from her correspondent. 

How in the world her letter had ever reached him was the question whichpuzzled her not a little, and she fretted over the thing till she was in afever. Then she determined to write again to ask how and when the letterhad reached him, although she was beginning to wish that boy, letter andall, were at the bottom of the Red Sea, so much had they tormented her. Soa second letter was written, and then came the puzzle of getting it intothe mail bag unnoticed. At Miss Carter's school all letters had beenexamined before they were allowed to be mailed, and as Toinette'scorrespondence was supposed to be limited to the letters she wrote to herfather, she had never inquired whether Miss Preston first examined them ornot, but, taking it for granted that she did so, handed them to herunsealed. On the other hand, Miss Preston, thinking that it was simplycarelessness that they were not, usually sealed them and sent them upontheir way. 

Although she had not said anything about it, the little affair had by nomeans passed from Miss Preston's thoughts, but she was trying to think ofthe wisest way of going about it, and was waiting for something to guideher. 

"If I can only win her confidence, " she said to herself more than once. 

CHAPTER XVII

"HAF ANYBODY SEEN MY UMBREL?"

It was the last week in February, and in a few days the school dance wasto be given. One afternoon a dozen or more girls were gathered in Ethel'sroom to see her dress which had been sent out from town. It was as daintyan affair as one could wish to see, and many were the admiring glancescast upon it, and many the praises it received. Possibly it was a trifleelaborate for a girl of fifteen, for it was made of delicate white chiffonover pale yellow satin, and exquisitely embroidered with fine silverthreads. But Ethel looked very lovely in it as she preened herself beforethe mirror, and was fully aware of the fact. 

"What are you going to wear, Toinette?" she asked. 

"I've never worn anything but white yet, " answered Toinette. "At MissCarter's all my dresses were ordered by Miss Emeline, and she said I oughtnot to wear anything else till I was eighteen. I hope Miss Preston won'tsay the same. "

"I should think you would have hated to have the teachers say just whatyou must wear, as well as what you must study. Didn't your father eversend you any clothes?"

"Papa was too far away to know what I wore or did, " answered Toinette, rather sadly. 

"Aren't you glad he is home again?" asked quiet little Helen Burgess, whosomehow always managed to say soothing things when one felt sort ofruffled up without knowing just why. 

"You had better believe I am!" was the emphatic reply. "What will youwear, Helen?"

"The same thing I always wear, I guess. I haven't much choice in thematter, you know. "

Toinette colored slightly at her thoughtless remark, for she had notpaused to think before speaking. All the girls knew that Helen's purse wasa very slender one, and that it was only by self-sacrifice and closeeconomy that her parents were able to keep her at such an expensiveschool. She made no secret of her lack of money, but worked away bravelyand cheerfully, always sunny, always happy, with the enviable faculty ofinvariably saying the right thing at the right time. She had pronouncedartistic tendencies, and Miss Preston was anxious to encourage them inevery possible way. Her great desire was to go to Europe and there see theoriginals of the famous paintings of which she read. Each year MissPreston went abroad and took with her several of the girls whose parentscould afford such indulgences for them, and Helen longed to be one ofthem, although she never for a moment hoped to be. 

She did really remarkable work for a girl of her age, and was improvingall the time, but the trip over the sea seemed as far off as a trip to themoon. Toinette was somewhat of a dilettante, and pottered away with herwater-colors with more or less success. But she admired good work, and wasquick to see that Helen was a hard student, and to respect her for it. Although so unlike in disposition, as well as position, a warm regard hadsprung up between them, and Toinette spent many hours watching Helen workaway at her drawing. The girl's ambition was to illustrate, and there washardly a girl in the school who had not posed for her, and the drawings inher sketch-book were excellent. 

Toinette had never been taught to think much about others, and so it isnot surprising that, while she admired Helen, and wished that she couldhave those things she so longed for, it never occurred to her that perhapsthere were other and more fortunate girls who might have helped a trifleif they chose to do so. That she, herself, had it within her power to doit never entered her head till the girls began to talk about their newdresses, and what put it there then would be hard to tell. Nevertheless, come it did, and when she heard Helen speak so composedly of wearing tothe school dance, _the_ event of the season, in their eyes, the same dresswhich had done service for many a little entertainment given through thewinter, and which gave unmistakable signs of having done so, she realizedfor the first time what it must mean to be deprived of those things whichshe had always accepted as a matter of course. 

Still, no definite plans took shape in her head regarding it, and it isquite possible that none might ever have done so had not somethingoccurred within a short time which seemed to be the hinge upon which herwhole after-life swung. 

As the girls were in the midst of their chatter about the new gowns a tapcame at the door, and Fraulein Palme looked in to ask:

"Haf anyone seen my umbrel? I haf hunt eferywhere for him, and can't seehim anywhere. "

"No, Fraulein, we haven't seen it, " answered several voices. 

"Where did you last have it?" asked Ruth. 

"Right away in my room a little while before I am ready to go out. I godown to the post-office and must get wet without him. "

Two or three of the girls went into the hall to look for the missingumbrella, and others went back to Fraulein's room with her to make a moreexhaustive search. But without success. 

"Have you more than one?" asked Edith. 

"No, it is but one I haf got. It is very funnee, " and poor Fraulein lookedsorely perplexed. 

"Take mine, Fraulein. Yours will turn up when you least expect it, " saidToinette. 

"What did it look like, Fraulein?" asked Cicely. 

"Chust like thees, " was the astonishing answer, as absent-minded Frauleinheld forth the missing umbrella, which all that time she had held tightlyclasped in her hand, and which had been the cause of Edith's question asto whether she had more than one, for she supposed, of course, that theone Fraulein was so tightly holding must either be one she did not care tocarry, or else one she was about to return to someone from whom she hadprobably borrowed it. 

The shout which was raised at her reply speedily brought poor Frauleinback to her senses, and murmuring:

"Ach, so! I think I come _veruckt_, " she hurried off down the hall withthe girls' laughter still ringing in her ears. 

CHAPTER XVIII

THE LITTLE HINGE

The day before the dance was to be given Toinette wrote her second letter, arguing that when everybody else had so much to occupy their thoughts theywould have little time to notice other people's doings, and the lettercould be mailed without exciting comment. Waiting until the very lastmoment, she ran down to the mail-basket to slip the letter in itunobserved. As ill-luck would have it, Miss Preston also had a letter tobe slipped in at the last moment, and she and Toinette came face to face. It was too late to retreat, for the letter was in her hand in plain view, so, forced into an awkward position, she made a bad matter worse. Droppingthe letter quickly into the basket, she said:

"Just a note for papa about something I want for the dance to-morrow, MissPreston; I didn't think you'd care, and I hadn't time to do it earlier, "and, with flaming cheeks, she turned to go away. 

"Wait just one moment, dear, " said Miss Preston, "I've something to say toyou. Walk down to my room with me, please, " and she slipped her arm aboutthe girl's waist. 

No more was needed, and all the suspicion and rebellion in Toinette'snature rose up to do battle with--windmills. It was a hard young face thatlooked defiantly at Miss Preston. 

"Toinette, dear, I want to have a little talk with you, " she said, as shelocked the door of her sitting-room, and, seating herself upon the divan, drew Toinette down beside her. 

Toinette never changed her expression, but looked straight before her witha most uncompromising stare. 

"You said just now that you did not think I would care if you sent a noteto your father; why should I, sweetheart?"

It must have been a stubborn heart, indeed, which could resist MissPreston's sweet tone. 

"Oh, I don't know, but teachers always seem to mind every little thing onedoes, " replied Toinette, sulkily. 

"It seems to me that this would be entirely too 'little a thing' for ateacher or anyone else to mind. Don't you think so yourself?"

"Well, of course, I didn't think you would mind simply because I wrote topapa, but because I posted the letter without first letting you read it, "answered Toinette. 

Now, indeed, was Miss Preston learning something new, and not even a childcould have questioned that her surprise was genuine when she exclaimed:

"Read your letters, my dear little girl! What are you saying?" and aslight flush overspread her refined face. 

It was now Toinette's turn to be surprised as she asked:

"Isn't that the rule here, Miss Preston?"

"Is it anywhere? I can hardly believe it. One's correspondence is a verysacred thing, Toinette, and I would as soon be guilty of listening atanother person's door as of reading a letter intended for another's eyes. Oh, my little girl, what mischief has been at work here?"

While Miss Preston was speaking Toinette had risen to her feet, her eyesshining like stars, and her color coming and going rapidly. Now, takingboth Miss Preston's hands in her own, she said, in a voice which quiveredwith excitement:

"Is that _truly_ true, Miss Preston? Aren't the girls' letters ever read?Haven't mine been? _Do_ you trust me like that?"

Miss Preston looked the girl fairly in the eyes as she answered:

"I trust you as I trust the others, because I feel you to be agentlewoman, and, as such, you would be as reluctant to do anything liableto cast discredit upon yourself as I would be to have you. I do not wishmy girls to fear but to love me, with all their hearts, and to trust me asI trust them. I do not expect you to be perfect; we all make mistakes; Imake many, but we can help each other, dear, and remember this: 'Lovecasteth out fear. ' Try to love me, my little girl, and to feel that I amyour friend; I want so much to be. "

Miss Preston's voice was very sweet and appealing, and as she spokeToinette's eyes grew limpid. Miss Preston still held her hands, and, asshe finished speaking, the girl dropped upon her knees and clasped herarms about her waist, buried her face in her lap and burst into a storm ofsobs. All the pent-up feeling, the longing, the struggle, the yearning fortenderness of the past lonely years was finding an outlet in the bitter, bitter sobs which shook her slight frame. 

Although Miss Preston knew comparatively little of the girl's former life, she had learned enough from Mr. Reeve, and observed enough in the girlherself, to understand that this outburst was not wholly the result ofwhat had just passed between them. So, gently stroking the pretty goldenhair, she wisely waited for the grief to spend itself before she resumedher talk, and, when the poor little trembling figure was more composed, said:

"My poor little Toinette, let us begin a brand new leaf to-day--'thee andme, ' as the Quakers so prettily put it. Let us try to believe that eventhough I have spent thirty more years on this big world than you have, that we can still be good friends, and sympathize with each other eitherin sunshine or shadow. To do this two things are indispensible: confidenceand love. And we can never have the latter without first winning theformer. Remember this, dear, I shall never doubt you. Whatever happens, you may rest firm in the conviction that I shall always accept your wordwhen it is given. Our self-respect suffers when we are doubted, and one'sself-respect is a very precious thing, and not to be lightly tamperedwith. "

[Illustration: "LET US BEGIN A BRAND NEW LEAF TO-DAY. "]

She now drew Toinette back to the couch beside her, put her arm about herwaist, and let the tired head rest upon her shoulder. The girl had ceasedto sob, but looked worn and weary. Miss Preston snuggled her close andwaited for her to speak, feeling sure that more was in her heart, andthat, in a nature such as she felt Toinette's to be, it would beimpossible for her to rest content until all doubts, all self-reproachcould be put behind her. 

