"You haven't told me
what you're doing here. Give me your hand, and I'll help you over the
fence."

"Trying to find a short cut, and losing my way," confessed Dorothy. "I
thought I'd have to spend the night in the wood."

"A very unpleasant camping ground at this time of year! I've slept under
the stars myself once or twice, but not in November. That was a loud
peal of thunder! I think the storm's passing over--the rain has almost
stopped."

With his lantern to guide them, the doctor escorted Dorothy to the door
of Holly Cottage, and said good-bye with a twinkle in his eye.

"I won't ask inconvenient questions, but it strikes me you've been up to
something, you young puss!" he said. "Take my advice, and stick to the
4.30 train in future. If your aunt scolds you, tell her I say you
deserve it!"

Aunt Barbara did not scold--she was too relieved at her bairn's safe
return to do anything except welcome and cosset the prodigal; but the
look in her sweet eyes hurt Dorothy more than any reprimand.

"I didn't know she cared so much as that," thought the girl. "I won't
stop away another time, not for a thousand invitations. It isn't the
horrid walk, and getting lost, and the darkness, and spoiling one's
clothes I mind, it's--well--oh, Dorothy Greenfield, you're a nasty,
thoughtless, selfish wretch to make Aunt Barbara look so, and if you do
such a thing again I shan't be friends with you any more--so there!"

CHAPTER IX

Dorothy Scores

Dorothy and Alison met next morning with a shade of embarrassment on
either side. Dorothy was a little ashamed of herself for having accepted
her friend's invitation without leave from Aunt Barbara, and not
particularly proud of her experiences on the way home. She had at first
been inclined to tell Alison about her adventure; then she decided it
would be rather humiliating to have to explain that she had forgotten
her contract, that she had had no money in her pocket, and that the
official had not seemed disposed to trust her for her fare. Alison,
whose path in life was always smooth, would perhaps scarcely understand
the situation, and it might not reflect altogether to her own credit.
Therefore, she did not even mention that she had missed the 6.5 train,
and after a hurried greeting buried herself in her books, trying to
gather some idea of her lessons, which had been much neglected the night
before.

Alison, on her side, was relieved that Dorothy did not refer to her
vi