again and the soft rustle of Annie's
skirts. She crept into bed and pulled the clothes over her sunbonneted
head. She felt she would be doing her sister an irreparable injury if
she let her know anyone had witnessed that parting scene.

She lay there, trembling with excitement, until all was still again.
She forgot all about the fishing expedition in this new discovery, and
lay wideawake wondering why in the world Annie should kiss Mr. Coulson
good-by when she had not even gone to school to him, until worn out
with wonder and excitement she fell sound asleep. And outside the dawn
still marched majestically onward towards the day, in time to its
glorious accompaniment of song.

When Elizabeth awoke again it was broad daylight. Sarah Emily was
already downstairs, setting the breakfast table, stirring the oatmeal
porridge, and singing loudly about the many glittering but false young
men who had sought her hand, but had been defeated in their
machinations by the finest old lady that ever was seen, who lived on
yonder little green.

Fortunately Elizabeth escaped inquiry by slipping from the bed and
arranging her clothes in a more respectable manner before Mary was
stirring. Mary was delicate, and the only one allowed to lie abed in
the morning, or to refuse porridge if she did not want it, so
Elizabeth's early morning adventure was not discovered. To her relief
also she found John downstairs apparently not going fishing. At
breakfast Annie was quieter than usual, but it was characteristic of
Elizabeth that she did not by word or sign let her elder sister see
that she had the smallest knowledge of the morning's farewell. John
was right when he conceded to Lizzie the power of not only keeping
secrets,--deathly secrets like a pet toad under the bed or rabbits in
the barn,--but at the same time looking as if she had nothing to hide.

It was Elizabeth's turn to help Sarah Emily with the dishes, and after
breakfast she wearily dragged her feet towards the kitchen. Tom Teeter
had come over and was talking to her father as the latter hoed in the
vegetable garden, and Tom always had candies in his pockets. Then
Malcolm and John were building a new hen-house in the barnyard, and
every stroke of the hammer shouted to Elizabeth to come. She took up
the dish-towel drearily and stood looking wistfully down the sunny path
that led into the orchard. She realized now that she was utterly worn
out with the excitement of her mo