d her awakening artistic
sense with delight.

"This one!" she murmured, and smiled at her own senseless extravagance.

"I reckon it's right silly," she said; "but it's mighty good fun to
wear your Sunday frock on a Thursday!"

Then arrayed and glowing with pride Cynthia contemplated herself in her
tiny mirror.

"If something happens 'long o' me," she nodded in friendly fashion into
the glass, "it will find me ready."

After breakfast she meant to go to Trouble Neck and help Marcia Lowe
with her "school." The little doctor's school was the newest and most
exciting innovation in The Hollow. The student list was elastic and
all embracing. Every department of life was taught, as and how it were
possible. The timid, blighted little folks were lured to the cabin by
all means at Miss Lowe's command and fed such crumbs as their poor wits
could comprehend.

"Let's flip out the grains, Cynthia, dear," the little doctor urged;
"perhaps some chick can swallow them. We must make hay while the sun
shines. Crothers' new factory is looming up and when that whistle
blows, good-bye to the Trouble Neck Academy!"

It had taken nearly seven years for Smith Crothers to collect his
insurance, recover his health, and begin his business career again. He
had left The Forge for two years, and since his return had gone slowly
about his work of rebuilding and entering the arena. Whatever he
thought or remembered of the night when his factory was burned, no one,
but himself, knew. From a grim shadow of his former self he regained
his health and looks; he nodded to Cynthia when he met her on The Way
and the girl tossed her head at him indifferently. Only Marcia Lowe
was anxious.

"Cynthia," she said, "promise me that you will not wander in the woods
alone!"

"Not without a pistol," the girl replied. "I'm a mighty good shot,
dear Cup-of-Cold-Water Lady!"

But Marcia Lowe shook her head.

When Cynthia went downstairs that May morning, Sally Taber had the
plain breakfast on the dining-room table, and her face looked drawn and
worried.

"Miss Cyn," she said, when she had set the corn bread and milk before
the girl, "las' night ole Miss war right troublesome."

"You have been up a good deal, Sally?"

"I sho' have. Ole Miss took to wandering and nothing would suit her
but de libry. I done made a fire there and let her play. She done dig
at the hearthstone an' laughed and babbled 'til long 'bout three
o'clock, then I carrie