She sat perfectly still for a long time, her hands clasped in her lap, andher big, brown eyes, into which had crept a wonderfully soft expression, looking far away beyond the walls of Miss Preston's sitting-room, farbeyond the bedroom next it, and off to some lonely, unsatisfied years, when she had lived in a sort of truce with all about her, never knowingjust when hostilities might be renewed. It had acted upon the girl'ssensitive nature much as a chestnut-prickle acts upon the average mortal;a nasty, little, irritating thing, hard to discover, a scrap of a thingwhen found--if, indeed, it does not succeed in eluding one altogether--andso insignificant that one wonders how it could cause such discomfort. Butit is those miserable little chestnut-prickles that are hardest to bear inthis life, and so warp one's character that it is often unfitted to bearthe heavier burdens which must come into all lives sooner or later. 

CHAPTER XIX

"FATAL OR FATED ARE MOMENTS"

"Nobody has ever spoken to me as you have, Miss Preston, " Toinette beganpresently, "and I can't tell you how I feel. Maybe heaven will be better, but I don't believe I shall ever feel any happier than I feel this minute. It seems as though I'd been living in a sort of prison, all shut up in thedark, and that now I am out in the sunshine and as free as the birds. ButI must tell you something more: I can't rest content unless I do. Theletter I posted to-day wasn't to papa, I sent it to Howard Elting, inBranton, and it isn't the first I've written him, either. I didn't lieabout the other one, Miss Preston; I was ready to mail it, but lost it; Idon't know how. Somebody must have found it and posted it, for he got itand answered it, and I was so puzzled over it that I wrote again. That wasthe letter you saw me post. Now, that is the truth, and I know that youbelieve me. "

Toinette had spoken very rapidly, scarcely pausing for breath, and whenshe finished gave a relieved little sigh and looked Miss Preston squarelyin the eyes. Truly, her self-respect was regained. 

Will some of my readers say: "What a tempest in a teapot?" To many thismay seem a very trivial affair, but how small a thing can influence ourlives! A breath, the passing of a summer shower, may help or hinder planswhich alter our entire lives. And Miss Preston was wise enough tounderstand it. Here was a beautiful soul given for a time into herkeeping. Now, at the period of its keenest receptive powers, a delicateand sensitive thing needing very gentle handling. 

Stroking the head again resting upon her shoulder, as though it had founda safe and happy haven after having been tossed about upon a troubled sea, she said, quietly:

"I posted the letter, dear; I found it in the hall where it had beendropped; it never occurred to me that there was any cause for concealment;the girls all correspond with their friends; it is an understood thing. Irecognized your writing, and, as I had friends at Branton, I wrote to askif they knew the person written to. They replied that they did, and toldme who he was. Knowing how few friends you have, I wrote to this boyasking him to come to our dance to-morrow night, because I thought thelittle surprise might give you pleasure, and you would be glad to welcomean old friend. Does it please you, my little girl?"

"Oh, Miss Preston!" was all Toinette said, but those three words meant agreat deal. 

The dressing-bell now rang, and Toinette sprang up with rather a dismayedlook. As though she interpreted it, Miss Preston said:

"You are in no condition to meet the other girls to-night, dear. Theycannot understand your feelings, and, without meaning to be unkind orcurious, would ask questions which it would embarrass you to answer. Youare nervous and unstrung, so lie down on my couch and I will see that yourdinner is brought up. I shall say to the other girls that you are notfeeling well, and that it would be better not to disturb you. " Then, goinginto her bedroom, Miss Preston quickly made her own toilet. She had justfinished it when the chimes called all to dinner, and, stooping overToinette, she kissed her softly and slipped from the room. 

Some very serious thoughts passed through Toinette's head during theensuing fifteen minutes, and some resolutions were formed which were heldto as long as she lived. 

A tap at the door, and a maid entered with a dainty dinner. Placing alittle stand close to the couch, she put the tray upon it, and then asked:"Can I do anything more for you, Miss Toinette?"

"No, thank you, Helma. This is very tempting. "

When Miss Preston came to her room an hour later she found the tray quiteempty, and Toinette fast asleep. Arranging the couch pillows morecomfortably, and throwing a warm puff over the sleeping girl, shewhispered, softly: "Poor little maid, your battle with Apollyon was shortand sharp, but, thank God, you've conquered, even at the expense of anexhausted mind and weary body. "

It was nearly midnight when Toinette opened her eyes to see Miss Prestonwarmly wrapped in her dressing-gown, and seated before the fire reading. The lamp was carefully screened from Toinette, who could not at firstrealize what had happened, or why she was there, but Miss Preston's voicerecalled her to herself. 

"Do you feel rested, dear?" she asked. "Don't try to go to your room; justundress and cuddle down in my bed with me to-night; I've brought in yournight-dress. "

Toinette did not answer, but, walking over to Miss Preston, just restedher cheek against hers for a moment. Twenty minutes later she was fastasleep in her good friend's bed. 

The following day all was bustle and excitement at Sunny Bank, for greatpreparations were being made for the dance in the evening, andunderstanding how much pleasure it gave the girls to feel that they wereof some assistance, she let them fly about like so many grigs, helping orhindering, as it happened. 

They brought down all the pretty trifles from their rooms, piled up sofapillows till the couches resembled a Turk's palace; arranged the flowers, and rearranged them, till poor Miss Preston began to fear that there wouldbe nothing left of them. However, it was an exceedingly attractive housewhich was thrown open to her guests at eight o'clock that evening, and thegirls had had no small share in making it so. 

A very complete understanding seemed to exist between Toinette and MissPreston now, for, although no words were spoken, none were needed; just anexchange of glances told that two hearts were very happy that night, forlove and confidence had come to dwell within them. 

CHAPTER XX

"NOW TREAD WE A MEASURE. "

Shall we ever grow too old to recall the pleasure of our school dances?Then lights seem brighter, toilets more ravishing, music sweeter, ourpartners more fascinating, and the supper more tempting than ever beforeor after. 

The house was brilliantly lighted from top to bottom, excepting in suchcosy corners as were specially conducive to confidential chats, and inthese softly shaded lamps cast a fairy-like light. 

Miss Preston, dressed in black velvet, with some rich old lace to enhanceits charms, received her guests in the great hall, some of the older girlsreceiving with her. 

There were ten or more girls who were taking special courses, and thesewere styled "parlor boarders, " and at the end of the school term wouldenter society. Consequently, this dance was looked upon as a preliminarystep for the one to follow, and the girls regarded it as a sort of "goldenmile-stone" in their lives, which marked off the point at which "the brookand river meet. "

A prettier, happier lot of girls could hardly have been found, and nonelooked lovelier, or happier, than Toinette. Her dress, a soft, creamywhite chiffon, admirably suited to her golden coloring, had been sent toher by her father, whose taste was unerring. No matter how many miles ofthis big globe divided them, he never forgot her needs, and, if unable tosupply them himself, took good care that some one else should do so. Sothe dress had arrived the night before, and Miss Preston had been able togive her another pleasant surprise for the dance. And now she looked asthe lilies of the field for fairness. 

She was whirling away upon her partner's arm, when, chancing to glancetoward the door, she beheld something which brought her to an abruptstand-still, much to her partner's amazement. Miss Preston stood in thedoorway, and, standing beside her, with one hand resting lightly upon hiship and the other raised a little above his head, and resting against thedoor-casing, stood a tall, remarkably handsome man. His attitude wasunstudied, but brought out to perfection the fine lines of his figure. 

Hastily exclaiming: "Oh, please, excuse me, or else come with me, "Toinette glided between the whirling figures, and, forgetful of all else, cried out in a joyous voice: "Papa, papa Clayton, where _did_ you comefrom?"

It was so like the childish voice he had loved to hear so long ago, thathe started with pleasure. 

During the brief holiday Toinette had spent with him he had missed thespontaneity he had known in the little child, and, without being able toanalyze it, felt that something was wanting in the girl. She had beensweet and winning, yet under it all had been a manner quiteincomprehensible to him, as though she did not feel quite sure of herposition in his affections. Her laugh had lacked the true girlish ring, and her conversation with him seemed guarded, as though she had neverquite spoken all her thoughts. 

He had been immeasurably distressed by it, for he could not understand thecause, and bitterly reproached himself for not being better acquaintedwith his own child. In the merry girl who now stood before him, her eyesshining, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her voice so joyous, he sawno trace of the listless one he had placed in Miss Preston's charge twomonths before. 

Slipping one arm about her, he snuggled her close to his side, as heanswered:

"A blue-coated biped left a good, substantial hint at my office not longsince, and this is what came of following it. "

"_You_ did it! I'm sure of it, " laughed Toinette, shaking her finger atMiss Preston, as the latter said: "I leave you to a livelier entertainer, now, Mr. Reeve, while I go to look after some of my guests who may not beso fortunately situated, " and she slipped away, Toinette calling afterher: "You are responsible for most of the nice things which happen here. Oh, daddy, " dropping unconsciously into the old childish pet name, "I'vesuch stacks of things to tell you. But, excuse me just one second, while Ifind a partner for that boy I've left stranded high and dry over there;doesn't he look miserable? Then I'll come back, " and, kissing her handgaily, she ran off. Returning a moment or two later, she said:

"There! he's all fixed, and is sure to have a good time with Ethel andLou; they're not a team, but a four-in-hand. Now, come and have a dancewith me, and then we'll go off all by ourselves and have the cosiest timeyou ever dreamed of. I feel so proud to have you all to myself, " sheadded, as they glided away to the soft strains of the music, "so sort ofgrown-up and grand with such a handsome partner. "

"Hear! hear! Do you want to make me vain? I haven't been accustomed tohearing such barefaced compliments. They make me blush. "

"I really believe they _do_, " answered Toinette, throwing back her head toget a better look at him, and laughing softly when she saw a slight flushupon his face. "Never mind, it is all in the family, you know. "

"Perhaps I have other reasons for feeling a trifle elated, " he said, asthe dance came to an end and he followed Toinette to one of the cozycorners. Springing up among the cushions, she patted them invitingly, andsaid:

"Come, sit down here beside me, and let me tell you all about theloveliest time of my life. Oh, daddy, I _do_ so love to be here, and youdon't know how good Miss Preston is to me. She is good to us all, but, somehow the other girls don't seem to need so much setting straight as _I_have. I think I must have been all kinked up in little hard knots before Icame here, and Miss Preston has begun to untie them. She hasn't got alluntied yet, but I feel so sort of loosened up and easy that everythingseems lots more comfortable. "

[Illustration: "I FEEL SO SORT OF GROWN UP AND GRAND. "]

Clayton Reeve did not smile at Toinette's odd way of explaining herfeelings. He knew it to be a fourteen-year-old girl who spoke, and thather thoughts, to be natural, must be put into her own words. 

