" went on Miss
Salisbury, "because, you see, it was as much as my father could do to
pay for that time; so it was necessary to use every moment to advantage.
So I studied pretty hard; and I presume this is one reason why the
incident I am going to tell you about was of such a nature; for I was
over-tired, though that should be no excuse," she added hastily.

"Oh sister," said Miss Anstice nervously, "don't tell them that story. I
wouldn't."

"It may help them, to have a leaf out of another young person's life,
Anstice," said Miss Salisbury, gravely.

"Well, but--"

"And so, every time when I thought I must give up and go home, I was so
hungry to see my father and mother, and the little ones--"

"Was Miss Anstice one of the little ones?" asked Fanny, with a curious
look at the crow's-feet and faded eyes of the younger Miss Salisbury.

"Yes, she was: there were two boys came in between; then Anstice, then
Jane, Harriett, Lemuel, and the baby."

"Oh my!" gasped Alexia, tumbling over into Polly Pepper's lap.

"Eight of us; so you see, it would never do for the one who was having
so much money spent upon her, to waste a single penny of it. When I once
got to teaching, I was to pay it all back."

"And did you--did you?" demanded curious Fanny.

"Did she?--oh, girls!" It was Miss Anstice who almost gasped this,
making every girl turn around.

"Never mind," Miss Salisbury telegraphed over their heads, to "sister,"
which kept her silent. But she meant to tell sometime.

Polly Pepper, all this time, hadn't moved, but sat with hands folded in
her lap. What if she had given up and flown home to Mamsie and the
little brown house before Mr. King discovered her homesickness and
brought Phronsie! Supposing she hadn't gone in the old stagecoach that
day when she first left Badgertown to visit in Jasper's home! Just
supposing it! She turned quite pale, and held her breath, while Miss
Salisbury proceeded.

"And now comes the incident that occurred during that boarding-school
year, that I have intended for some time to tell you girls, because it
may perhaps help you in some experience where you will need the very
quality that I lacked on that occasion."

"Oh sister!" expostulated Miss Anstice.

"It was a midwinter day, cold and clear and piercing." Miss Salisbury
shivered a bit, and drew the shawl put across the back of her stone
seat, closer around her. "Mrs. Ferguson--that was the name of the
principal--had given the g