out the whole story: her longing, her determination, her fine
chance, Mistress Brace's refusal to let her go, and now her fear of
returning home.

"I will go with thee to Slipside Row," said the parson, "and do not
fear, thou shalt not suffer in any way."

And now again, had Sally been a well-taught child, she would have known
how mean a thing it was to listen to what might be said in the
keeping-room. But when the parson said to Mistress Cory Ann, "I would
have speech with thee, Mistress Brace," up crept Sally to a room over
the keeping-room, and lying flat on the floor, with her ear to a large
crack under the window, she could hear nearly all that was said.

Sally had been surprised at the many low curtseys Mistress Cory Ann made
when the parson came up to the door, and at the look of fear that had
come over her face. Yes, Mistress Brace had indeed looked afraid!

Now Sally heard Parson Kendall say:

"But had you any right to make of the child almost a servant when she
was left so sadly alone?"

"It was that or the Town House," said Mistress Brace, shortly.

"Perhaps not," said the parson's calm, firm voice; "our town sendeth not
all to the Town House who are poor or unfortunate. Had her father no
friends? And was there no money left?"

"I know nothing of her father's friends," said Mistress Brace, "and as
to money, very little there was of that, and it has been spent on the
girl."

Ah, but the woman's voice had trembled when she spoke of the money, and
her face grew very red, so that the parson, knowing something must be
wrong, said, sternly:

"I had better lay the case before the burgesses. If the little wench so
greatly desireth knowledge, then knowledge she should have. It is my
duty to look after an orphan child of my parish, who seemeth not to be
having the chances she should have."

The dreadful word "burgesses," meaning the men in power, and who
governed the colonies, frightened both Mistress Brace and Maid Sally,
and very glad was Sally when Mistress Cory Ann exclaimed:

"There be no need, parson, to trouble any of the burgesses! Here the
girl has been, here she can stay. If she so much has set her heart on
learning, then go she can to Mistress Kent and earn her schooling as the
mistress has planned. But I like it not that the girl should run away,
not telling me whither she was going."

"She said all was explained, but that you refused to enter into the
plan," said the parson.

"I did not