ng polite. She owed that to herself,
to her position, to her self-respect. Accordingly Miss Allan busied
herself graciously about other matters till Ellen had finished her note,
addressed an envelope, and advanced with it to the window.

She hesitated doubtfully, with one hand on the sash.

"It won't matter just this once," she said as if arguing, "somebody will
pick it up and mail it for me. It concerns something important and
private. People are silly about infection. I'm quite sure it won't matter
just this once." She paused this time with rather an anxious little side
glance toward Lila.

That young lady said nothing. She was engaged in contemplating with a
studiously inexpressive countenance the stub of her precious and only
pencil. It needed sharpening again.

Ellen raised the window half an inch. "The doctor here is so foolish,"
she commented with an injured air, "she's always bothering about
infection or contagion or whatever you call it. It isn't necessary
either. I know a doctor at home and he told a woman to wrap up her little
girl and bring her down to his office, and the little girl was peeling
too. He knew it wouldn't do any harm even if she did go in the street
car. He was sensible."

Lila smothered a sigh of long suffering as she reached for the case knife
again.

"And I am so tired," insisted Ellen with fretful vehemence. "I am bored
to death, and nobody amuses me, and my eyes ache when I try to read, and
my wrist won't peel, and all the other girls are enjoying themselves, and
my letter is awfully important and private, and mother will be so glad to
receive it, and my little sister will snatch it quick from the
postcarrier, and they'll all be glad, and there isn't the least bit of
danger, and I'm going to do it." She flung the sash wide and glanced
around for an instant with a face in which reckless defiance wrestled
with a frightened wish to be dissuaded. "I'm going to do it," she
repeated, "I'm going to do it--Lila!"

Miss Allan raised her head with a politely controlled shiver. "Would you
mind closing the window at your earliest convenience, Miss Bright?"

The younger girl gave her one look, then turned and leaning out over the
sill sent the envelope fluttering downward till it rested square and
white on the concrete walk far below. Lila shrugged her shoulder and
finished sharpening her pencil.

In the course of weary time she was set at liberty. Fair and sweet and
delicate in her fresh a