"Dear Janis, jus' to think, I can see reel good, and my
techur what I luv says maybe I will heer reel good bymeby.

"Deer Janis, I no I cante spel good yet, and my ritin aint
strate on the paper. But I want you shud be the firs to get
leter from me I luv yu so.

"Deer Janis, you got me the muney for the docker. And he was
soo good himself, he never hardly hurt me a tall.

"Deer Janis, I luv yu mos of all, cos if yu hadn ben yu I
wudn never seen no moar. An it was so dark all times. Thats
wy I feld down cellar. An now I am goin to heer they say.

"Deer Janis, see if my echo is thar. Yu no my echo--that is
the way techur says to spell it. If my echo is waitn tell it
I am comin' to heer it again.

"And I luv you lots and lots, deer Janis. I will show you
how much when I com home to father and Pokton. no moar at
prasens, from your little Lottie."

Janice read the pitiful little scrawl through the first time on the
store porch. Then, tear-blinded, she started down the hill toward the
old wharf at the inlet where she had first seen Hopewell Drugg's
unfortunate child.

She was halfway down the hill before she heard a quick step behind her
and knew, without turning, that it was Nelson Haley.

CHAPTER XXX

WHAT THE ECHO MIGHT HAVE HEARD

"What's your hurry, Janice?" demanded the young teacher, coming to her
side, smiling. Then he saw her wet lashes and exclaimed: "My dear girl!
you are crying?"

"Not--not now," said Janice, shaking her head and her voice catching a
little as she spoke.

"Tell me what is the matter?" begged Nelson. "Who's hurt you?"

"They're not those sort of tears, Nelson!" she cried, with a quivering
little smile. "Oh, I ought to be just the very happiest girl alive!"

"And in tears?"

"Tears of joy, I tell you," she declared.

"Not weeping over the lost motor car, then?"

"Oh, my goodness! No! How could one be so foolish with such a dear, dear
letter as I've got here. A regular _love_ letter, Nelson Haley!"

The young man's face changed suddenly. It looked very grim, and he
caught at her hand which held little Lottie's letter.

"What's that?" he demanded, so gruffly that Janice was quite astonished.

"Why, Nelson Haley! What's the matter?" she asked, looking at him with
wide-open eyes.

"Who's been writing to you, Janice?" he asked, huskily.

"I will show it to you. It is too, too dear!" exc