tter to laugh than cry about things, any
time. It's a great deal better to be made hard-hearted like me, and not
care for anybody, than to be like you, for instance. The idea of any
one's being in love is the drollest thing to me. I haven't the least
idea how it feels. I wonder if I ever shall be in love!"

"It will come to you in its time, Sally."

"Oh, yes,--I suppose like the chicken-pox or the whooping cough," said
Sally; "one of the things to be gone through with, and rather
disagreeable while it lasts,--so I hope to put it off as long as
possible."

"Well, come," said Mara, "we must not sit up all night."

After the two girls were nestled into bed and the light out, instead of
the brisk chatter there fell a great silence between them. The full
round moon cast the reflection of the window on the white bed, and the
ever restless moan of the sea became more audible in the fixed
stillness. The two faces, both young and fair, yet so different in their
expression, lay each still on its pillow,--their wide-open eyes gleaming
out in the shadow like mystical gems. Each was breathing softly, as if
afraid of disturbing the other. At last Sally gave an impatient
movement.

"How lonesome the sea sounds in the night," she said. "I wish it would
ever be still."

"I like to hear it," said Mara. "When I was in Boston, for a while I
thought I could not sleep, I used to miss it so much."

There was another silence, which lasted so long that each girl thought
the other asleep, and moved softly, but at a restless movement from
Sally, Mara spoke again.

"Sally,--you asleep?"

"No,--I thought you were."

"I wanted to ask you," said Mara, "did Moses ever say anything to you
about me?--you know I told you how much he said about you."

"Yes; he asked me once if you were engaged to Mr. Adams."

"And what did you tell him?" said Mara, with increasing interest.

"Well, I only plagued him. I sometimes made him think you were, and
sometimes that you were not; and then again, that there was a deep
mystery in hand. But I praised and glorified Mr. Adams, and told him
what a splendid match it would be, and put on any little bits of
embroidery here and there that I could lay hands on. I used to make him
sulky and gloomy for a whole evening sometimes. In that way it was one
of the best weapons I had."

"Sally, what does make you love to tease people so?" said Mara.

"Why, you know the hymn says,--

'Let dogs delight to bark a