amin. I'll go to bed alone, in the dark, for a month
and pray the Lord not to let me be a liar."

"I think thee must not rely too much upon divine power, Isabelle. Set a
watch upon thy tongue thyself," he said--very severely for the gentle
Adam. "Thee may go to bed now."

Condemned, abased, like a prisoner en route to the gallows, Isabelle
walked from among them. She was disgraced, but, Isabelle-like, she wore
her shame like a rose in her hair!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Isabelle was not forced to abrogate her reign, after all. Somehow her
cleverness and her oddity always kept the spotlight focussed upon her.
Needless to state Wally did not repeat his visit, and the spring term
came to its end.

With its expiration came a letter from Mrs. Bryce asking whether the
Benjamins would keep Isabelle at Hill Top until the end of August, as
the Bryces were going to Europe and did not wish to take her with them.
It never occurred to Mrs. Bryce to consult the girl's pleasure in the
matter, but Mrs. Benjamin carried the letter to her at once.

"Would thee like to stay, Isabelle?"

"Like it? I'd adore it!" cried that young person, with the explosive
over-emphasis of youth.

Mrs. Benjamin smiled and patted her hand.

"We would like it, too. I will write thy mother."

So it was arranged, and Isabelle stayed on. Two other girls were to
remain also. By special petition to Wally Isabelle was permitted to have
the Peruvian horse to spend the summer with her.

It was a never-to-be-forgotten holiday for those three girls. They took
part in all the activities of the farm. They picked fruit and helped
Mrs. Benjamin and the cook to can the big supplies of jam and jelly for
the school. They helped in the garden with the vegetables or worked and
weeded Mrs. Benjamin's beloved flowers. They pitched hay, they drove the
rake and the grass cutter. They were busy in the open from morning until
night and as happy as field larks.

Lessons had stopped, but education went on. They read aloud with Mrs.
Benjamin; they studied and learned, first hand, of Nature's prodigality
or niggardliness. Always there was the cultivation of the spirit. Love
and fair dealing made the foundation upon which these simple Quaker folk
had builded their lives, and no one could live in the home of their
making without feeling that these were as essential to life as
breathing.

Isabelle had long, wild gallops over the hills on her horse