On she rambled, telling one thing after another, and, while they weretalking, Helen Burgess stopped near their snuggery. It was too dimlylighted for her to discover them, and the next thing they knew they wereunwitting eavesdroppers, for Helen was talking very earnestly to one ofher boon companions, a day-pupil at the school, and one of the brightestin it, but, like Helen, not embarrassed with riches. For some time thegirls had been saving their small allowances toward the purchase ofcameras, but so slowly did the sums accumulate that it was ratherdiscouraging for them. They were now talking about their respective waysof procuring the sums of money needed, and the trifle they had managed tosave, and the small amounts they earned in one way or another, to augmentthe original sums, seemed so paltry to Toinette, who never stopped to askwhence came the five-dollar bills so regularly sent her each week, andwho, had a fancy entered her head for one, would have walked out andbought a camera very much as she would have bought a paper of pins. 

CHAPTER XXI

CONSPIRATORS

Mr. Reeve would have risen from his snug corner and discovered himself tothe girls, but Toinette laid her finger upon her lips to enjoin silence, and, although he could not quite understand her desire to playeavesdropper, he complied. From the subject of the cameras the girls wenton to Helen's work in the art class, for Jean was much interested in thatalso, and they often built air-castles about the wonderful things theywould do when that fabulous "stone ship" should sail safely into port. They talked earnestly for girls of thirteen and fifteen, and Mr. Reevecould not fail to be impressed by the strength of purpose they seemed topossess, and, having a good bit of stick-to-ativeness himself, admired itin others. Moreover, he had been forced to make his own way in life whenyoung, and could sympathize with other aspiring souls. 

Presently the two girls moved away, and then Toinette whispered: "I don'tknow what you think of me for making you play 'Paul Pry, ' but I had areason for it, and now I'll tell you what it was. "

"I inferred as much, so kept mum. "

"Well, you see, since I've been here I've waked up a little, and, somehow, have begun to think about other people, and wonder if they were happy. AtMiss Carter's school everybody just seemed to think about themselves, or, if they thought of anybody else, it was generally to wonder how they couldget ahead of them in some way. But here it is all so different, andeverybody seems to try to find out what they can do to make someone elsehappy. I can't begin to tell you how it is done, because I don't knowmyself; only it _is_, and it makes you feel sort of happy all over, " saidToinette, trying to put into words that subtle something which makes usfeel at peace with all mankind, and little realizing that its cause layright within herself; for a sense of having done one's very best and aclear conscience are wonderful rosy spectacles through which to see life. 

"Go on, I'm keenly interested, and these little confidences are verydelightful, " said her father, with an encouraging nod and smile. 

"So I began to want to do little things, too, and, do you know, daddy, you'd be really surprised if you knew what a lot of ways there are ofmaking the girls happy if you only take the trouble to look for them. Forinstance, there is Helen Burgess, the larger of the girls you saw justnow: we have become real good friends, and she is very clever, and drawsbeautifully. But she has so little to do with that she can't afford to getthe things the other girls have to work with, nor have the advantages theyhave. She and Jean have been trying ever so long to get cameras, for theythink that they could take pretty views of Montcliff and sell them to thepeople who come here in the summer, and I'm sure they could, too. It doesnot make so much difference to Jean, for, although she isn't rich, sheisn't exactly poor, either, you know, and has a good many nice things, butHelen never seems to have any. So I thought I'd have a little talk withyou and get you to send out a cute little camera for each of them andnever let them know where they came from. Wouldn't that be great fun? ButI want to pay for them. You can use ten dollars of my money, and not sendme my allowance for two weeks; I've got enough to last. "

"And what will my poverty-stricken lassie do meantime?" asked Mr. Reeve. 

"Oh, she is not so poverty-stricken as you think, " laughed Toinette. "Shewon't suffer. And then I wanted to ask you if there wasn't some way ofhelping Helen in her art work. She wants so much to go abroad with MissPreston, but has no more idea of ever being able to do so than she has ofgoing to the moon. What would it cost, papa? Isn't there some way ofbringing it about? Couldn't you have a talk with Miss Preston and find outall about it, and then we could plan something, maybe. "

Toinette had become very earnest as she talked, and was now leaning towardher father, her hands clasped in her lap, and her expressive face alivewith enthusiasm. 

Mr. Reeve hated to spoil the pretty picture, but said, in the interestedtone so comforting when used by older people in speaking to young folk: "Iam sure we can evolve some plan. I shall be very glad to speak to MissPreston before I return to the city, and haven't the slightest doubt thatgreat things will come of it. "

"How lovely! You're just a darling! I'm going to hug you right here behindthe curtains!" cried Toinette, as she sprung up and clasped her arms abouthis neck. 

"Haven't you one or two more favors you'd like to ask?" said Mr. Reeve, suggestively. 

"No, not another one, just now, " she answered, laughing softly. "Too manymight turn your head, and mine, too. But it is so good to have you homeonce more. You don't know how lonely I've been without you, daddy. Therewasn't anyone in the world who cared two straws for me till you came backand I came here. But I've got you now, and I'm not going to let you govery soon again, I can tell you. You are too precious, and we are going tohave lovely times together by-and-by when I grow up, aren't we?"

"We are not going to wait till then, sweetheart; we are going to beginright off, this very minute. I can't afford to waste any more precioustime; too much has been wasted already, " he said, as he raised the prettyface and kissed it, and then, drawing her arm through his, added: "Now letme do the honors. Introduce me to your friends, and let me see if sevenyears' knocking about this old world has made me forget the 'Quips, andCranks, and Wanton Wiles, Nods, and Becks, and Wreathed Smiles' I used toknow. "

They left the snuggery, and, blissfully conscious of her honors, Toinettepresented her father to the girls. Just how proud they were of the markedattention he showed to each I'll leave it to some other girls to guess. Hedanced with them, took them to supper, sought out the greatest delicaciesfor them, and played the gallant as though he were but twenty instead offorty-two. "He treated us just as though we were the big girls, " theysaid, when holding forth upon the subject the next day. 

Twelve o'clock came all too soon. 

Mr. Reeve remained over night, and the following day found an opportunityto have a long talk with Miss Preston--a talk which afforded him greatsatisfaction for many reasons. 

Toinette, with several of the other girls, escorted him to the train, andgave him a most enthusiastic "send-off. "

In the course of a few days a package was delivered at the school. Hadbomb-shells been dropped there they could hardly have created moreexcitement. Jean's house was only a few blocks from the school, and oneSaturday morning--for the cameras were obliging enough to choose that dayto appear--Mrs. Rockwood's sitting-room was the scene of the wildestexcitement. 

CHAPTER XXII

"WE'VE GOT 'EM! WE'VE GOT 'EM!"

Mrs. Rockwood was in her sitting-room one morning. It was Saturday, and aday of liberty for Jean. She had gone over to the school to spend a fewhours with Helen, and Mrs. Lockwood did not expect her home untillunch-time, but, happening to glance from her window about ten o'clock, what was her surprise to see two figures approaching, one with a series ofbounds, prances and jumps, which indicated a wildly hilarious andsatisfied frame of mind in Jean, and the other with a subdued hop andskip, and then a sedate walk, which, although less demonstrative, wasquite as indicative of a very deep and serene happiness to any onefamiliar with Helen. 

A moment later the front door slammed, and two pairs of feet came tearingup the stairs as though pursued by Boer cavalry, and two eager voicescried:

"We've got 'em! We've got 'em! We've got 'em!" and both girls came tearinginto the room to cast themselves and two very suggestive looking parcelsupon Mrs. Rockwood. 

"What in this world has happened?" she asked, in amazement, for both girlswere breathless, and could only point at the parcels in her lap and say:"Open them! Open them, quick!"

Mrs. Rockwood was a woman who entered heart and soul into her daughter'spleasures, and nothing was ever quite right in Jean's eyes unless hermother shared it. Every little plan must be talked over with her, and itwas pretty sure not to suffer any from one of her suggestions. Helen spenta great deal of time with Jean and was devoted to Mrs. Rockwood. Consequently, when the cameras arrived at the school that morning, andthey found out that there was really no mistake, but that they werecertainly intended for the persons whose names were so plainly writtenupon the boxes, and sent in Miss Preston's care, they could hardly wait toget over to Jean's house to show their treasures to her mother. Many hadbeen the surmises as to whom had sent such beauties, but Toinette kept aperfectly sober face, and no one suspected the secret. 

Carefully removing the wrappings, Mrs. Rockwood brought the contents ofthe boxes to view. She was as much surprised as the girls, and exclaimed:"Why, who could have sent them to you, and how did anyone learn that youwere so anxious to have them? Such beauties, too!"

"That is the funniest part of it all, for we never told a soul, and didn'tmean to till we had them, and now here they are. I believe St. Nick musthave heard us wishing for them, " said Helen. 

"And to _both_ of us, and just _alike_! Think of it! Oh, moddie, isn't itlovely?" and Jean threw her arms about her mother's neck by way of givingvent to her feelings. 

"I'm as delighted as you and Helen are, dear, only I wish we might learnwho our benefactor is. "

"Yes, isn't it too bad. Well, it may crop out later. I thought first itmust be Miss Preston, but she said that she did not know any more about itthan we did, " said Helen. 

"Now, when may we take our pictures, and what shall we take?" cried Jean. 

"You suggest something, Mrs. Rockwood; it will be nicer if you do it, "said Helen, dropping down upon her knees beside Mrs. Rockwood, and placingher arm around her friend's waist. 

Mrs. Rockwood drew her close to her side as she replied:

"Let me examine these treasures which have arrived so mysteriously, readthe directions concerning them, and then we'll see what we'll see, " andshe began to read: "Take the camera into a perfectly dark closet, where noray of light can penetrate (even covering the keyhole), and then placewithin it one of the sensitive plates, being careful not to expose theunused plates. Your camera is now ready to take the picture, etc. " "Thatis all very simple, I'm sure, and if the taking proves as simple as arethe directions you need have little apprehension of failure. But yourdirections add very explicitly that you must _not_ attempt to take apicture unless the day is sunny. So I fear those conditions preclude thepossibility of your taking any upon this cloudy day, and you will have topossess your souls in peace till 'Old Sol' favors you. "

"Oh, dear, isn't that too bad! I thought we could take some right off. Don't you think we might at least try, mamma?"

