think I am with
nurse; it's all right. I wonder if Ben would ride mother's horse with
me; but the first thing is to get the apples."

The thought of what she was about to do, and how she would coax Ben,
the stable boy, to ride with her cheered her a little.

"It's awful to neglect the poor," she said to herself. "Old Scott was
very solemn. He's a good man, is Scott, he's a very religious man, he
knows his Bible beautiful. He does everything by the Psalms; it's
wonderful what he finds in them--the weather and everything else. I
asked him before the storm came yesterday if we was going to have
rain, and he said 'Read your Psalms and you'll know. Don't the Psalms
for the day say "the Lord of glory thundereth"?' and he looked at a
black cloud that was coming up in the sky, and sure enough we had a
big thunderstorm. It's wonderful what a religious man is old Scott,
and what a lot he knows. He wouldn't say a thing if it wasn't true. I
suppose God does curse those who neglect the poor. I shouldn't like to
be cursed, and I did promise, and Dan _will_ be waiting and watching.
A little girl whom Jesus loves ought to keep her promise. Well,
anyhow, I'll get the apples ready."

Sibyl rushed into the house by a side entrance, secured a basket and
entered the orchard. There she made a careful and wise selection. She
filled the basket with the golden green fruit, and arranged it
artistically with apple-leaves.

"This will tempt dear little Dan," she said to herself. There were a
few greengages just beginning to come to perfection on a tree near.
Sibyl picked several to add to her pile of tempting fruit, and then
she went in the direction of the stables. Ben was nowhere about. She
called his name, he did not answer. He was generally to be found in
the yard at this hour. It was more than provoking.

"Ben! Ben! Ben!" called the child. Her clear voice sounded through the
empty air. There came a gentle whinny in response.

"Oh, my darling Nameless Pony!" she thought. She burst open the stable
door, and the next instant stood in the loose box beside the pony. The
creature knew her and loved her. He pushed out his head and begged for
a caress. Sibyl selected the smallest apple from the basket and gave
it to her pony. The nameless pony munched with right good will.

"I could ride him alone," thought Sibyl; "it is only two or three
miles away, and I know the road, and mother, though she may be angry
when she hears, will soon forgive m