phas
looked sharply after them, but said nothing; he was like a
philosopher in such a fury of research and experiment that for the
time he heeded thoroughly nothing else.

The young girl, who was Rose Berry, Charlotte's cousin, followed her
panting up the steep stairs to her chamber. She was a slender little
creature, and was now overwrought with nervous excitement. She fairly
gasped for breath when she sat down in the little wooden chair in
Charlotte's room. Charlotte sat on the bed. The two girls looked at
each other--Rose with a certain wary alarm and questioning in her
eyes, Charlotte with a dignified confidence of misery.

"I didn't sleep here last night," Charlotte said, at length.

"You went over to Aunt Sylvy's, didn't you?" returned Rose, as if
that were all the matter in hand.

Charlotte nodded, then she looked moodily past her cousin's face out
of the window.

"You've heard about it, I suppose?" said Charlotte.

"Something," replied Rose, evasively.

"I don't see how it got out, for my part. I don't believe he told
anybody."

Rose flushed all over her little eager face and her thin neck. She
opened her mouth as if to speak, then shut it with a catch of her
breath.

"I can't imagine how it got out," repeated Charlotte.

Rose looked at Charlotte with a painful effort; she clutched her
hands tightly into fists as she spoke. "I was coming up here 'cross
lots last night, and I heard you out in the road calling Barney," she
said, as if she forced out the words.

"Rose Berry, you didn't tell!"

"I went home and told mother, that's all. I didn't think that it
would do any harm, Charlotte."

"It'll be all over town, that's all. It's bad enough, anyway."

"I don't believe it'll get out; I told mother not to tell."

"Mrs. Thayer knew."

"Maybe Barney told her."

"Rose Berry, you know better. You know Barney wouldn't do such a
thing."

"No; I don't s'pose he would."

"Don't suppose! Don't you know?"

"Yes, of course I do. I know Barney just as well as you do,
Charlotte. Oh, Charlotte, don't feel bad. I wouldn't have told mother
if I'd thought. I didn't mean to do any harm. I was all upset myself
by it. Don't cry, Charlotte."

"I ain't going to cry," said Charlotte, with spirit. "I've stopped
cryin'." She wiped her eyes forcibly with her apron, and gave her
head a proud toss. "I know you didn't mean to do any harm, Rose, and
I suppose it would have got out anyway. 'Most everything does get ou