to school, do you?" asked Lily with the utmost
nonchalance. She was quite ready for anything.

The little girl made an effort, but no words would come. She could never
like this girl with the pretty name, she felt very sure.

"No," said Jim. "She's so small for her size that mother would be
afraid of her getting lost."

They all giggled but the little girl, who wanted to run away.

"But you like New York, don't you? Jim thinks he wouldn't go back to the
country for anything."

We had not come to "Bet your life," and "There's where your head's
level," in those days. But Jim answered for his sister--"You just guess
I wouldn't," with a deal of gusto.

They all walked up a short distance. The girls and Jim had all the talk,
and they chaffed each other merrily. Hanny was silent. She really was
too young for their fun.

Belle May's mother called her presently, and the little girl said in a
whisper: "Oh, Jim, we must go home."

Jim wondered if he might ask Lily to walk with them, so he could come
back with her. But she settled it with a gay toss of the head.

"Good-night," she said. "Come down again some evening."

"What a little stupid you are, Hanny!" Jim began, vexed enough. "Why
didn't you ask them to walk up our way! And you never said a word! I
could have given you an awful shake!"

"I--I don't like them."

"You don't know anything about them. Ben and I see them half a dozen
times a day, and walk to school with them, and they're nice and pretty
and have some manners. You're awful country, Hanny!"

The little girl began to cry.

"Oh, what a baby you are! Well, I s'pose you can't help it! You're only
eight, and I'm almost thirteen. And Lily Ludlow's nearly eleven. I
suppose you _do_ feel strange among girls so much older."

"It isn't that," sobbed the little girl. How could she get courage to
tell him?

"Oh, Hanny, dear, don't cry." Jim's voice softened--they were nearing
home. "See here, I'll ask father to take us to Tompkins Square on
Sunday, and you shall paint out of my new box. There! and don't tell any
one--don't say a word to Ben."

He kissed her and wiped her eyes with the end of her starchy apron. Jim
was very coaxing and sweet when he tried.

"Joe's here," said Ben. "And he thought the wolves would eat you up if
you went too far. He wants to see you."

Jim dropped down on the step. Hanny ran through the hall. They were
using the back parlor as a sitting-room, and everybody seemed talking