and get me," she said
to herself. "I don't like this place one single bit. No one pays a
bit of attention to me, and my dress is ever so much nicer than any one
else's. I think Ruby might come and sit by me, instead of staying with
her aunt, so I do."

But Ruby was very happy where she was. She had not forgotten Maude,
and when they had first gone into the sitting-room, she had invited
Maude to come and sit beside her; but as Maude had refused, wishing
Ruby to come over to her, she had concluded that Maude wished to be by
herself, and was listening to the talk going on about her, without
thinking any more about Maude.

At eight o'clock all the girls went up to bed, and Miss Chapman told
them that in half an hour a bell would be rung, and that then they must
put their lights out, and not talk any more to one another that night.

Some of the girls who were tired had gone to bed earlier, but most of
the scholars had stayed downstairs until that hour. The next day would
be the first day of regular school, and Miss Chapman told them that she
hoped they would all sleep well so as to be fresh for their studies in
the morning.

When Ruby was in her room, she realized for the first time with all her
heart how much happier she was than those girls who had come quite
alone. If she had not Aunt Emma she did not know what she should have
done, she should have been so lonely. As it was, all her chatter
stopped as she began to get undressed, and though Aunt Emma talked on
about everything that she thought would interest her little niece, yet
Ruby's answers grew more and more infrequent, and Aunt Emma guessed
that she was thinking about home, and the dear ones there from whom she
had never been separated so long before.

Ruby was really a brave little girl, and when she felt the lump
swelling in her throat again she kept swallowing it back, and trying to
think only of how pleased her papa would be when he should hear that
she had been good and had not cried to come home; but when at last she
knelt down to say her prayers in her little white night gown, the tears
would come.

"I want mamma, oh, I want mamma," she sobbed.

Aunt Emma took her up tenderly in her arms, and kissed and comforted
the little girl as tenderly as she could; but no one could take the
place of mother, and though Ruby tried to stop crying, the tears came
fast and thick.

"You may think I am not trying to be brave, Aunt Emma," said Ruby,
through her