e work.

"Now dear," said Miss Rose, the day before she was to start, "I must
leave you. I am going away, too, for a vacation, so I must say
goodby today."

Clematis looked up in surprise. She never thought that grown people
wanted to go away. She did not notice how pale and tired Miss Rose
was. It had been hard work for her.

"You will try to help all you can, won't you, dear? Think every
minute of what you can do to help. Then people will love you, even
if you make mistakes."

"Yes'm, I will promise."

"You can wear the blue blouse, and you can put the white one in the
box I gave you, if you are afraid of crushing it in the little
bag."

"Oh, yes'm, I don't want to put it in the bag."

"Well, then, goodby, and have a good time. Jerry will see that you
get on the right train."

Jerry was the old cab man, who had a stand near the school, and
carried people to the station.

This was a new delight for Clematis. What fun to ride to the station
with Jerry, in a cab!

All day the joyful thoughts of her trip filled her mind. She could
think of nothing else. The other children laughed at her, but she
never minded them at all.

She was going to the country, to the birds, and flowers, and fields,
and that was all she cared.

But as she was going to bed, one thought seemed to disturb her. She
lay there thinking, with the little anxious line across her
forehead.

A long time she thought. Then she spoke half aloud.

"That's just what I'll do," she said. "I've got to, anyway. I don't
care if the blouse is crushed a little."

Then she went to sleep.

CHAPTER XIII

OFF FOR TILTON

The day that she had longed for came at last. The sun was bright,
the breeze was cool, and Clematis was as happy as the sparrows that
hopped about in the maple tree.

All the morning she ran here and there, getting her things ready.

She had a small, black bag, and the box Miss Rose left for her extra
blouse. Her things were put into these.

Mrs. Snow had an early lunch for Clematis, because she was going on
the one o'clock train.

"I would rather eat it down in the kitchen with Katie," she said,
when they started to put a bowl on the big table.

Katie was willing, so Clematis had some bread and soup on the corner
of the kitchen table.

[Illustration: With Katie in the kitchen]

"It will be nearer the street, so I will bring my things down here,"
she said.

She seemed very nervous, but Katie thought it was becau