t
would never do! Why it would be crazy to call on one's father to
rescue one from a person like that. Well, she'd leave out the
description altogether, that's what she'd do. She--

"Did you speak?" asked the governess, in her musical voice, turning
toward Nan inquiringly, and then the girl suddenly realized that she
had been mumbling her thoughts aloud.

"No, I didn't," she responded, with irritation. "It was too bad," she
declared to herself it was, "that after all the trouble she had taken
to learn the thing by heart, she should be pestered to death by having
to make changes in it this way--at the last minute, too. Why wasn't
Miss Blake tall and lanky and needly-eyed and a fright, she'd like to
know? It was just like her, though! So contrary! To change about and
upset all Nan's plans. Well, as long as there was so much fuss about
the thing, she s'posed she'd give it up."

"She's so little, it'll be easy enough to manage her. I guess it isn't
worth while. I can just say, to-morrow or next day, 'Miss Blake, I've
come to the conclusion you don't suit,' and she'll go right off. She
may cry a little, but I won't mind that; and if she begs to stay, I'll
say, 'Now there's no use teasing! When I once say a thing I mean it!'
and that will settle her once for all."

Delia was pressing the governess to take more supper when Nan again
waked to what was going on about her.

"Why, you don't eat any more than you used--I mean than a bird. Do
take a little more chicken, do! And a cup of coffee, nice and hot,
that's a good--lady!"

It was really too humiliating! It was more than Nan could bear. She
sprang to her feet and without a word--with nothing but a glance of
withering scorn at Delia--swept out of the room and upstairs to bed.

Miss Blake looked after her with strange, wondering eyes, but made no
attempt to follow her. She just turned to Delia and stretched out her
hands.

"O Delia! Delia!" she faltered, brokenly.

The woman came to her and took both the little hands in hers. "Bless
you, dearie!" she cried. "That I ever lived to see the day! There,
there, lamb, don't cry so, Allanah! See, I'm not crying, am I now?"
sobbed she, kneeling beside the stranger and hugging her knees wildly.
"Oh, but it's glad I am to see your dear face again! Now tell me all
about it--how you came to know we need you so bad?"

CHAPTER V

GETTING ACQUAINTED

Nan, in spite of the fact that she assured herse