nd see! I ain't tellin' even you, Tillie. I'm savin' it fur
a surprise party fur all of yous!"

"Father won't speak to me about it, you know. He won't mention
Teacher's name to me."

"Then won't you find out off of him about the Board meetin'?" the
doctor asked in disappointment. "Must you wait till you see me again
oncet?"

"He will tell mother. I can get her to tell me," Tillie said.

"All right. Somepin's going to happen too good to wait! Now look-ahere,
Tillie, is your pop to be tole about your certificate?"

"I won't tell him until I must. I don't know how he'd take it. He might
not let me get a school to teach. Of course, when once I've got a
school, he will have to be told. And then," she quietly added, "I shall
teach, whether he forbids it or not."

"To be sure!" heartily assented the doctor. "And leave him go roll
hisself, ain't! I'll keep a lookout fur you and tell you the first
wacancy I hear of."

"What would I do--what should I have done in all these years, Doc--if
it hadn't been for you!" smiled Tillie, with an affectionate pressure
of his rough hand; and the doctor's face shone with pleasure to hear
her.

"You have been a good friend to me, Doc."

"Och, that's all right, Tillie. As I sayed, wirtue has its reward even
in this here life. My wirtuous acts in standin' by you has gave me as
much satisfaction as I've ever had out of anything! But now, Tillie,
about tellin' your pop. I don't suspicion he'd take it anyways ugly. A
body'd think he'd be proud! And he hadn't none of the expense of givin'
you your nice education!"

"I can't be sure how he WOULD take it, Doc, so I would rather not tell
him until I must."

"All right. Just what you say. But I dare tell missus, ain't?"

"If she won't tell the girls, Doc. It would get back to father, I'm
afraid, if so many knew it."

"I 'll tell her not to tell. She 'll be as pleased and proud as if it
was Manda or Rebecca!"

"Poor Aunty Em! She is so good to me, and I'm afraid I've disappointed
her!" Tillie humbly said; but somehow the sadness that should have
expressed itself in the voice of one under suspension from meeting,
when speaking of her sin, was quite lacking.

When, at length, they reached the Getz farm, Mr. Getz met them at the
gate, his face harsh with displeasure at Tillie's long and unpermitted
absence from home.

"Hello, Jake!" said the doctor, pleasantly, as her father lifted her
down from the high buggy. "I guess missus tole you