ord of love to the
baby, and finishing her letter, started to post it, as she remembered
the office was only a few steps down the street. In the hall it
occurred to her that she was the "Teacher" now, and so should be an
example. Possibly the women of Walden did not run bareheaded down the
street on errands. She laid the letter on a small shelf of an old
hatrack, and stepped back to her room to put on her hat. Her return
was so immediate that Mrs. Holt had the letter in her fingers when Kate
came back, and was reading the address so intently, that with extended
hand, the girl said in cold tones: "My letter, please!" before the
woman realized she was there. Their eyes met in a level look. Mrs.
Holt's mouth opened in ready excuse, but this time Kate's temper
overcame her better judgment.

"Can you read it clearly, without your glasses?" she asked politely.
"I wouldn't for the world have you make a mistake as to whom my letter
is addressed. It goes to my brother Hiram Bates, youngest son of Adam
Bates, Bates Corners, Hartley, Indiana."

"I was going to give it to my son, so that he could take it to the
office," said Mrs. Holt.

"And I am going to take it myself, as I know your son is down town and
I want it to go over on the evening hack, so it will be sure to go out
early in the morning."

Surprise overcame Mrs. Holt's discomfiture.

"Land sakes!" she cried. "Bates is such a common name it didn't mean a
thing to me. Be you a daughter of Adam Bates, the Land King, of Bates
Corners?"

"I be," said Kate tersely.

"Well, I never! All them hundreds of acres of land an' money in the
bank an' mortgages on half his neighbours. Whut the nation! An' no
more of better clo's an' you got! An' teachin' school! I never heard of
the like in all my days!"

"If you have Bates history down so fine, you should know that every
girl of the entire Bates family has taught from the time she finished
school until she married. Also we never buy more clothing than we
need, or of the kind not suitable for our work. This may explain why we
own some land and have a few cents in the Bank. My letter, please."

Kate turned and went down the street, a dull red tingeing her face. "I
could hate that woman cordially without half trying," she said.

The house was filled with the odour of cooking food when she returned
and soon she was called to supper. As she went to the chair indicated
for her, a step was heard in the hall. Kate