"I fear they would prove failures; better wait a more favorable light. "

As though to tantalize frail humanity, "Old Sol" remained very exclusiveall day, and, even though Helen remained till evening in the hope that hewould overcome his fit of sulks, nothing of the kind happened, and she wasforced to go back to the school without one. 

"Just wait till Monday, and we'll do wonders; see if we don't, " said Jean, as she bade her farewell, little dreaming what wonders she was destined todo with her magical box ere the sun set Monday night. 

"I'll ask Miss Preston to let me come over at four o'clock on Monday, andthen we'll go out in the little dell and get a lovely picture. You knowthe place I mean: where that old clump of fir-trees stands by the ruinedwall, " said artistic Helen. 

But when Monday arrived unforeseen difficulties arose for Jean. The daywas the sunniest ever known, and, while waiting for Helen to come, she gotout the precious camera to set the plates. 

"Why, mamma, there isn't a dark closet in the whole house; not a singleone, " cried Jean, coming into her mother's room as she was dressing to goout on Monday afternoon. "Now, where in this world am I to open myplate-box, I'd like to know?"

Mrs. Rockwood laughed as she turned toward Jean, whose face was thepicture of dismay. "True enough, there isn't. Now, who would have supposedthat the architect who designed this house, and put a window in everycloset, could have been so short-sighted as not to anticipate such a needas the present one?"

"But what am I to do?" desperately. 

"Try putting a dark covering over the windows. "

"I have, but it's just no use, for I can't get it pitch dark to save me. "

"And to think that barely forty-eight hours ago I was congratulatingmyself that every closet in the house could be properly aired. Alas! howdo our recent acquisitions alter our views?"

"Now, moddie, don't laugh, but stop teasing me, and just think as hard asever you can _how_ I am to find a dark place. "

Mrs. Rockwood thought for a few moments, and then said:

"I have it! Mary's pot-closet, under the back stairs; that is as dark as apocket, I'm sure. "

"There! I knew you'd find a way; you always do. Just the very place, andnow I'm going straight down to fix it. Good-bye, " and, kissing her mother, away she flew. 

CHAPTER XXIII

A CAMERA'S CAPERS. 

"Mary!" cried Jean, as she bounced into the kitchen, where the maid, atypical "child of Erin, " who worshipped the very ground Jean trod upon, stood at the sink paring her "taties" for the evening meal, "see my newcamera; I'm going to take a picture with it, and I've got to go into yourpot-closet to fix the plates. "

"A picter, is it? And will ye be afther takin' a picter wid that schmallbit av a black box? How do ye do it at all, I do' know. "

"Oh, I go into a dark closet and put a gelatine plate in the box, and thenI go outdoors and take my picture. "

"A gilitin plate, is it? Thin, faith, ye'll take ne'er a picter this day, for Oi'm jist afther usin' the last schrap av gilitin in the house to makethe wine jilly fer the dinner. "

"I don't mean _that_ kind of gelatine; the kind I use is already preparedon little plates in this box, and I have to go in the dark closet to fixthem. "

"Faith, I'd fix thim out here, thin, where ye can see what ye're about. It's dungeon dhark in the pot-closet. "

"That is exactly what I want, and, _please_, don't come near it, or openthe door while I'm in there, will you?"

"No, no; I'll not come near ye. The minute I've done me taties it's downin the laundry Oi'm goin', an' Oi'll not bother ye at all; but here, takethis schmall, little candle wid ye whan ye go in, fer it's that dharkye'll not see yer hand forninst ye, " and she caught up a candle from theshelf. 

"No, no! I don't _want_ any light; the darker it is the better. "

"It's crackin' yer head aff ye'll be. "

"No, I sha'n't, " said Jean, as she whisked into the closet and drew thedoor together just as Mary started down the back stairs to the laundry. 

Had the closet been designed for an eel-pot it would have proved the mostcomplete success, for getting into it was a very simple matter, whereas, getting _out_ required considerable ingenuity. Absorbed in the one idea ofgetting the plates placed in the camera, Jean entirely forgot thepeculiarities of the fastening upon the door. As she slammed it togetherevery ray of light vanished, and she was instantly enveloped in anEgyptian darkness. Carefully opening her box, she drew from it one of theplates, touched it with her fingers to find which side was coated with thegelatine preparation, placed it in the camera and turned to leave thecloset. 

"Now, I'll have a picture in just about two jiffs, " she said, and pushedagainst the door. To her surprise, it did not open. Another push, with thesame result. It then dawned upon her that the spring-bolt had fastenedupon the outer side. Feeling carefully about in the pitch darkness, shelaid her things upon the shelf and tried to find a way of getting out. But, push, shake and rattle as she might, it was useless; the doorremained tightly fastened. 

"Mary, " she called, "come and let me out, please. "

No response. 

"M-a-r-y! I'm locked in; come let me out!"

"What in the whorld is the matter wid ye?" came from the foot of thestairs. 

"I'm locked _in_ and can't get out; come and open the door!"

"Och, worra! Don't be callin' to me not to _open_ the door; didn't Oi tellye Oi wouldn't come near ye, and Oi _won't_. It's goin' down to the bharnOi am, and ye needn't be for worritin', at all, at all, " and recedingfootsteps proved Mary's words only too true. 

"Now, I'm in a pretty fix, am I not? Like enough she won't come back fortwenty minutes, and here I've got to stay. Plague take the old bolt!"

What imp of mischief made Mary return to the laundry by the cellar-door, take up her basket of freshly laundered clothes, and, after carrying themup to Mrs. Rockwood's bedroom, go on to her own in the third story todress for the afternoon, must forever remain a mystery. But this she did, and, as Jean heard her go up the back stairs, beneath which she wassecurely fastened in the pot-closet, she thumped and pounded with renewedenergy. But the only response was:

"No, no; not for the whorld, darlint, would Oi disthurbe ye and spoil yerpurty picter. "

About an hour later Mrs. Rockwood, returning from her call, met Helen uponthe front piazza. 

"Has Jean got everything ready to take the pictures?" she asked, eagerly. "It is such a perfect day for it, and I am so anxious that I can hardlywait. It seems too good to be true that we have really got cameras atlast, doesn't it?"

"It seems as though the fairies must have been aware of your great desireto have them, and so took matters into their own hands, " replied Mrs. Rockwood, as she unfastened the front door with her latch-key and held itopen for Helen to enter. 

As they entered the hall they were greeted with a series of muffled thumpsand bangs. 

"I _do_ wish Mary would remember what I have so often told her aboutbreaking her kindling upon the cellar floor, " she exclaimed. 

Rattle, rattle! Bang, bang! and then a crash as though the roof werefalling. 

"What under the sun can be the matter!" exclaimed Mrs. Rockwood. 

Just then Mary appeared at the head of the stairs. 

"Why, Mary, what is all this noise?"

"Shure, it was comin' down mesilf Oi was to see. Saints presarve us, canthere be thieves in the house, Oi do' know!"

"Rather noisy thieves, I should think. Where is Miss Jean?"

"Out in the fields beyant, wid her bit av a camela takin' her picter, Oi'mthinkin'. 'Twas there she said she'd be goin' afther she came out of thepot-closet--saints have mercy! Could she _git_ out at all, at all?" andMary tore down the stairs, with Mrs. Rockwood and Helen close at herheels. She reached the closet, flung open the door, and beheld aspectacle. Seated on the floor, in the midst of a scattered array of pots, kettles and frying-pans, her box of plates upset, her precious camera inher lap, and blissfully unconscious that the slide was open, sat Jean, avery picture of despair. 

"Mighty man! And have ye been in here all this toim, an' not to besmothered dead!" cried Mary. 

"How could I be anywhere _else_, I'd like to know?" said Jean, indignantly. "I called and _called_, but I couldn't get you to let meout, " and, bouncing up, she scrabbled the plates back into their box, thencaught up the camera to see if all was as it should be with that. As shejumped up the slide closed, and, quite unaware that it had ever been open, she announced to her nearly convulsed audience:

"Well, I'm _out_ at last, and now I hope I can take a picture; come on, Helen, " little dreaming that the treacherous sunlight, which flashedthrough the hall window and straight into the pot-closet, had alreadyprinted a most perfect one on the plate. 

A few moments later both she and Helen were out in the fields back of thehouse, and had snapped charming little scenes. 

Bemoaning her unintentional trick, Mary went back to her work, while Mrs. Rockwood went up to her room to laugh heartily over the mishap, neversuspecting that the funniest part would appear in the sequel. 

A half hour later the girls came flying into her room to say, excitedly:

[Illustration: "AN' HAVE YE BEEN IN THERE ALL THIS TIME?"]

"We've taken them! We've taken them!"

"And I know they will be just lovely, for the sun shone right on the treesand the ruins. How I wish we could develop them; don't you, Helen?"

"Yes, I'd like to know how, and, now that I have the camera, I shall get adeveloping outfit and learn; but let's take these right over to Charlton'sand have him develop them for us. "

They started for the village to leave the plates to be developed, andwaited with what patience they could for the following day, when thephotographer promised to send them the proofs. 

They came, and one at least was truly a marvel. 

In the foreground of Jean's was a pretty clump of fir-trees growing besidean old ruined stone wall, under which nestled a bunch of dry goldenrod. But the background! Did ever the maddest artist's brain conceive of such?Clear and distinct, where sky should have been, stood--a frying-pan!

CHAPTER XXIV

WHISPERS

March, with its winds and storms, slipped away as though glad to whisksuch trying days off the calendar, and, ere the girls realized it, Eastervacation was upon them, and capricious April was playing the schoolgirlherself, with one day a smile and the next a frown. But, like theschoolgirl, her smiles were all the sunnier for the frowns. 

It must indeed be a dull, prosy old heart which cannot respond to the softbeauty of early spring, and want to frisk and frolic for very sympathywith all the new life springing into existence all about it. And therewere no dull or prosy ones at Sunny Bank. 

For some time the girls had known that this would be Miss Howard's lastyear with them; but now little whispers began to fly about, as littlewhispers have a trick of doing, that Miss Howard was about to enteranother school, where she would be pupil instead of teacher, and therelearn the sweetest lesson ever taught on this big earth--a lesson whichsays, "Not mine and thine, but ours, for ours is mine and thine;" and, while they rejoiced in her happiness, they were nearly inconsolable at thethought of losing her, for she had filled a very beautiful place in theirlives--far more beautiful than they suspected. It was always Miss Howardwho entered into all their little plans and pleasures, participated intheir joys, and sympathized with their sorrows. 

