ed. "I have often talked to you
about her, Dora. Are you not glad she is coming?"

"No, my dear child, I can't say that I am. If you wish to retain my
friendship, Hester, you must be careful to keep the little mite away from
me; I can't bear small children."

Hester walked away with her heart swelling, and she fancied she heard the
two elder girls laughing as she left the play-room.

Many other girls, however, in the school thoroughly sympathized with
Hester, and among them no one was more delighted than Susan Drummond.

"I am awfully good-natured not to be as cross as two sticks, Hetty," she
exclaimed, "for I am being turned out of my comfortable room; and whose
room do you suppose I am now to share? why, that little imp Annie
Forest's." But Hester felt charitable, even toward Annie, on this happy
day.

In the evening little Nan arrived. She was a very pretty, dimpled,
brown-eyed creature, of just three years of age. She had all the
imperious ways of a spoilt baby, and, evidently, fear was a word not to
be found in her vocabulary. She clung to Hester, but smiled and nodded to
the other girls, who made advances to her, and petted her, and thought
her a very charming baby. Beside Nan, all the other little girls in the
school looked old. She was quite two years the youngest, and it was soon
very evident that she would establish that most imperious of all
reigns--a baby reign--in the school.

Hester fondled her and talked to her, and the little thing sat on her
knee and stroked her face.

"Me like 'oo, Hetty," she said several times, and she added many other
endearing and pretty words which caused Hester's heart to swell with
delight.

In the midst of their happy little talk together Annie Forest, in her
usual careless fashion, entered the play-room. She alone, of all the
girls, had taken no notice of the new plaything. She walked to her usual
corner, sat down on the floor, and began to play cup and ball for the
benefit of two or three of the smallest children. Hester did not regard
her in the least; she sat with Nan on her knee, stroking back her sunny
curls, and remarking on her various charms to several of the girls who
sat round her.

"See, how pretty that dimple in her chin is," she said, "and oh, my pet,
your eyes look wiser, and bigger, and saucier than ever. Look at me, Nan;
look at your own Hetty."

Nan's attention, however, was diverted by the gaily-painted cup and ball
which Annie was using with her