e
seen. But the very next day after the minister's daughter received her
feather--as if things were all coming right, thought Minty
hopefully--Uncle Kittredge sent her down to Lot Rankin's to find out
when he would be strong enough to help Cyrus in the logging camp; and
Jason gave her many charges concerning the contract she was to make
with Lot. But as she was going out of the house, there stood the
minister's daughter in the doorway, talking with Aunt Kittredge.

"I shouldn't have known where it came from if Miss Plympton, the
milliner, hadn't happened to come in," the young girl was saying. "She
said at once, 'It's Minty Kittredge's feather. I had it dyed for her
last summer, and there's the little tag from the dye-house on it now.'
I can't think why she sent it to me."

Aunt Kittredge turned to the shrinking figure behind her, holding the
blue feather accusingly in her hand.

"Araminta Kittredge, what does this mean?" she demanded sternly.

"I--I--she felt so bad about her gull's wing, and--and--" A rising sob
fairly choked Minty.

"Please don't scold her. I'm sure she can explain," pleaded the
minister's daughter.

"It's my duty to find out just what this means," said Aunt Kittredge
severely. "I never heard of a child doing such a high-handed thing!
You can do your errand now, because your uncle wants you to, but when
you come back I shall have a settlement with you."

Poor Minty! She ran fast, never looking back, although the minister's
daughter called to her in kindliest tones.

There was no hope of keeping a secret from Aunt Kittredge when once
she had discovered that there was one. The only chance of saving
Priscilla's life lay in persuading Lot Rankin to care for and conceal
her.

But, alas! she found that Lot was not to be persuaded. He was going
into the woods to work, and his mother was "set against turkeys."
Moreover, she was "so lonesome most of the time that when folks _did_
come along she told 'em all she knew."

Jason, who had been very anxious, met her at the corner. Perhaps it
was not to be wondered at that Jason was somewhat cross and
unreasonable. He said only a girl would be so foolish as to send that
feather to the minister's daughter. Girls were all silly, even those
who had high foreheads, and he would never trust one again. He hoped
she was going to have sense enough not to tell, no matter what Aunt
Kittredge did.

Poor Minty felt herself to be quite unequal to resisting Aunt
K