She was little more than a girl herself, yet possessed the strength ofcharacter sometimes wanting in a much older person, and by it set abeautiful example for her girls to follow. And they followed itunconsciously to themselves and to her, for never was there a more modestlittle body than Miss Howard, and had anyone hinted that she was a mightybalance-wheel to her fly-away girls, a source of encouragement to hertimid ones, an inspiration to her ambitious ones, and an object of verysincere affection to all, she would probably have been the most surprisedperson in the school. Yet such was undoubtedly the fact, and it would havebeen a very wrong-headed girl, indeed, who was not ready to yield to herinfluence. 

"If I felt criss-cross with all the world, I believe I'd have to smileback when Miss Howard smiled at me, " said Toinette, shortly after shebecame a pupil in the school. "Her eyes are just as soft as the littleAlderney bossie's, and her lips look sort of grieved if the girls lookcross. "

And so the whispers grew louder and louder till just after the Easterholidays were over, and then all who loved her best learned that early inJune wedding bells would ring and a very bonny bride would step forth fromSunny Bank, with several bonny bridesmaids leading the way, and one maidof honor to scatter the posies which were to be symbolical, as all hoped, of her future pathway through life. 

And then arose the all-important question as to whom Miss Howard wouldchoose for that great honor, and excitement ran high. 

All the girls had a strong suspicion that it would be Toinette, although, to do her justice, Toinette herself did not suspect it. Still, Miss Howardhad taken a keen interest in the girl ever since she entered the school, and felt strongly drawn toward her, being quick to see her good qualities, and to understand that the undesirable ones were very largely the resultof unfortunate circumstances. So she had striven in her sweet and graciousway to help Toinette without words, and had been a strong support to MissPreston. 

As the warm spring days made wood and field to blossom, the girls spent agreat deal of their time out of doors. Sunny Bank's grounds were verybeautiful, and the adjacent field and woodland very enticing at thatseason. Basket-ball was a favorite source of amusement, and the lawndevoted to it as soft and smooth as velvet. So nearly every afternoon theteam could be seen bounding about like so many marionettes, and iftouseled hair and demoralized attire resulted, what did it matter? Rosycheeks and ravenous appetites were excellent compensations. 

It was the fifteenth of April, and Toinette's birthday. Many a climb hadthe expressman's horse taken up the long hill leading to Sunny Bank thatmorning, for, if Toinette had but few friends, she certainly had a verygenerous father, who meant that she should have her full share of birthdayremembrances, and they kept coming thick and fast all day. With each camea funny note to say that he was sending still another package because hedid not want her to have all her surprises in a lump; they would seem somuch more if coming in installments. So they kept coming all day long, andby four o'clock her room looked like a fancy bazaar. Last of all to arrivewas a large box upon which was printed in flaring scarlet letters: "Not tobe opened till it is ten A. M. In _Bombay_. "

The box stood in the hall when Miss Preston passed through the hall todinner, and, unless suddenly stricken with ophthalmy, she could not failto see the flaring notice. "Ah, " she said, softly, to herself, "you have atriple mission, you inanimate bit of the carpenter's skill: first, toteach my girls a lesson in longitude and time, second, to mutely ask mypermission for a frolic to-night, and, third, to suggest that whenbirthdays arrive it would be a most auspicious time for the "C. C. C. 's"to hold their revels, and that Diogenes' tub, if not himself, would bewelcome, so I had better act upon the hint and contribute my share. Thankyou, sir, " and, with a funny little nod to the box, she went on to thedining-room. 

"What is the joke, Miss Preston?" asked Cicely, as Miss Preston took herseat. 

"Do you think I'm going to spoil it by revealing it so soon? No, indeed, "and she laughed softly. 

When dinner was ended the girls flocked around the box and curiosity ranriot. "What does that mean, Miss Preston? Do tell us. "

"I have other matters of such importance on hand that I must deputize MissHoward to unravel the mystery for you, " she said, as she slipped away tothe upper hall where the telephone was placed, and a moment later thegirls heard the bell jingle and a funny, one-sided conversation followed. "Hello, Central! 1305. Is this 1305? Send me the usual order. Yes, fourkinds. Eight. Well packed. Be prompt. "

The porter carried the big box to Toinette's room and removed the lid forher. Such an array! I'm not going to attempt to tell about it, but shalllet every girl who has ever attended a chum's birthday feast mention thearticles of which that feast consisted, and then, after combining theentire list, they can form some idea of the contents of Toinette's box. 

"Fly, Cicely, and hunt up every C. C. C. , and a dozen besides! We cannever dispose of such a cartload of stuff in a week if we don't have theentire school to help us, " cried Toinette, as she lifted one thing afteranother from the box. 

There is a saying that "Ill news flies fast, " but, in my humble opinion, it is as a stage-coach beside the Empire State Express when compared tothe fleetness of good news. So it did not take long to start this bit likean electric fluid through the school, and what sort of "Free Masonry"filled in details so successfully I know not. 

CHAPTER XXV

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THIS TIME OF NIGHT?"

It so happened that of the ten resident teachers but three were at homethat evening; the others having joined a theatre party going to town, andit would be midnight before they returned. 

Those at home were Miss Preston, Miss Howard, and, unfortunately, Mrs. Stone. Of the first two mentioned the girls felt small apprehension, forthey understood them pretty thoroughly, but Mrs. Stone was an obstacle notso easily surmounted, and it seemed to them that she was never moreubiquitous. 

At nine-thirty Miss Preston had bade all good-night in an unusuallysolicitous manner, wishing each happy dreams. Miss Howard had also retiredto her room promptly at the stroke of the clock, and everything workedmost auspiciously excepting the tucking away of Mother Stone, and shepositively refused to be tucked, but kept prowling about like a lostspirit, till Ruth said, in desperation: "If she doesn't get settled downpretty soon I'll do something desperate; see if I don't. "

From room to room she went, popping her head in at one to ask if there wasanything she could do for this girl, listening at the next door for soundsof insomnia, creeping stealthily on through the corridors to learn if anygirl who ought to be en route for Sleepy Town had by chance missed herway. 

She had made her way as far as the lower end of the hall, where on oneside the stairs leading to the third story joined it, and on the other adoor opened into the bath-room, when a rustle at the head of the stairscaused her to glance quickly in that direction; but it was too dark forher to see anything at the top of them. She paused to listen, and hersharp ears detected the sound again. That was sufficient. Up she flew andcame plump upon Lou Cornwall, who had not had time to fly. Lou was stoutand did not move quickly, and was fair prey for Mrs. Stone, who was asthin as a match, and managed to glide about like a wraith. 

Lou was arrayed in her bath-robe, and had her cap and mask in her hand. Quickly concealing them behind her lest Mrs. Stone's sharp eyes shoulddiscover them even in the dark, she stood stock still waitingdevelopments. Mrs. Stone stooped from her towering height of five feetnine to peer into the face of the plump little figure huddled in thecorner. "How you startled me, " she said. "Why are you standing here wheneveryone else is in bed, and what are you doing up this time of night?"

"I had to get up, Mrs. Stone. "

"Why, may I enquire?"

"I am going to the bath-room. "

"Then, why in the world don't you _go_ and not stand huddled up here asthough you were bent on some mischief? It is no wonder that we suspect youwhen you take such extraordinary ways of doing perfectly simple things. Goon at once, and, if you have been hesitating because you are timid, I'llwait here till you return, " and down she planted herself upon the top stepto mount guard. 

Groaning inwardly, away went Lou, muttering: "If I don't keep you perchedthere till you nearly freeze, my name isn't Lou Cornwall!"

And keep her she did, till Mrs. Stone had another trouble added to hermany, for she began to fear that Lou had been taken ill, and went to thebath-room door to speak to her. Finding that she could not hold out anylonger, out she came, and, after receiving some very emphatic admonitionsfrom Mrs. Stone, crept away to her room disgusted with herself, the worldat large, and Mrs. Stone in particular. 

Meantime, the other girls began to suspect that Lou had fallen intoambush, and sent out a scout to reconnoiter, and it was not many secondsbefore the scout came scuttling back with the alarming information thatthe enemy was close at hand; in fact, that she was even now coming uponthem in force, for, when Mother Stone found that Lou did not come from thebath-room as promptly as she thought she should, all her suspicions wereinstantly aroused, and she was keen to make discoveries. 

The girls had planned to meet in Toinette's room, and creep from there tothe old laundry as soon as all were assembled. About a dozen were alreadythere, but, when the scout returned with such dire tidings, they decidedthat discretion was the better part of valor, and all made haste to getback to their rooms ere the enemy appeared. But, alack-a-day! that enemycould flit about in a surprisingly lively manner, and, ere some of themhad reached safety behind their own doors, she came in view. To get totheir rooms now was out of the question, so, making a virtue of necessity, they all slipped into a large closet used by the housemaids for theirbrooms, etc. 

Whether it was from a wholesome fear that Miss Preston would be very aptto criticize a too pronounced vigilance that Mrs. Stone refrained fromopening the girls' doors, but contented herself with simply listening, Icannot say, but if she heard no sound within she always passed on and leftthem to their innocent (?) slumbers. So on she went from one room toanother, but, luckily, the alarm had gone before, and at each roomdarkness and profound silence prevailed. Satisfied that "all was well, "she murmured something about, "It is always well to be upon the alert, foronce the girls understand that someone is sure to detect the first signsof mischief, they are far less liable to carry it to excess, " she set offfor her own room. In passing by the housemaid's door she saw that it wasnot tightly closed and locked, as was the custom at night, and, with ajoyous chuckle at her own astuteness, she pounced upon it, locked thedoor, and withdrawing the key sailed triumphantly to her room, where, serene in her sense of well-doing, she fell as sound asleep as her naturepermitted. 

Meantime, how fared it with the mice in the trap? When the key was turnedin the door, and they were made prisoners, nothing but the pitch darknesswhich enveloped them as a garment prevented each girl's face from plainlyannouncing to her neighbor: "Here is a pretty kettle of fish!" There werefive in the closet: Ruth, Edith, Pauline, May and Marie. Luckily, aresourceful party. When all sound from the hall had ceased, Ruth gave justone howl, and then jumped up and down three times as hard as she couldjump, by way of giving vent to her state of mind. Fortunately, the doorwas a heavy one and the sound did not reach Mother Stone's ears. 

"You crazy thing!" exclaimed Edith, "next thing you know you will have herafter us again. "

"Suppose we do; we've got to get out somehow, haven't we?"

"Yes, but she is the last one in the world we want to let us out. What afix! If the girls only knew of it, they would come and let us out. "

"How could they when she has the key, I'd like to know?"

