rton, displeased.

"You don't mean she shall get through what she has to say," remarked
David.

"If you would all hold your tongues, there would be some chance," said
Mrs. Lloyd. "Try again, Matilda. Was there more? What made the
afternoon so pleasant?"

"It always is at that school," said Matilda. "But besides that, this
afternoon I believe I got some help for something I want to do; and
thinking about that, and about what I want to do, was part of I what
was feeling so glad about."

"Well if that isn't a confused statement of facts!" said Judy. "Feeling
so glad about,--when?"

"When Mrs. Lloyd asked me what I was smiling at."

"But I am to have your thoughts, you know," said Mrs. Lloyd, with a
rather pleasant smile. "You have not told me yet _what_ it is you want
to do, the thought of which is so agreeable."

"I did tell it, to the witch last night," said Matilda. "Do you want me
to tell it again, now, ma'am?"

"Certainly. You don't think I am a witch, do you?"

On that point Matilda did not give her thoughts; but as desired, she
told the story, briefly, of Sarah and her home, and of the reforms
proposed in the latter. The attention of her hearers was marked,
although most of them indeed had known the matter before.

"What was there in all this to make you so very glad?" inquired Judy.

Matilda hesitated, and could not find what to say.

"Pink has her own ways of being happy you see," Norton remarked.

"She is not the only one, I hope," said David.

"The only one, what?" said Judy sharply. "You are as bad as she is,
David, to-night, for talking thick."

"Have we got through, my dear?" inquired Mrs. Lloyd kindly.

"Through all the things that were making me feel glad?" said Matilda.
"No, ma'am--not quite." And she stopped and flushed.

"Let us have it," said Mrs. Lloyd. "A bargain is a bargain."

"Yes, ma'am," said Matilda. "I am afraid--I was afraid--perhaps you
wouldn't understand me. I was glad of all these things;--and then, I
thought, I was so glad that I knew about Jesus; and that I am his
child; and that he has given me all these other things to be glad
about, and this work to do for Sarah!"

There was a profound silence for a minute or two. Judy was astonished
out of speech. David, perhaps, disgusted. Norton was a little proud
that Matilda had independence enough to dare to speak out, even if he
chafed a little under the subject of her plain speaking. The elder
ladies looked at one anoth