ith her
music."

"If Miss Row had acted so to me I should have too much pride to grieve.
Why doesn't Penelope ask Mr. Jeffry to lend her the key of the organ?
He would in a moment."

"She won't because she feels Miss Row did not mean her to have it."

"That is nonsense," retorted Esther. "She can't want it so very much if
she won't take the trouble to speak to Mr. Jeffry. After all, it is not
Miss Row's organ."

"Pen does want it _very_ much," said Angela gently.

"I never did like Miss Row," Esther went on, still in her most
disagreeable mood. "I could see she had a horrid temper. If Pen lets
herself be taken up and made a lot of she must expect what she gets."

"But Miss Row didn't make more of Penelope than Mademoiselle has of you,"
urged Angela, always ready to defend her adored Penelope, "and you would
feel it if Mademoiselle acted so to you."

"Oh, Mademoiselle is quite different from Miss Row," said Esther loftily.
She did not admit even to herself that much of the charming difference lay
in the fact that she had singled out her, Esther, from her sisters.

She underwent some change of opinion, though, when, a few days later,
Penelope came dancing down the road from Edless beside herself, almost,
with happiness. "Oh, Cousin Charlotte!" she cried as she rushed into the
house. "Oh, Cousin Charlotte! oh, girls! Mademoiselle has been talking
to me. She _is_ so kind! What _do_ you think? She actually says she
will give me lessons in singing if Cousin Charlotte will permit her.
She says she would _like_ to. Isn't it lovely! splendiferous! beautiful!
Cousin Charlotte, you will, won't you? I _do_ want to learn, and this is
such a splendid chance. Isn't it wonderful how the very things one wants
most come to one! I never dreamed of such a lovely thing as this."

Esther got up and walked away without speaking a word. Cousin Charlotte,
who had seen her face, looked after her sadly, and sighed a little as she
watched her go. Then she turned to Penelope. "Yes, dear, certainly.
It is a wonderful opportunity for you here in this out-of-the-way spot,
and I could not deny it to you. I am most grateful to Mademoiselle for
her thoughtful kindness. I must call on her," Miss Charlotte added a
moment later, "whether she likes it or not. I must thank her for her
goodness to all my chicks."

"Oh, she _will_ be glad," cried Penelope, flinging her arms about Miss
Ashe's neck, and kissing the soft old cheek.