e laughed, after a moment; "the little missy thinks she ain't
afraid of me; but she be. Trust Mother Rachel for knowing that much. I
make no doubt," she added after a pause, "that the little one's clothes
are trimmed with real lace. Well, little Missie Annie Forest, I can see
with half an eye that you set store by that baby-girl. You had better not
cross Mother Rachel's whims, or she can punish you in a way you don't
think of."

CHAPTER XXXVI.

HOW MOSES MOORE KEPT HIS APPOINTMENT.

Susan Drummond got back to Lavender House without apparent discovery. She
was certainly late when she took her place in the class-room for her next
day's preparation; but, beyond a very sharp reprimand from mademoiselle,
no notice was taken of this fact. She managed to whisper to Nora and
Phyllis that the basket would be moved by the first dawn the next
morning, and the little girls went to bed happier in consequence. Nothing
ever could disturb Susan's slumbers, and that night she certainly slept
without rocking. As she was getting into bed she ventured to tell Annie
how successfully she had manoeuvered; but Annie received her news with
the most absolute indifference, looking at her for a moment with a queer
smile, and then saying:

"My own wish is that this should be found out. As a matter of course, I
sha'n't betray you, girls; but as things now stand I am anxious that Mrs.
Willis should know the very worst of me."

After a remark which Susan considered so simply idiotic, there was, of
course, no further conversation between the two girls.

Moses Moore had certainly promised Betty to rise soon after dawn on the
following morning, and go to Lavender House to carry off the basket from
under the laurel-tree. Moses, a remarkably indolent lad, had been
stimulated by the thought of the delicious cherries which would be his as
soon as he brought the basket to Betty. He had cleverly stipulated that a
quart--not a pint--of cherries was to be his reward, and he looked
forward with considerable pleasure to picking them himself, and putting a
few extra ones into his mouth on the sly.

Moses was not at all the kind of a boy who would have scrupled to steal a
few cherries; but in this particular old Betty, ill as she was, was too
sharp for him or for any of the other village lads. Her bed was drawn up
close to her little window, and her window looked directly on to the two
cherry trees. Never, to all appearance, did Betty close her eyes.