Edith groaned: "I never thought of that plagued old key. Bother take herand it, too! Why couldn't she have gone to bed just as everybody else did, and have minded her own business, too. "

"That was exactly what she thought she was doing, " laughed May. 

"It's all very well to laugh, but _how_ are we to get down to the laundry, I'd like to know; or the girls ever find out where we are?"

While all this talking had been going on, little Marie, the liveliest, slightest, most quick-witted girl in the school, had been doing a lot ofthinking, and now turned to the others and said:

"Do you see that scrap of a window up there?"

"Yes, we see it, but it might as well be a rat-hole, for all the good itwill do us; nothing but a rat could crawl through it!"

"Don't be too sure, " answered Marie, with a knowing laugh. "I can getthrough a pretty small space when occasion demands, and, if I'm not muchmistaken, the demand is very urgent just at this moment. "

"How under the sun can you reach it, even if you can get through it afteryou've reached it?"

"What good have you derived from your gymnastic training this winter, I'dlike to know, if you have to ask me that?" demanded Marie. 

The window was one of those odd little affairs one sometimes sees built inhouses, perhaps simply to excite curiosity and make one wonder why theywere ever built at all, for they do not seem to be of the slightest use. The one in question was situated high up in the closet, and had probablybeen put there for ventilating purposes, if anyone ever felt inclined toget a step-ladder and clamber up to open it. It was shaped like a segmentof a circle, was only about eighteen inches high at the widest part, andfastened at the top with a bolt. Getting at it in broad daylight would nothave been an easy matter, and now, with only the light of the moon shiningthrough it, it seemed an impossibility. 

CHAPTER XXVI

"LOVE (AND SCHOOLGIRLS) LAUGH AT LOCKSMITHS"

"Here, I'm going to take command of affairs, since no one else seemsinclined to, " cried Marie. "May, you are the strongest girl here; justgive me a shoulder, will you?"

"What shall I do?"

"Stand close to the wall underneath the window, and let me get on yourshoulder; it may hurt a bit, but we can't stay stived up in here allnight. Lend a hand, Ruth, and boost me up. "

A step-ladder of knees and arms was formed, and up scrambled Marie asnimbly as a squirrel. Then another obstacle confronted her. The window hadprobably never been opened since it was built, and, having never beencalled upon to do its share in the economy of that household, wasdisinclined to begin now. Marie's slender fingers were dented and pinchedin vain; that window remained obdurate. 

"For mercy sake come down and give the old thing up! My shoulder iscrushed flat, " said May. 

"Wait just one second longer, and I'll have it; see if I don't. Ruth, handme that stair-brush, please. "

Ruth gave her the brush, and, saying to May: "Now, brace yourself for amighty push, " she used the handle as a lever, gave a vigorous jerk, whenaway went bolt, window, Marie and all. Down she came with a thud, but, luckily, on a pile of sweeping cloths, which saved her from harm. 

Scrabbling up, she cried: "Never mind, I'm not hurt a bit; now boost me upagain, and let me see what is outside. "

She was promptly lifted up, and, poking her saucy head out into themoonlight, drew in long whiffs of the sweet night air, which waswonderfully refreshing after the stuffy closet. 

"The shed is about ten feet below, girls. If I had anything to lowermyself down with I could easily reach it; I'm almost afraid to let myselfdrop, the shed slopes so. "

"Hang fast a second while Ruth and I tie the sweeping-cloths together, "cried May, and quickly catching up the calico covers they began to tiethem together. 

"See that you tie them tightly, " warned Marie. "I've had one bump already, and I don't want another. "

The cloths were soon ready, and one end handed to her. She fastened itsecurely about her waist, and, warning the others to hang on for dearlife, she began to crawl through the narrow opening. 

"My goodness, she is just like a monkey, " said Pauline. "I never couldhave done it in the world, " a most superfluous assertion, as no one in theworld would ever have suspected her of being able to. 

Away went Marie, vanishing bit by bit from their sight till only herlaughing black eyes, with the soft dark hair above them, were visible inthe moonlight. The girls lowered away slowly, and presently felt thestrain upon the cloths relax. 

"She's on the shed! Good!" said Edith, "and now she'll have us out in lessthan jig time. "

But "many's the slip twixt the--lip and the birthday box, " and the girlsbegan to suspect Marie of treachery to the cause ere they again heard hervoice. 

[Illustration: "AWAY WENT MARIE, VANISHING BIT BY BIT. "]

Meantime, how fared it with her? Once upon the shed all seemed plainsailing, but the shed was somewhat like the mountains Moses climbed sowearily; it gave her a glimpse of the promised land without permitting herto enter it. The ground was fully sixteen feet below her, and to reach itwithout some means other than her own nimble legs was obviouslyimpossible. The shed was only a small one built out over the kitchen, butjust beyond, with perhaps five feet dividing them, was the end of thepiazza roof, and if she could only reach that she could let herself downto the ground by the thick vines growing upon it. But those five feetintervening looked a perfect gulf, and how to get over them was a poser. Jump it she dared not; step it she could not. It began to look as thoughshe must signal to the girls in the closet to haul in their big fish, whenshe chanced to spy something sticking up through the honeysuckle vines. Crawling carefully down to the edge of the shed, she peered over, and sawthe ends of the gardener's ladder. Pauline had not made a mistake when shecalled her a monkey, for in just one second she was at the bottom of thatladder. 

"Now I'm all right, and will soon have the girls free, " and off shescurried to the side of the house upon which Toinette's room was situated. Gathering up a handful of soft earth she threw it against the window, butwith no result. Then a second one followed. Had she but known it, Toinetteand her revellers had long ago given them up, and were now down in the oldlaundry spreading forth their array of goodies. After wasting considerabletime, Marie suddenly bethought her of the above fact, and instantlyskipped off to that Mecca. 

There was not a ray of light visible, but, happily, sight is not the onlysense with which we are endowed, and Marie's ears were as keen as hereyes. Giving the three signal taps upon one of the tightly closedwindow-blinds, she waited a reply. But the girls were not expecting tapsfrom that quarter, and at once became suspicious. But precious momentswere fleeing, and Marie was becoming desperate, so, flinging prudence tothe winds, she gave three sounding bangs upon that window, and calledout:

"If you don't open this window and let me in I'll set Mother Stone on yourtrack, sure as you live!"

Open flew the window, and a moment later Marie was relating herexperiences to them. Then came the question of rescuing the others. Not aneasy one to answer. But Marie had gone so far, and, being a veryresourceful little body, had no notion of giving up yet, and saying to therevellers: "I'm going to let those girls out if I have to take the doordown to do it, " off she flitted, as quickly and silently as a butterfly. In less time than it takes to tell it she stood outside their prison, andsaying, encouragingly: "Don't give up, girls; I'll soon have you out, " sheslipped into the sewing-room opposite, and emerged a second later with thelittle oil-can and screw-driver from the machine drawer. 

"For gracious sake, what _are_ you going to do?" whispered Cicely, who hadcome with her to help if possible. 

"Something I once saw a carpenter at our house do, if I can. Sh! Don'tmake any noise, " and, reaching up to the top hinge, Marie dropped a fewdrops of oil from her can upon it, and then treated the lower one in thesame manner. The hinges were what are known as "fish hinges, " the doorbeing held in place by a small iron peg slipped into the sockets of thehinge. After she had oiled them, she placed her screw-driver under theknob of the peg, when, lo! up it slid as easily as could be, and when bothhad been carefully slid out of place, nothing prevented the door frombeing softly drawn away from the hinges, swung outward, and if it did notopen from left to right, as it had been intended to open, it was quite aseasy to walk through it when it opened from right to left. To slip it backinto place, when five giggling girls had escaped, was equally easy, and noone would ever have suspected the skillful bit of mechanical engineeringthat had taken place under their very noses at ten-thirty that night. 

CHAPTER XXVII

ARIADNE'S CLUE

The manner in which those liberated girls skipped down to the laundry wascertainly not snail-like. They had nearly reached it when Ruth's feetbecame entangled in a piece of string, and, stooping down to loosen it, she discovered a slip of paper fastened to the end, and a large pin whichhad evidently stuck it fast to the door-casing. No doubt some of the girlshad brushed against it in their hurry-scurry to reach the laundry, and, but for the ill wind which blew five of them into the housemaid's closet, this significant scrap of paper would never have been discovered. Thecandle they carried was brought to bear upon it, and they read thefollowing words:

 In ancient days, so the stories say, One Theseus found a remarkable way Of reaching a point he wished to gain, And down to posterity came his fame. 

 So, perhaps, posterity may also do well To follow a "clue, " but never to tell Just what they found at the further end, Lest a rule should break instead of bend. 

"What can it mean? Where does it lead to?" were the questions eagerlywhispered. 

"Come on, and let's find out, " was Ruth's practical remark, and she beganto wind up the string. There seemed no end to it, and it led them throughthe corridor, out of that into the kitchen, then out to a small store-roombuilt beneath the kitchen porch. Here the end was tied to a verysuggestive-looking tub. 

Had Diogenes succeeded in discovering an honest man he could not have feltgreater satisfaction than these girls felt at the sight of that modestlittle oval tub, with its sawdust covering; and the way in which it waspounced upon, and borne in triumph to the laundry, brings my story of thatnight's revels to a climax, and no more need be told. 

When the twelve o'clock train whistled it was the signal for the revels toend, and, ere the carriages which were to meet the theatre-goers couldbring them up the hill, Sunny Bank was as quiet and peaceful as though allits inmates had been dreaming for hours. 

The weather had become beautifully soft and balmy for the middle of April, and the girls were able to sit out of doors, and do many of the thingsthey had not hoped to do till May should burgeon and bloom. 

A few days after the frolic Toinette was sitting in one of the prettylittle summer-houses, of which there were several dotted about thegrounds, when Miss Howard came in and took her seat beside her. 

"You have been playing at hide-and-seek with me without knowing it, " shesaid, "for I have been searching for you everywhere, and only discoveredyou here by the glint of the sunshine upon your hair. "

"Did you want me, Miss Howard? I'm sorry you had to hunt for me, " answeredToinette. "What can I do for you?"

"Give me some wise advice, " said Miss Howard, smiling. 

"_I_ give you advice!" exclaimed Toinette. 

"Yes; don't you think you can?"

"I shall have to know what it is about before I dare say yes or no, MissHoward. "

"You know that I am going to leave you in a few weeks, dear, and I want myleave-taking to be closely identified with my girls, whom I have learnedto love so dearly, and whom, I think, love me as well as I love them. Ihave spent many happy years in this school, first as pupil and then asteacher, and it has been a very dear home to me. Now I am going away fromit forever, and though the future looks very enticing, and I have everyreason to believe that it will be happy, still I cannot help feeling sadat the thought of leaving the old life behind. These are seriousconfidences for me to burden you with, Toinette, but you have crept into avery warm corner of my heart since you became a pupil here, and I knowthat there is a wise little head upon these shoulders, " said Miss Howard, as she placed her hand on Toinette's shoulder. 

