use they leak."

"They've leaked ever since I got this new pair!" retorted Ally,
scornfully. "But it isn't these rubbers only; you're always borrowing my
things. There's my blue jacket; you've worn it till the edge is
threadbare, and you've worn my brown hat until it looks as
shabby--and--there! you've got my silver bangle on now! You're no
better than a thief, Florence Fleming!"

"A thief! that's a nice pretty thing to say to _me_! I should like to
know who buys your things for you? Isn't it _my father_ and Uncle John?
I should like to know where you'd be, Alice Fleming, if it wasn't for
Uncle John and father. Here, take your old bangle and keep it, and
everything else that you've got. I never want to see anything of yours
again; and I'm glad you're going off to Boston to Uncle John's for the
rest of the winter, and I wish you'd stay there and never come back
here,--I do!"

"I wish so too. Nobody in Uncle John's family would ever be so mean as
to fling it in my face that I was a poor little beggar of an orphan."

"Uncle John's family! Uncle John's wife said the last time she was here
that she dreaded the winter on your account,--there!"

"Aunt Kate--said that?"

"Yes, she did; I heard her."

A strange look came into Ally's eyes, and all the pretty color faded
from her cheeks, as she cried out in a hoarse, passionate voice,--

"You're a cruel, bad girl, Florence Fleming, and I hope some day you'll
have something cruel and bad come to you to punish you!" and with these
words the excited child flung herself across her little bed, and burst
into a paroxysm of stormy sobs and tears.

"Here, here, what's the matter now?" called out Mrs. Fleming, Florence's
mother, coming across the hall and pushing the bedroom door open.

"Ask Ally," answered Florence, coolly,--so coolly, so calmly, that it
was quite natural to suppose that she was much less to blame in the
present disturbance than her cousin; and as poor Ally was past speaking,
Florence had a double advantage, and Mrs. Fleming, glancing from one
girl to the other, thought she understood the situation perfectly, and
in consequence said rather sharply,--

"I do wish, Ally, you would try to control your temper a little more!"
and with these words the lady turned and left the room, her daughter
Florence following her. As they crossed the hall, Ally unfortunately
overheard her aunt say to Florence, "I am thankful that you two are to
be separated to-morrow for the re