urse was to remain with her until she got accustomed to
her new life.

The morning of the day of Nan's arrival was also the last of the Easter
holidays, and Hester, awakening earlier than her wont, lay in bed, and
planned what she would do to welcome the little one.

The idea of having Nan with her continually had softened Hester. She was
not unhappy in her school-life--indeed, there was much in its monotonous,
busy, and healthy occupation to stimulate and rouse the good in her. Her
intellect was being vigorously exercised, and, by contact with her
schoolfellows, her character was being molded; but the perfect harmony
and brightness of the school had been much interrupted since Hester's
arrival; her dislike to Annie Forest had been unfortunate in more ways
than one, and that dislike, which was increasing each day, was hardening
Hester's heart.

But it was not hard this morning--all that was sweetest, and softest, and
best in her had come to the surface--the little sister, whom her mother
had left in her charge, was now to be her daily and hourly companion. For
Nan's sake, then, she must be very good; her deeds must be gentle and
kind, and her thoughts charitable. Hester had an instinctive feeling that
baby eyes saw deep below the surface; Hester felt if Nan were to lose
even a shadow of her faith in her she could almost die of shame.

Hester had been very proud of Dora Russell's friendship. Never before had
it been known in the school that a first-class girl took a third into
such close companionship, and Hester's little head had been slightly
turned by the fact. Her better judgment and her better nature had been
rather blinded by the fascinations of this tall, graceful, satirical
Dora. She had been weak enough to agree with Dora with her lips when in
her heart of hearts she knew she was all wrong. By nature Hester was an
honorable girl, with many fine traits in her character--by nature Dora
was small and mean and poor of soul.

This morning Hester ran up to her favorite.

"Little Nan is coming to-night," she said.

Dora was talking at the moment to Miss Maitland, another first-class
girl, and the two stared rather superciliously at Hester, and, after a
pause, Dora said in her finest drawl:

"Who _is_ little Nan?"

It was Hester's turn to stare, for she had often spoken of Nan to this
beloved friend, who had listened to her narrative and had appeared to
sympathize.

"My little sister, of course," she exclaim