to take her to Florida. They think she must be given some pleasure that
will compensate in a way for this disappointment. But it is not at all
convenient for me to leave home now, and I feel that for her own good
she should learn to meet such things for herself. It would be far
easier, I acknowledge, if there was anything at home to occupy her, but
I cannot allow her to interfere with Mom Beck's work, or Cindy's. They
resent her doing anything." She repeated the conversation they had had
that morning.

"Loan her to me for the rest of the day," said Miss Allison. "I can show
her plenty of cobwebs, the kind she is pining for."

So it happened that a little later, when Miss Allison crossed the road
to the post-office, and started up the path toward home, Lloyd was with
her, smiling happily over the prospect of spending the day with the
patron saint of all the Valley's merrymakings. From Lloyd's earliest
recollection, Miss Allison had been the life of every party and picnic
in the neighbourhood. She was everybody's confidante. Like Shapur, who
gathered something from the heart of every rose to fill his crystal
vase, so she had distilled from all these disclosures the precious attar
of sympathy, whose sweetness won for her a way, and gained for her a
welcome, wherever she went.

As they turned in at the gate, Lloyd looked wistfully across at The
Beeches, and her eyes filled with tears. Miss Allison slipped her arm
around her and drew her close with a sympathetic clasp, as they walked
around the circle of the driveway leading to the house.

"I know just how you feel, dear. Like the little lame boy in that story
of the 'Pied Piper of Hamelin.' Because he couldn't keep up with the
others when they followed the piper's tune, he had to sit and watch them
dance away without him, and disappear into the mountainside. He was the
only child left in the whole town of Hamelin. It _is_ lonely for you, I
know, with all the boys and girls of your own age away at school. But
think how much lonelier Hamelin would have been without that child.
You'll find out that old people can play, too, though, if you'll take a
hand in their games. I want to teach you one after awhile, which I used
to enjoy very much, and still take pleasure in."

Miss Allison led the way up-stairs to her own room. As they passed the
door leading to the north wing, Lloyd exclaimed: "I'll nevah forget that
time, the night of the Valentine pah'ty, when Gingah and I wen