found out. I'll just wait a few
minutes."

She took a seat on the edge of the table, and sat swinging her slim,
rose-colored legs, and wondering what it would be best to do. Miss
Amelia might come in at any moment, and if she did, Becky would be sure
to be scolded.

"But she is so tired," she thought. "She is so tired!"

A piece of flaming coal ended her perplexity for her that very moment.
It broke off from a large lump and fell on to the fender. Becky
started, and opened her eyes with a frightened gasp. She did not know
she had fallen asleep. She had only sat down for one moment and felt
the beautiful glow--and here she found herself staring in wild alarm at
the wonderful pupil, who sat perched quite near her, like a
rose-colored fairy, with interested eyes.

She sprang up and clutched at her cap. She felt it dangling over her
ear, and tried wildly to put it straight. Oh, she had got herself into
trouble now with a vengeance! To have impudently fallen asleep on such
a young lady's chair! She would be turned out of doors without wages.

She made a sound like a big breathless sob.

"Oh, miss! Oh, miss!" she stuttered. "I arst yer pardon, miss! Oh, I
do, miss!"

Sara jumped down, and came quite close to her.

"Don't be frightened," she said, quite as if she had been speaking to a
little girl like herself. "It doesn't matter the least bit."

"I didn't go to do it, miss," protested Becky. "It was the warm
fire--an' me bein' so tired. It--it WASN'T impertience!"

Sara broke into a friendly little laugh, and put her hand on her
shoulder.

"You were tired," she said; "you could not help it. You are not really
awake yet."

How poor Becky stared at her! In fact, she had never heard such a
nice, friendly sound in anyone's voice before. She was used to being
ordered about and scolded, and having her ears boxed. And this one--in
her rose-colored dancing afternoon splendor--was looking at her as if
she were not a culprit at all--as if she had a right to be tired--even
to fall asleep! The touch of the soft, slim little paw on her shoulder
was the most amazing thing she had ever known.

"Ain't--ain't yer angry, miss?" she gasped. "Ain't yer goin' to tell
the missus?"

"No," cried out Sara. "Of course I'm not."

The woeful fright in the coal-smutted face made her suddenly so sorry
that she could scarcely bear it. One of her queer thoughts rushed into
her mind. She put her hand against Becky's