The girl reached up, and drawing the hand close to her cheek held itthere, but did not speak. 

"So now, " continued Miss Howard, "I am going to ask you to help myoutgoing from this happy home to be a pleasant one, by being my maid ofhonor when the time comes; will you, dear?"

"You want _me_ to be the maid of honor, Miss Howard? You don't truly meanit? There are so many other girls whom you have known so much longer, andwhom you must love better than you do me; although I don't believe they_can_ love _you_ any better than I do, " said Toinette, naively. 

"That is just it, dear. I do love them all, and am sure that they are veryfond of me. But in your case it is just a little different. All thesegirls have pleasant homes, and many loved ones in them who plan for theirhappiness, and to whom they will go directly vacation begins. For manyyears you, like myself, have had no home but the one a school offered, andwhich, unlike mine, was sometimes not as happy a home as it might havebeen, I fear. So, you see, we have, in one way, had a bond of sympathybetween us even before we knew it to be so. And now we have still another, for when we leave here in June we shall each go to our own dear home; youto one your father shall make for you, I to the one my husband willprovide for me. "

A soft, pretty color had crept over Miss Howard's face as she spoke, and avery tender look came into her beautiful eyes. Truly, she was carryingsomething very sweet and holy to the one who was to bear that name. 

"So we shall step out into the new life together, shall we not, Toinette, and each will be the sweeter for our having done so?" asked Miss Howard. 

"It is too lovely even to think about, Miss Howard. I don't know how tomake you understand how proud and happy it makes me to think that youchose me from among all the others, and I hope they will not feel that youshould not have done so. Do you think they will mind?"

"On the contrary, they are delighted with my choice, for I told them myreasons, as I have told them to you, and they see it in the same lightthat I see it. "

"Then I shall be the happiest girl in Montcliff, " cried Toinette. 

"No, _next_ to the happiest, " said Miss Howard, laughing softly. 

"Well, I shall be the happiest in _my_ way, and you in _yours_, " andToinette wagged her head as though it would be of no use for Miss Howardto try to make her concede _that_ point. 

"And now let us plan our maid of honor's toilet, and also what our sixbridesmaids must wear. It was upon that important question I wished youradvice, and, now that you know, do you feel qualified to give it?"

"Oh, how lovely!" cried Toinette. "Why, Miss Howard, it is almost likeplanning for my own wedding, and you are too sweet for anything to letme. "

CHAPTER XXVIII

"WHEN BUDS AND BLOSSOMS BURST"

The planning of the toilets took considerable time, and Miss Howard feltthat she had made no mistake when she asked the girl's advice. Like herfather's, Toinette's taste was unerring, and when she said:

"Wouldn't it be pretty to have the girls represent flowers?" Miss Howardwas delighted with the idea. 

"What flowers would you suggest, dear?" she asked. 

"Let me think just a moment, please, " said Toinette, and she rested herchin upon her hands, a favorite attitude of hers when thinking seriouslyof anything. "How would a lily, a violet, a pansy, a daffodil, anarcissus, and a snowdrop do?"

"How pretty!" exclaimed Miss Howard. "What put such a picturesque idea inyour head? It is beautiful, and can be carried out admirably. You must bemy fair and lovely lily; then shall come my violet and daffodil; then mynarcissus and lilac; then my pansy and modest little snowdrop. That willexactly suit Helen. "

"Who are to be the bridesmaids?"

"Edith, May, Ruth, Marie, Natala and Helen. "

"How nice of you to choose all the younger girls; it makes us feel soimportant. Now, let's plan just what the dresses are to be, " saidToinette, becoming quite excited, and looking at Miss Howard as though allmust be completed ere they left the summer-house. 

"I am waiting for your suggestions, " said she. 

"Wouldn't it be pretty to have all the dresses made of white chiffon, orsomething soft like that, and have white, violet and yellow slips underthem? Then have the hats trimmed with the flowers they represent. Wouldyou like that, Miss Howard?"

"Yes, immensely; but now I want to think about Helen. You know she hasvery limited means, and what might seem a small outlay for the otherswould probably be a large one for her, and I do not want to tax herresources, much as I wish to have her for one of my bonny maids. "

"Yes, " said Toinette, meditatively, "I suppose the dresses will be ratherexpensive, but it would be too bad not to have Helen; she is so sweet andis so fond of you, Miss Howard. "

"Yes, she is a dear child, and I have felt a great interest in her fromthe moment she entered the school. I wish I knew of some way of betteringher circumstances. Mr. Burgess is a most estimable man, but not one liableto advance rapidly through his own efforts, I fear. He is most reliableand capable, but seems to lack the push so essential in this bustling dayand age. He would prove invaluable in any position of trust, but wouldnever secure such if it depended upon his own efforts to do so. "

Toinette had listened very attentively while Miss Howard was talking, andwhen she finished said:

"When papa was out here for the dance I spoke to him about Helen, and wehad such a nice little talk. The next day he spoke with Miss Preston aboutthose very things, but I do not know what came of it. I wish I did. Hisbusiness affairs bring him into contact with so many large firms ofdifferent kinds that I am almost sure he could secure something for Mr. Burgess. Do you know what I am going to do?" said Toinette, eagerly, "I amgoing to write to him right off, tell him all about our plans; may I?About the wedding, the bridesmaids, and everything; then I am going to askhim if he has heard of anything that he thinks would help Mr. Burgess, and, who knows, maybe, by the first of June all will be fixed up so nicelythat Helen can have things as nice as the other girls--and, oh, MissHoward!--wouldn't it be _lovely_ if she could go abroad with MissPreston?" and Toinette clasped her hands in rapture at the very thought. 

Miss Howard laughed a happy little laugh, and, taking Toinette's face inboth her hands, kissed her cheeks very tenderly, saying as she did so:

"I see that I made no mistake in my estimate of your character, dear, although I did not bargain for quite such a wise, resourceful little headand efficient helper as you have proved. How did you manage to think outso much in so short a time?"

"I suppose it is because my brains have never been overburdened withthoughts for other people, " said Toinette, with an odd expressionoverspreading her face, "and so the part of them devoted to that sort ofthing has had time to develop to an astonishing degree. But I guess I'dbetter begin to use the power before it becomes abnormal; Miss Prestonsays that abnormal development of any sort is dangerous, " and she gave afunny little laugh as she glanced slyly into Miss Howard's eyes. 

Miss Howard understood the quaint remark, and, rising from her seat, said:"I shall not soon forget our little talk, but must leave you now for the'school ma'am's' duties. One of them will be to endeavor to persuadePauline that it was _not_ Henry VIII. Who sought to reduce the AmericanColonies to submission, nor Lafayette who won the battle of Waterloo. Good-bye, " and away tripped Miss Howard over the soft green lawn. 

Toinette sat for a few moments, and then, springing up, said to herself:"I might as well go and write that letter this very minute, and I do hopepapa will know of something right off. How lovely it would be!"

The letter was soon written, and within two hours was speeding upon itsway to New York. Toinette had reasoned well, and, as good luck would haveit, the letter arrived at a most auspicious moment. As Mr. Reeve satreading it, his face reflecting the happiness he felt at receiving it soclose upon the one which came to him every Monday morning, a client wasshown into his office. 

It happened to be one who was about to embark upon a new line of businessin which he was venturing large sums of money, and which required capable, trustworthy men to carry out his plans. He had consulted with Mr. Reevemany times before, and nearly all details were completed; the few thatremained dealt with minor matters, so Mr. Reeve felt considerablesatisfaction at the thought of having brought all arrangements through sosuccessfully. But it was certainly anything but a contented face he sawbefore him when he glanced up from Toinette's letter upon Mr. Fowler'sentrance, and his first words were: "Well, for a prosperous capitalist, you bear a woeful countenance, Ned. "

"If mine is woeful, yours certainly is not, " was the prompt answer. "Youlook as though you had been the recipient of some very pleasing news. "

"A pretty good sort, " said Mr. Reeve, smiling. "The sort that makes a manfeel old and young at the same time. Ever get any of that?"

"Don't know as I do; it must be a rare specimen, " said Mr. Fowler, dryly. "Better let me know the kind it is; perhaps it will counterbalance thekind I have for you this morning; confound it!"

Seeing that Mr. Fowler was really disturbed about something, Mr. Reevedropped his bantering tone, and went to serious matters. He then learnedthat the bookkeeper whom Mr. Fowler had engaged for the new line ofbusiness, and who would also act as his confidential clerk and officemanager, would be unable to accept the position, as he was called toEngland by the death of his father, and would in future make his homethere. This was a serious loss to Mr. Fowler, for he had known this manfor years, and felt deep satisfaction at the thought of having such anefficient assistant. 

"And now, " he said, when he had told Mr. Reeve all the facts, "who underheavens am I to find to fill his place at such short notice, I'd like toknow? Such men are not to be picked up at every corner. "

"Read that letter, " was all Mr. Reeve said, and handed him Toinette'sletter. 

Mr. Fowler took the letter, and began reading with a very mystifiedexpression, as though he could not for the life of him understand what aletter from Mr. Reeve's daughter had to do with his private affairs. But, as he read, his expression changed, and when he came to the end he said:"Well, it may be Kismet; can't say. Funnier things have happened. Lookinto it, will you, Clayton? I'm sick and tired of the thing, particularlywhen I thought all important details settled. "

And Clayton Reeve did "look into it" very thoroughly, leaving no stoneunturned which would help him to learn all that it was necessary to knowabout Mr. Burgess, and nothing could possibly have been more gratifyingthan what he learned. As a result of it, Mr. Burgess was offered theposition from June first, and the salary offered with it seemed a princelyone to him as compared to the one he had received as clerk in the bank inMontcliff. It would be hard to understand the happiness which thatschoolgirl letter brought to one family, or how the writing of it changedtwo lives very materially, and a third completely. 

CHAPTER XXIX

COMMENCEMENT

Many a girl has asked: "Why do they call it commencement when it is reallythe end?" If they have not found out why, I am not going to tell thesecret. But one thing I have found out is this: Never in after life do weever feel _quite_ so important as we do when that day has been reachedupon our life's calendar. 

It was no exception at Sunny Bank, and when the fifth of June dawned thatyear it found a busy, bustling household. No, I am not telling the exacttruth: it was not when it _dawned_, but fully three hours later, and thenbegan the hurry-scurry which continued till all were assembled in chapelto listen to the opening prayer of the good man who had for many a yearopened the Sunny Bank commencement exercises. 

