mers' seats of honor.

In the midst of the pleasant hum and stir there arose a commotion near
the door. A group of strangers was entering. At the sight of them,
Miss Hillary plunged behind the curtains, and Rosie and Elizabeth could
see her through a division in the sheets, anxiously arranging her hair
before the little mirror. Then the wise old Rosie nodded her head
significantly, and standing up, peered between the rows of people's
heads. "I knew it was him!" she cried triumphantly. "I knew just by
the way Miss Hillary jumped,"--and so it was--the owner of the red
cutter! Then Elizabeth, forgetting her aunt's eye, jumped up too, and
almost cried out with joy, for the man with him, the tall one with the
handsome fur collar and cap, was none other than Mr. Coulson! There
were two ladies with him, too--but she did not notice them in her
delight. He was recognized at once by his old pupils, and they all set
up a storm of clapping. The older people, gathered around the stove,
crowded about him, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back. Then
the Red Cutter came with him up to the curtains and introduced him to
Miss Hillary. And all the other young ladies who were helping in the
concert shook hands with the old teacher, and Martha Ellen laughed and
talked so loud that Elizabeth was delighted and wondered what had
pleased her so. Next, Mr. Coulson spied the row of little girls gazing
up at him with eager eyes, and he pulled Rosie's curls and Elizabeth's
braid, and kissed Mary and pinched Katie and patted all the others on
the head. Then he boxed the boys' ears, and told Miss Hillary they
were a bad lot, and he didn't see how she put up with them, and
altogether behaved so funnily that they fairly shouted with delight.
Suddenly he turned abruptly, and, marching up to the platform, took his
place at the desk.

Elizabeth was greatly disappointed. She had expected he would at least
shake hands with Annie. She curled round Rosie and peeped through the
rows of people to catch a sight of her sister. Annie, strange to say,
did not look in the least disappointed. She was laughing and chatting
with Jean and Bella Johnstone, and looking just as gay and happy as
possible. Elizabeth gave up the problem. It was really no use trying
to understand the queer ways of grown-up folks.

Mr. Coulson stood up to make his chairman's speech and to tell them he
was very glad to come back to Forest Glen. Elizabeth thought his