time came the night following the morning of Mrs. Willis'
departure, Winnie was too proud to ask Warren or Richard to spend the
night in the house. It is quite probable that either or both might
have offered to stay, but they had returned late from a trip to
Bennington and, driving into the barn at nine o'clock, had decided to
go to bed early.

"Are you going to lock the doors?" asked Rosemary, turning on the piano
bench in surprise as Winnie shut the front door with a bang and slid
the heavy bolt and chain.

"I am that," said Winnie with emphasis. "I'm responsible for the
rented stuff in this house and I don't aim to have any of Mrs.
Hammond's furniture being carried off."

"Why Winnie, no one will take anything," remonstrated Rosemary.
"Warren says doors are never locked in any of the farmhouses around
here. There hasn't been a tramp seen this summer."

"And I don't intend to have the record broken--not by me," said Winnie,
shutting the living-room windows with a bang and turning the catches.
"I'm going out in the kitchen now and bolt that door."

Sarah and Shirley had been in bed for an hour and there was only
Rosemary to accompany the determined Winnie on her rounds. They made a
thorough job of the locking up--Winnie by preference, Rosemary by
compulsion--and then snapped off the lights and went upstairs together.

"I'll leave my door open to-night, Winnie," said Rosemary. "Then if
you should want anything, you could call me."

"It's going to rain," replied Winnie absently. "The wind is rising,
too. Don't let the ceiling get soaked again."

Rosemary kissed her good night--Winnie's arms had been the first to
hold Rosemary when she was born--and went into her own pretty room.

She did not hurry over undressing and even attempted to read as she
brushed her hair. Of course neither pleasure nor task went forward
very smoothly, but Rosemary enjoyed the sensation of dawdling. She was
not sleepy and it was pleasant to play that she was a lady of leisure.
Then, before she was ready for bed, she must needs try her hair a new
way and turn on all the lights in the room to get the effect.

"It will be so exciting," said Rosemary, staring with naive
satisfaction at the pink-cheeked girl in the white kimono who stared
back at her from the glass, "it will be so exciting to go to dances and
parties. If I ever get to high school, I'll be thankful, for then
there is always something happening. I hope there's a da