out it. You and me mustn't fight over Phoebe."

"That's so," agreed Phares, but both were thoughtful and silent as they
went down the lane.

CHAPTER V

THE HEART OF A CHILD

PHOEBE'S aspiration to become like her teacher did not lessen as the days
went on. Her profound admiration for Miss Lee developed into intense
devotion, a devotion whose depth she carefully guarded from discovery.

To her father's interested questioning she answered a mere, "Why, I like
her, for all, pop. She didn't laugh to make fun at me. I think she's
nice." But secretly the little girl thought of her new teacher in the
most extravagant superlatives. Her heart was experiencing its first
"hero" worship; the poetic, imaginative soul of the child was attracted
by the magnetic personality of Miss Lee. The teacher's smiles,
mannerisms, dress, and above all, her English, were objects worthy of
emulation, thought the child. At times Phoebe despaired of ever becoming
like Miss Lee, then again she felt certain she had within her
possibilities to become like the enviable, wonderful Virginia Lee. But
she breathed to none her ambitions and hopes except at night as she
knelt by her high old-fashioned bed and bent her head to say the prayer
Aunt Maria had taught her in babyhood. Then to the prayer, "Now I lay me
down to sleep," she added an original petition, "And please let me get
like my teacher, Miss Lee. Amen."

"Aunt Maria, church is on the hill Sunday, ain't it?" she asked one day
after several weeks of school.

"Yes. And I hope it's nice, for we make ready for a lot of company
always when we have church here."

"Why," the child asked eagerly, "dare I ask Miss Lee to come here for
dinner too that Sunday? Mary Warner's mom had her for dinner last
Sunday."

"Ach, yes, I don't care. You ask her. Mebbe she ain't been in a plain
church yet and would like to go with us and then come home for dinner
here. You ask her once."

Phoebe trembled a bit as she invited the teacher to the gray farmhouse.
"Miss Lee--why--we have church here on the hill this Sunday and Aunt
Maria thought perhaps you'd like to come out and go with us and then
come to our house for dinner. We always have a lot of people for
dinner."

"I'd love to, Phoebe, thank you," answered Miss Lee.

The plain sects of that community were all novel to her. She was eager
to attend a service in the meeting-house on the hill and especially
eager to meet Phoebe's people and study the