f her airs and graces, and
always talking about her fine place at Edgewood. Oh dear me! I'm sick of
Edgewood!"

A little disagreeable laugh went around.

"Oh, I'll tell you of the accident," said Polly; "come, let's sit down
on the steps; we've ten minutes yet."

"Yes, do, do," cried the girls. So they huddled up together on the big
stone steps, Polly in the middle, and she told them the whole story as
fast as she could. Meantime other girls hurrying to school, saw them
from a distance, and broke into a run to get there in time.

And Polly gave Alexia's love all round, as she had been commissioned to
do.

"We'll go up to your house to see her," cried Leslie, "perhaps this
afternoon."

"Oh, no, you mustn't," said Polly. "I'm dreadfully sorry, girls, but
Papa Fisher says no one must come yet, till he sends word by me."

"I thought you said Alexia was all right."

"And if her arm isn't broken I should think we might see her," said a
big girl on the edge of the circle discontentedly. She had private
reasons for wishing the interview as soon as possible, as she and Alexia
had quarrelled the day before, and now it was quite best to ignore all
differences, and make it up.

"But she's had a great strain, and Papa-Doctor says it isn't best,"
repeated Polly very distinctly, "so we can't even think of it, Sarah."

"Polly? is that Polly Pepper?" exclaimed a voice in the hall.

[Illustration: AND SHE TOLD THEM THE WHOLE STORY AS FAST AS SHE
COULD.]

"Oh, yes, Miss Anstice," cried Polly, hopping up so quickly she nearly
overthrew some of the bunch of girls.

Yes, she had on the black silk gown, and Polly fancied she could hear it
crackle, it was so stiff, as Miss Anstice advanced primly.

"I hear that there was an accident, Polly Pepper, last night, which you
and some of the other girls were in. Now, why did you not come and tell
me or sister at once about it?"

"Oh dear me! do forgive me," cried poor Polly, now seeing that she had
done a very wrong thing not to have acquainted Miss Salisbury first with
all the particulars. "I do hope you will forgive me, Miss Anstice," she
begged over again.

"I find it very difficult to overlook it, Polly," said Miss Anstice, who
was much disturbed by the note she held in her hand, just delivered, by
which Professor Mills informed her he should be unable to deliver his
address that morning before her art class. So she added with asperity,
"It would have been quite the proper th