bered that it was her blue dress which had been worn but a few
days; not long enough to gather woolly crumbs.

"Too bad!" she murmured, and the tears came into her eyes, for she was
now more hungry than before. And at that moment a bowl of nice bread and
milk was on the table waiting for her; but between her and it was a
long, weary walk. It would not have seemed far to Charley or Bertie,
and it really was only a mile, but a mile is a long journey for little
tired feet, and Flora was hungry too. She could not see very well as she
put the things back into her pocket, the tears blinded her. Perhaps that
was the reason she left something out. And what do you suppose it was?
She walked away and left her precious "'fumery" lying on the ground. Of
course she did not know it, and she felt dreadfully about it afterwards,
but she never could tell where she lost it.

While she was putting the things back, she felt some spatters on her
head. She looked up, and there was such a black cloud overhead. It was
true, then, what the driver of the blue cart had said. The rain was
coming, and it seemed to be growing dark, too. What if the rain and
darkness should both overtake her before she got home? She must make
haste now. She hurried on as fast as her little feet would carry her.
She was running away from the rain and the night. She did not think of
applying at any of the houses for shelter, or of asking for food; she
had but one wish, to get home to dear mamma. By-and-by the tired feet
began to flag, but she felt no more spatters, and she was glad that she
had left the shower behind. It was lighter, too; she could run faster
than the night. As there was to be no rain, she concluded to rest if she
came to a nice place, and soon she came to a very nice place just off
the road, which looked so inviting that she sat down and leaned her head
against the smooth, grassy mound. It was sheltered by fine old trees,
and the new grass and the fresh earth smelt sweet, as she laid her wet
cheek against the cool pillow, that she could not make up her mind to
leave it. She said to herself that she would rest one little minute, but
when the little minute was gone, she had forgotten the night was
following so fast upon her footsteps. She lay drowsily watching the
shining bugs and creeping things that shared her green pillow, and
thought how happy she should feel if it were not for being so very
hungry. And then she was no longer hungry, for sleep stole