ned face, he decided that
Anna had had a lesson that she would remember, and needed comforting
more than punishment; and a few whispered words to Mrs. Weston, as he
set Anna down in the big wooden rocker, made Anna's mother put her arms
tenderly about her little daughter and say kindly:

"Mother's glad enough to have her Danna home again. And now let's look
at those feet."

Rebby came running with a bowl of hot porridge, and the little girl was
made as comfortable as possible. But all that morning she sat in the big
chair with her feet on a cushion in a smaller chair, and she told her
mother and Rebby all the story of her adventures; and when Rebby laughed
at Melvina's not knowing an alder from a pine Danna smiled a little. But
Mrs. Weston was very sober, although she said no word of blame. If
Melvina Lyon's things had been lost it would be but right that Anna's
parents should replace them to the best of their ability, and this would
be a serious expense for the little household.

After dinner Rebby went to the Fosters', and came home with the story of
Melvina's return home. It seemed that the moment Anna left her she
became frightened and had followed her up the slope; and then, while Mr.
Lyon and London were searching for her, she had made her way home, told
her story, and had been put to bed. Luretta had carried Melvina's things
and Anna's shoes and stockings well up the shore, and had put them under
the curving roots of the oak tree; so, although they were well soaked,
they were not blown away, and early that morning Luretta had hastened to
carry the things to the parsonage.

"You were brave, Dan, to go through all that storm last night to tell
the minister," said Rebby, as she drew a footstool near her sister's
chair and sat down. Rebby was not so troubled to-day; for her father had
postponed his trip to the forest after the liberty tree, and Rebby hoped
that perhaps it would not be necessary that one should be set up in
Machias. So she was ready to keep her little sister company, and try to
make her forget the troubles of her adventures.

"Of course I had to go, Rebby," Anna responded seriously, "but none of
it, not even my feet, hurt so bad as what Mrs. Lyon said about me. For I
do not think I am what she said," and Anna began to cry.

"Father says you are the bravest child in the settlement; and Mother is
proud that you went straight there and took all the blame. And I am sure
that no other girl is so dear