r when I could go and get her myself."

Nan pondered over it moodily for a moment. "And did you have to stay
in that house until you were grown up?" she demanded.

"Oh, no! When I was about your age I went to boarding-school, and
everything was changed and different after that."

"How?"

"Well, I made dear, faithful friends who took me to their hearts and
who made my life rich with their love. All that other hungry, empty
time was over, and for many years I never knew what it was to feel sad
or lonely, or to have a wish that would not have been gladly gratified
if it could be."

"Now they were something like!" ejaculated Nan. "Dear me! I should
think you would have been sorry when you got through school."

Miss Blake made no reply. She put up her hand to shield her eyes from
the glare of the fire, and for a second or two there was a deep hush in
the room. Nan was the first to break the silence.

"Goodness!" she cried, springing to her feet with a bound. "It's as
dark as a pocket outside, and Delia'll think we're lost or something if
we don't go home."

Miss Blake surreptitiously gathered her work together and slipped it
into her bag. "Yes, we must scamper," she exclaimed, as she turned to
help Nan on with her coat.

"Dear, dear, what a gorgeous hat!" exclaimed Mrs. Newton, as the girl
set it carelessly upon her head.

Nan looked sheepish. "I'm glad you like it!" she ventured clumsily.

Mrs. Newton did not respond that she had not said she liked it. She
busied herself with Miss Blake and her wraps, and replied merely, "It's
a remarkable gay affair."

Then she kissed the governess "Good-night," and saw both her and Nan
safely to the door.

The two hastened across the street to see which could get out of the
wind first.

"I beat!" panted the girl, as she stood in the vestibule and saw Miss
Blake breathlessly climb the last step.

"Yes, you beat! Fair and square!" admitted the governess as Delia let
them in, chattering and shivering, from the chilly air.

"Who'll beat now, going upstairs?" screamed Nan.

Miss Blake made a dash for the first step and the two went flying up in
a perfect whirl of laughter and fun.

Delia had forgotten to light the gas in Nan's room and the girl
stumbled about blindly, crashing into the furniture and casting off her
coat and hat in her old headlong fashion, not stopping to think of all
Miss Blake's warnings on the subject, but just hurrying to get down
stairs