d--as she always did--to do
what she had to do, right.

As for Agnes, she was truly filled with delight. The fly-away's very
heart and soul was in the character she played. She lived the part of
Innocent Delight.

She truly did well in this first performance. No stage fright did she
experience. From her first word spoken in the centre of the stage while
Madam Shaw was being borne in by the Sedan men, till the last word she
spoke in the final act of the play, Agnes Kenway acted her part with
credit.

In truth, as a whole, the Milton school pupils did well in the play. The
professor's fears were not fulfilled. Milton people did not by any
means, laugh the actors out of town.

Instead, the packed house of the first night was repeated on the second
evening. The matinee on the third day, which was given at popular
prices, was overcrowded--they had to stop selling admission tickets.
While the third and last evening saw a repetition of the crowds at the
other performances.

The local papers gave much space each day to the benefit, and their
criticisms of the amateur players made the hearts of boys and girls
alike, glad.

The reports from the ticket office were, after all, the main thing. It
was soon seen that a goodly sum would be made for the Women's and
Children's Hospital. In the end it amounted to more than three thousand
dollars.

"Why, _that_ will give the hospital a new lease of life! Dr. Forsyth
said so," Agnes declared at the dinner table the day after the last
performance.

"It will pay Mrs. Eland's salary for a long time," Tess remarked, with a
sigh of satisfaction.

"I don't know but that sounds rather selfish, after all, dear," Ruth
said, smiling at sober little Tess.

"What does, Sister?"

"It seems that all _you_ care about the hospital is that Mrs. Eland
shall get her wages."

"Yes. I s'pose that's my special interest in it," admitted Tess, slowly.
"But then, if my Mrs. Eland is there as matron, the hospital is bound to
do a great deal of good."

"Oh! wisdom of the ancients!" laughed Agnes.

"Quite true, my dear," commented Mrs. MacCall. "Your Mrs. Eland is a
fine woman. I've always said that."

"Everybody doesn't agree with you," said Ruth, smiling.

"Who doesn't like Mrs. Eland?" demanded Tess, quite excited.

"Our neighbor, Sammy Pinkney," Ruth replied, laughing again. "I heard
him talking about her this very morning, and what he said was not
complimentary."

Tess was quite flushed