sited upon her that autumn weighed it
down. Every day, before sunrise, she had had to get up and eat a raw
carrot, because the neighbor woman had prescribed it as a cure for a
certain livid spot that had made its appearance on the little girl's
cheek, and was thought to be a cancer. The little girl knew that the
carrot-eating was useless, since the spot was only the mark of an
unsuccessful attempt at tattooing; but she did not care to explain.
Then, the cowbird had been sent away; and, as a last blow, she had been
told to go to school.

There was no doubt in her mind that her misfortunes were due wholly to
the fact that she had precisely thirteen freckles on her pink nose. She
had never been able to count them because, when she had covered ten of
the tiny brown spots with as many fingers, so much of her nose was
hidden that she could count no further. But the biggest brother had
assured her that she had them, and that was enough.

She was very tired when they came in sight of the school-house, and the
youngest brother had to tug her along by the hand. Luffree, who had come
in sight over a hillock ahead of them when they were part way, trotted
at her heels and looked up wistfully at her as she half walked, half
ran, complaining at every step. Now and then he jumped up and tried to
lick her face sympathetically. But she would not let him, for she knew
he had warts on his muzzle that he had caught the summer before while
teasing a toad.

The school-room was full of smoke and noise when they entered. The
scholars were laughing and talking as they crowded about the tall, round
stove; and it was sending black, sooty breath into their faces from
every crevice of its loosely hung doors. But shortly afterward the noise
was silenced by the teacher, who brought his hands together with a
resounding clap.

All the pupils in the room, except the little girl, had been to school
to him the year before and knew what the signal meant. So she suddenly
found herself the only one left standing in the middle of the floor, the
girls having preempted the row of benches on the right, and the boys
that on the left. But she was not abashed, and her corkscrew curls
danced on her shoulders as she looked about.

"Sit down, sit down!" came in whispers from both sides. She took no
notice of them, and the teacher, busily preparing the roll-call at his
table, did not hear. But soon a ripple of laughter from the school, and
a voice from the stove,