wonted dexterity.

"Dat a pitty toy," she said, giving one quick and rather solemn glance at
her sister, and again fixing her admiring gaze on the cup and ball.

Annie Forest had heard the words, and she darted a sudden, laughing look
at the little one. Annie's power over children was well known. Nan began
to wriggle on Hester's knee.

"Dat a pitty lady," she said again, "and that a pitty, tibby [little]
toy; Nan go see."

In an instant, before Hester could prevent her, she had trotted across
the room, and was kneeling with the other children and shouting with
delight over Annie's play.

"She'll get her, you'll see, Hester," said one of the girls maliciously;
"she'll soon be much fonder of Annie Forest than of you. Annie wins the
heart of every little child in the school."

"She won't win my Nan's from me," said Hester in a confident tone; but in
spite of her words a great pang of jealousy had gone through her. She
rose to her seat and followed her little sister.

"Nan, you are sleepy, you must go to bed."

"No, no, Hetty; me not s'eepy, me kite awake; go 'way, Hetty, Nan want to
see the pitty tibby toy."

Annie raised her eyes to Hester's. She did not really want to be unkind,
and at that moment it had certainty never entered into her head to steal
Hester's treasure from her, but she could not help a look of suppressed
delight and triumph filling her eyes.

Hester could scarcely bear the look; she stooped down, and taking one of
Nan's little dimpled hands tried to drag her away.

Instantly Annie threw the cup and ball on the floor.

"The play is all over to-night, little darling," she said; "give Annie
Forest one kiss, and run to bed with sister Hester."

Nan, who had been puckering up her face to cry, smiled instantly; then
she scrambled to her feet, and flung her little fat arms round Annie's
neck.

"Dat a vedy pitty p'ay," she said in a patronizing tone, "and me like
'oo, me do."

Then she gave her hand willingly to Hester, and trotted out of the
play-room by her side.

CHAPTER XX.

IN THE SOUTH PARLOR.

Immediately after Easter the real excitement of the school-year began.
All the girls who had ambition, who had industry, and who had a desire to
please distant fathers, mothers, or guardians, worked hard for that great
day at midsummer when Mrs. Willis distributed her valuable prizes.

From the moment of Hester's entrance into the school she had heard this
day spoken of. It was, wit