He had grown old in faithful service in Montcliff, and was beloved andrevered by all. 

It is of no use for me to tell you all about those exercises; to anoutsider they were exactly like many others that had taken place before;to the girls themselves they were unique, and stood out pre-eminent aboveall others. Everybody was there who had the smallest excuse for being, andjust how happy six bodies were I will leave you to learn from whatfollows. 

The exercises were to take place in the evening, and all day longrelatives and friends of the girls arrived thick and fast. Among the firstwas Toinette's father. "Couldn't wait till evening, you see, " he cried, ashe met Toinette at the railway station. "Yes, it is all settled; I gotthem by a lucky chance at the very last moment. "

"Did you say anything to Mr. Burgess about it?" asked Toinette. 

"No, I have not seen him; daresay he has had his hands full since thefirst. We'll speak to Miss Preston first, and then call at the Burgess'and tell them. "

"How perfectly splendid! Oh, daddy, you are a perfect wonder! How do youever manage to fetch things about so successfully?"

"Because I have found a wonderful incentive to spur me on, " he answered ashe handed her into the carriage which was waiting for them, and theywhirled off up the hill. 

"And you will stay here till after the wedding, won't you?" askedToinette, snuggling close to his side and slipping her arm through his. 

"What! Five whole days? What will you do with me all that time?"

"No danger of your suffering from ennui, I guess, " laughed Toinette. "Iwill guarantee to keep you occupied. And then, daddy, after all is overwe'll go off together, and won't we have glorious times!" and she gave arapturous little bounce at the thought of the delightful days to come. 

Miss Preston was to sail for Europe on the fifteenth of June, five daysafter Miss Howard's wedding, and six girls were to go with her. When itbecame an understood thing that Mr. Burgess' financial affairs were to beso improved, the possibility of Helen making one of the party was talkedover, although Mrs. Burgess was filled with dismay at the thought ofhaving her daughter take such a step upon such short notice; it seemed atremendous thing to that quiet, home-staying body. Still, Miss Preston hadlong been anxious to have Helen go with her, and, now that there seemed nofurther obstacle to her doing so, could not make up her mind to go withouther. 

She had talked it over with both Mr. And Mrs. Burgess, but, it must beconfessed, had met with only lukewarm enthusiasm. Furthermore, it was verylate in the day to secure stateroom accommodation upon the steamer bywhich Miss Preston would sail, her own and the girls having been engagedfor weeks. 

Helen herself said very little, but Miss Preston knew that the girl'sheart had long been set upon going, and this year the route planned tookin the very points she had most wished to visit, and which would prove themost profitable for her to visit. In desperation, Miss Preston turned toMr. Reeve once more, for she had found him a most resourceful man, and onenot likely to be easily baffled. 

The result was that he had succeeded in making a mutually agreeableexchange of staterooms with some other people, and was now primed andready to carry the war into the enemy's country. 

Soon after luncheon they all drove to Stonybrook, a town about ten milesfrom Montcliff, and Helen's home. Evidently their persuasive powers werestrong, for ere the visit ended it was decided that Helen should make oneof Miss Preston's party to sail with her "over the ocean blue, " and somevery happy people drove back to Montcliff that afternoon. 

The house seemed very quiet after the girls' departure for their homes onthe day following commencement, for, excepting those who lived too faraway to return for the wedding, and would remain as Miss Preston's guestsuntil after the tenth, all had left that morning, and when a house hasbeen filled with twenty-five or thirty girls, and all but eight or tensuddenly depart from it, the quiet which ensues cannot be overlooked. 

Mr. Reeve gave himself up to the enjoyment of his five days' vacation asonly a busy man can, and when I add that he was a very happy man, too, Ineed say no more. 

The year had been one of many experiences both for him and for Toinette, and for both was ending far more happily than he had hoped it would. Thefuture seemed to promise a great deal to them both, for they were growingto understand each other better every day, and Toinette was developinginto a very lovely, as well as a very lovable, companion. They had planneda delightful summer vacation, to be spent in travelling leisurely fromplace to place, as the fancy took them, and Toinette had suggested nearlyall. 

The five days at Montcliff were spent in driving about the beautifulcountry, playing tennis, rambling about the pretty woods, and doing anendless number of delightful nothings, as people can sometimes do whenthey fully make up their minds to put aside the cares of the world for atime. 

They soon came to an end, and then came Miss Howard's wedding day. 

There has always seemed something inexpressibly sweet in Longfellow'swords in reference to the forming of new ties and establishing the newhome. In Miss Howard's case it was to be a home filled with all thesweetest hopes that can come into a woman's life: hopes sanctified by loveand founded upon respect. Could they have a firmer foundation? The futureheld great promise for her, although worldly-minded folk might say thatthe step she was about to take was not marked off by a _golden_mile-stone, nor the path she would follow be paved with a golden pavement. She knew that quite well, and had wisely decided that a noble characterand a brilliant mind were excellent substitutes, however agreeable it maybe to have the former, and, also, that the former minus the latter arefairy gold. 

CHAPTER XXX

"O FORTUNATE, O HAPPY DAY"

 "O fortunate, O happy day, When a new household finds its place Among the myriad homes of earth, Like a new star just sprung to birth, And rolled on its harmonious way Into the boundless realms of space!"

As though all that was loveliest had united to do her honor, and make theboundary-line between the old and the new life one to be long rememberedby all who stood beside her at it, the day set for Miss Howard's weddingwas all that Lowell has written about it. It was as "rare" and "perfect"as dear Mother Nature could make it for one of her loveliest children. 

The girls had dressed the church, until it seemed a very bower of bloom, and at every turn Miss Howard would find the posies of which she was sofond. The three colors, if white may be called a color, chosen for thebridesmaids' dresses were used in the decorations, and altar, chancel, transept and aisles were brilliant with daffodils, narcissuses and lilacs, which filled the church with their perfume. 

The wedding was to take place at four o'clock, and when that hour arrivedlittle space was left in the church for the tardy ones. 

Nearly all the girls had returned for the ceremony, and a bonnier lot itwould have been difficult to find than that which filled the front pews ofthe church, for Miss Howard would have them all near her, insisting thatnone of the other guests could possibly have the same loving thoughts forher that her girls would have. 

Promptly at the stroke of four the great organ rolled out its message toall, and, after her few distant relatives had been conducted to theirseats, Miss Howard's bonny bridesmaids appeared, following another fancyof hers by walking together, with the ushers leading. First came Edith andMarie; Edith's yellow golden hair a perfect background for the big whitechip hat, with its masses of violets, and her fair, soft skin made softerand fairer by the fairy-like chiffon draped so artistically over the paleviolet satin beneath it. A daintily gilded basket filled with violets toldall the story. 

Saucy and pert beside her walked the little brownie Marie, looking for allthe world like the bobbing daffies in her white basket. One wanted to singthe old nursery rhyme: "Daffy-down-dilly has come to town, " for they werenodding a friendly greeting from her hat, and seemed to lend their goldensheen to the satin beneath the white chiffon gown. 

Behind them followed May Foster and Natala King. May's bronze-brown hairand brilliant coloring were a perfect foil for the creamy-white narcissusblossoms on her hat and the creamy-white of her gown. While Natala'slight-brown hair and hazel eyes needed just the lilac tints to show howpretty they were. 

Then came Ruth and Helen. Could Miss Howard have chosen two who, placedbeside each other, would have formed a more pronounced contrast? Not eventhe solemnity of the occasion could overcome Ruth's ruling passion, curiosity: she was determined to see all to be seen if it rested with herto do so. Nor were the pert pansy blossoms upon her hat, nodding a welcometo all, more on the alert. Or could those which peeped from the folds ofher pansy-yellow gown, with its white chiffon draperies, smile in a morefriendly manner than did Ruth, as she walked slowly up that aisle, withshy, modest Helen at her side. Helen looked the snowdrop to perfection, for if the pansies needed Ruth's gypsy coloring for a foil, the snowdropsneeded Helen's pale blonde daintiness for theirs. The only color whichrelieved its pure white was the deep green of the wax-like leaves, and thecontrast was perfect. The dress was of that soft silvery white only to becontrived by the combination of satin and chiffon, and Helen looked verylovely. 

Behind them, a dream of fairness, walked Toinette. Through the chiffon ofher gown ran fine golden threads, which caused it to glint and glisten asthe sunbeams. The white satin underneath was of that peculiar ivory tintwhich combines so exquisitely with gold tints. Her hat was made of thechiffon, and trimmed with Easter lilies, which nestled in its soft foldsand against the beautiful golden hair beneath them. Her basket was alsowhite, and she was a fitting emblem of the pure soul she was leading tothe altar. 

Then came the bride, her hand resting lightly upon the arm of the friendwho had led her along the greater part of her life's pathway, for MissPreston had been Miss Howard's "guide, philosopher and friend" almost aslong as she could remember. Very stately did she look, as she walked upthat aisle to give away at the altar something which the years hadrendered very precious to her, for sometimes "old maids' children" aremore dear to them than are the children who claim the love of parents. 

Miss Preston was very proud of her honors. 

But no words can describe the girl who walked at her side, her beautifulface made transcendently so by the tenderest, holiest thought that canfill a woman's heart: that she is about to become the wife of the man sheloves. She seemed to forget the church and all who were gathered there towitness her happiness, and the soft, dark eyes looked straight before herto the altar, where her husband to be awaited her, as though that altarwas to her as the entrance to the holy of holies; as, indeed, it was. 

How brief is a marriage ceremony! A few words are spoken and two lives arechanged forever, never again to be the same as they were less than tenminutes before, but filled with new duties, new obligations, and theresponsibilities we must all assume when we utter the words: "I will. " Godmeant that it should be so, and it is one of this world's many blessings. 

[Illustration: "THE BRIDE, HER HAND RESTING LIGHTLY ON THE ARM OF HERFRIEND. "]

The reception Miss Preston gave for her "adopted daughter, " as she calledMiss Howard, now Mrs. Chichester, was long talked over by the school, andquoted by the girls as "our reception" for months. 

Mr. And Mrs. Chichester sailed for Europe on the same steamer whichcarried Miss Preston and her girls, and a happier, merrier party it wouldhave been hard to find. Toinette and Mr. Reeve went to bid them farewelland a pleasant voyage, and the last faces those upon the great ship saw asthey swung out into the stream were Toinette's and her father's. 

And now we, too, must leave them--leave them to the happy summer vacation, when they learned how dear they were to each other, and what a dear oldworld this is, after all, when two people manage to look at it throughlittle Dan Cupid's spectacles.