she had no thought of paying more
for them. "Of course I shouldn't expect to get 'em for the same if 'twas
summer," she explained to Thankful, "but just now, with 'em standin'
empty, I might as well move there as not. I know you'll be glad to have
me, won't you, Mrs. Barnes, you and me being such good friends by this
time."

And Thankful, although conscious of an injustice somewhere, did not like
to refuse her "good friend." So she consented and Miss Timpson moved
into the back rooms. But she no sooner had her trunks carried there
than she was struck by another brilliant idea. Thankful, hearing unusual
sounds from above that Saturday morning, ascended the back stairs to
find the school mistress tugging at the bureau, which she was apparently
trying to drag from the small room into the larger.

"It came to me all of a sudden," panted Miss Timpson, who was out of
breath but enthusiastic. "That little room's awful small and stuffy
to sleep in, and I do hate to sleep in a stuffy room. But when I was
standing there sniffing and looking it came to me."

"What came to you?" demanded the puzzled Thankful. "What are you talkin'
about--the bureau?"

"No, no! The idea! The bureau couldn't come to me by itself, could
it? No, the idea came to me. That little room isn't good for much as a
bedroom, but it will make the loveliest study. I can put my table and
my books in there and move the bed and things in here. Then I'll have a
beautiful, nice big bedroom and the cutest little study. And I've always
wanted a study. Now if you and Imogene help me with the bureau and bed
it'll be all fixed."

So Imogene, assisted by Kenelm, who was drafted in Thankful's place,
spent a good part of the afternoon shifting furniture and arranging
the bedroom and the "study." Miss Timpson superintended, and as she was
seldom satisfied until each separate item of the suite's equipment had
been changed about at least twice, in order to get the "effect," all
three were nervous and tired when the shifting was over. Miss Timpson
should have been happy over the attainment of the study, but instead she
appeared gloomy and downcast.

"I declare," she said, as she and Thankful sat together in the
living-room that evening, "I don't know's I've done right, after all. I
don't know's I wish I had stayed right where I was."

"Mercy on us! Why?" demanded Thankful, a trifle impatiently.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe 'cause I'm kind of tired and nervous tonight.
I f