Oh, no! we're not making any fuss for the governess. Oh, no! none at
all! If I were you I'd be ashamed of myself, Delia Connor!"

Delia pursed her lips together and made no retort.

It did not improve Nan's temper to have to wait for her breakfast until
Miss Blake should appear. But Delia made no attempt to serve her, and
she was too proud to ask. Happily the delay was not too serious, and
the governess appeared at the dining-room door just in time to prevent
the muffins from falling and Nan's temper from rising.

"Good morning!" said the cheery voice.

"--morning!" snapped Nan.

"I overslept," continued the governess apologetically; "and I am
thoroughly ashamed of myself. I beg your pardon. But I was very
tired. I did not sleep over-well the first part of the night."

"You're not late--or--or anything," said Nan. "I never get up till I
feel like it."

Miss Blake made no comment.

"And how did you sleep?" she asked after a moment, her eyes laughing
mischievously as though in spite of her, while her face remained quite
sober.

"All right," responded Nan, uncommunicatively.

"No dreams?"

The girl shook her head non-committally.

"Now, I wonder whether I could tell you your dream," ventured the
governess, the light fading a little in her eyes.

Nan did not encourage her to try.

"You were being pursued by some awful creature--oh, quite a gorgon, I
should say!"

The girl lifted her head.

"This relentless creature was deaf to all your appeals, though you
appealed to her touchingly, something after this style: Alas, Alas!
this is the worst thing that ever happened to me in all my--"

"Stop!" cried Nan, suddenly, with blazing eyes, "I didn't! I didn't!
Delia listened. She told on me. You're making fun of me, and you're
both of you just as mean as you can be, so there!"

She started up from her chair, which she thrust behind her so roughly
that it fell to the ground with a bang, and rushed toward the door in a
fury of anger and mortification.

Miss Blake sprang from her place and tried to detain her, crying:

"Nan, Nan! What do you mean? I was only in sport! Come back, dear,
and let me tell you all about it." But the girl fled past her,
flinging her hand passionately away and spurning her attempt at
explanation. A moment later the street door flung to with a loud slam.

The quick tears sprang to the governess' eyes, but she crushed them
back.

"Don't mind her, dearie," said Delia