u. And
she seems to think that I have done something that has disgraced her,
and she won't tell me anything at all until to-morrow, only she told me
to come to my room and go to bed if I could get to bed without you and
she said you were untrustworthy--and--and that she had sent you to your
room to stay until to-morrow, and then she is going to make you go, and
oh, Minnie, Minnie, what _shall_ I ever do without you?"

"There, there! Minnie will find some way of staying near you if she has
to wear a wig and make believe she is somebody else entirely."

"What _have_ I done?" asked Rosanna. "Was it all because we went to
Fontaine Ferry? Mrs. Hargrave said I might go."

"A little of it is that," said Minnie, "but the worst of her madness is
because you have been playing with a little girl clean out of your own
class, as she puts it, and she blames everybody. Everybody that she can
discharge has got to go--and I guess that will be about everybody but
you."

"Then I might as well die," said Rosanna. "I can't go back and live the
way I used to live. You know I can't do it, Minnie. I can't; I just
_can't_! Oh, Minnie, it seems as though I had only been happy for three
weeks in all my life, and what shall I do? I do love Helen, and she is
just as nice as I am, and so are her mother and father. Oh, don't you
suppose Uncle Robert can fix it?"

"He didn't come home with her," said Minnie. "When he does the mischief
will be done. It is just her sinful pride, if I do say it about your
grandmother, and sure as sure there will come a day and that soon, when
her pride will have a fall. I only wish I could run away with you,
dearie. But you will have to be brave, and I will see you as soon as
ever I can. You know my telephone number, and if she ever goes out you
just call me up."

"I don't feel brave," whispered Rosanna, hiding her face on Minnie's
shoulder. "I don't see how I will ever bear to stay alone all night."

"That you needn't if you would like your Minnie," said she. "Just you
get into your bed and be quiet, and I will be back in a minute." She
tucked Rosanna between the sheets, and hurried away as silent as a
shadow.

In a few minutes she returned, ready for the night. She drew a big couch
close beside Rosanna's little bed and lay down.

"There we are!" she said, taking Rosanna's hand. "Now look here,
Rosanna. In the morning when your grandmother talks to you, don't try to
talk back, and whatever you do, _don't be a