low tone, "for I mustn't leave
my room till grandma bids me. But you can come in mine, can't you?"
she added wistfully.

"To be sure I can," and suiting the action to the word, Miss Dorothy
entered and sat down by the window, drawing Marian to her side and
saying, "Now tell me all about it."

Marian poured forth her doleful tale, beginning with the visit to
Mrs. Hunt and ending with the interview with her grandmother. "She
wouldn't have minded so much except for the frock and petticoat,"
she said in conclusion, "but when she found out about those, I could
see that she was very, very much put out."

"That was the worst part of it, of course," said Miss Dorothy. "Of
course you told her how sorry you were, and that you were so excited
over getting the biggest berries that you forgot about the briars.
You are not the only one who has done that," she added with a half
smile. "You never had been blackberrying before, had you?"

"No, Miss Dorothy, and it was very exciting. We really had a lovely
time, only the walk was rather a hot one. Mrs. Hunt was so good; she
gave me such a fine lunch. She didn't think grandma would mind, for
she said she often used to go blackberrying when she was a little
girl."

"She said that, did she?"

"Yes, Miss Dorothy. I ought to return the basket, but I can't go
now, and I left the berries down under the apple tree."

"I will go out and bring them in, and I was thinking of going to
Mrs. Hunt's to make a call. I may as well go this evening, and then
I can return the basket for you. Mr. Hunt is one of our trustees,
you know, and I want to see him on a little matter about the
school."

"Oh, thank you, Miss Dorothy. I know she uses that little basket
for all sorts of things, and she might want it."

"She shall have it," said Miss Dorothy. "Well, dear, I hope your
grandmother will not be very hard on you. The only point I can see
that needs blame, is your wearing that flimsy delicate frock, but
as you had never been blackberrying before, you couldn't know the
unkindness of briars."

"There wasn't time to change the frock."

"Yes, I know."

"And you won't think I am very, very, wicked, even if they punish
me? You will let Patty be friends with me?"

"I understand all about it, my dearie, and it shall not make the
slightest difference so far as Patty is concerned. I only wish I
could take your punishment for you."

At this extreme kindness, Marian flung herself upon the floor at
Mi