ighty little Mulford about you!"

"Oh, Uncle Jason!" She flung her soft arms about his neck, immeasurably
touched by the tone of his voice. Her eyes shone with the tenderness of
tears. She laid her fond lips to his rough cheek with a delicate caress.

"Whatever comes," she began, after a pause, "remember that I do
sincerely love you, and that I believe you would be willing to do the
best for me if it was in your power."

"Your head's level there, child," with a tremble in his voice, and he
kissed her fondly, a rare thing with him.

She watched him as he went down the path and climbed into the old wagon.

"I feel mean, and underhand, and deceitful," she cried passionately,
turning to Mrs. Dayton. "I like to live along just on the square, and
how the thing will ever get told, and whether Aunt Jane will let me
stay, and whether it is all right, and why you should want things that
seem out of your reach, and why someone should rise up and forbid you
mounting the ladder that stands just at hand--oh dear!" and Helen burst
into a flood of tears.

"You can tell it all next week. There's been nothing especially
underhand. People don't usually get out on the housetops and proclaim
the things they think of doing. And Mr. Warfield will be back. We shall
all be ranged on your side."

"Poor Uncle Jason! And I haven't finished grating the corn for the
fritters. The cold tongue looks splendid. And the cold chicken. Then we
give people scalding hot fritters."

She was merry and arch again in a moment.

Sunday was soft and rainy, the sort of day one lounged about. Monday
Mrs. Griggs came to wash, and as there were pears to pickle Helen helped
with the ironing. Tuesday she trudged off to school with a beating
heart. Louise Searing was there, one girl and two boys from the North
Hope school who had been conditioned.

"I don't see what you can do if you do get in, Helen Grant," said
Louise. "I'm going to stay with Betty all the week"--this was her
married sister. "Or has Mrs. Dayton promised to keep you? That rich old
lady is going away, isn't she? How did you like living out this summer?
I went up in the mountains with ma. There were some young fellows and we
had lots of fun."

"Hush!" said a teacher entering. Papers and pencils were distributed,
the children placed far enough apart to prevent collusion. The lady took
a seat at the desk.

Helen looked over her questions. Two were from the last year's list, she
saw with joy,