and under it in perfect time with the song which she was
singing.

The sunlight touched her bright curls, making her look like a fairy, and
now she skipped backward, and forward, around the circular garden, and
back again, only pausing to rest when another little girl ran across the
lawn to meet her. She was Dorothy Dainty, the lovely little daughter
of the house, and the sprightly, dark-eyed child who now joined her was
Nancy Ferris, her dearest playmate.

"I was just wishing you'd come out, for I've something to tell you,"
Dorothy said. "You know Aunt Charlotte has all her plans ready for
opening her private school next week, and you heard her tell mamma that
the class was _very_ full."

"Oh, I know it's to be a big class," said Nancy, "for besides all the
girls that used to be in it, there's to be one new one, and one _boy_,
Katie Dean's cousin, Reginald, and,--oh, _did_ you know that Arabella is
to join the class?"

"Why, Nancy, are you _sure_?" asked Dorothy; "only yesterday we looked
over toward her house, and there seemed to be no one at home." Nancy's
eyes were merry.

"Come and look _now_!" she said, clasping Dorothy's hand, and running
with her down to the gate.

"There!" said Nancy, "see all those windows open, and somebody out there
behind the house beating a rug; you see they _are_ at home, and that's
her queer little old Aunt Matilda."

Dorothy looked at the resolute little figure, and wondered how the thin
arm could wield the rug-beater with so much energy. She remembered that
Arabella had said that her father _always_ did as Aunt Matilda directed,
and truly the small woman appeared able to marshal an army of men, if
she chose.

"Perhaps Arabella will go over to the public school," said Dorothy; "she
doesn't have to enter Aunt Charlotte's private class."

"Oh, but she _will_, I just know she will," Nancy replied, "and Aunt
Charlotte'll _have_ to let her. You know Mr. Corryville was in your
papa's class at college, and if he says he wishes Arabella to join the
class, your papa will surely say 'yes.'"

"He certainly will," said Dorothy, "but there's one thing to think of,"
she said, with a bright smile, "There are nice girls in the class, and
if Arabella is queer, we _mustn't_ mind it."

"We'll _try_ not to," Nancy said, and then, as Dorothy again swung her
rope, Nancy "ran in," and the two skipped around the house together, the
rope whipping the gravel walk in time with the dancing feet.

I