re that was pathetic to Lloyd.

"Oh, I could keep on all day and all night!" exclaimed Agnes, when Mrs.
Sherman called to them that it was time to dress. "I've never been so
happy in all my life! You don't know what it means to me!" she cried,
turning a radiant face to Lloyd's. "You've lifted me clear off the
earth. I wish I could run home before the reception begins and play this
for Marietta. I want to see her face when I open the old piano."

Lloyd followed her up the stairs, wondering at the girl's uplifted mood.
She did not see how such a trifle could bring about such a
transformation in any one's spirits, not realizing that this bit of
knowledge which Agnes had picked up was to her a veritable key which
would open the door she had longed for years to enter.

When Agnes swept into the house at The Beeches, she was in such high
spirits that people looked twice to be sure that they knew the radiant
girl presiding so gaily over the fancy-work table.

"She is actually talking," Miss McGill whispered to Libbie Simms.
"Talking and laughing and making jokes like other girls. Somebody has
surely worked a hoodoo charm on her."

But happiness was the only hoodoo, and, under its expanding influence,
she fairly bloomed that night. Lloyd, hovering near her, jubilant over
the success of her popular Cinderella, beamed and dimpled with pleasure,
and stored away the many compliments she overheard, to repeat to Agnes
next day. Once she darted into the butler's pantry, where Miss Allison
was slicing cake, to announce, in an excited whisper: "Agnes has
actually had three invitations to suppah. She's gone in now with Mistah
John Bond. I must run back and take charge of the sales, but I just had
to tell you. Do peep in and see her there at the cawnah table, eating
ice-cream and talking away as if she'd been used to such attentions all
her life. Isn't it great? Now people can't shake their heads and say
poah girl, she's nevah had any attentions like othah girls. Nobody takes
any interest in her."

Miss Allison turned to give Lloyd's cheek a playful pinch. "You dear
little fairy godmother! All Cranford will take an interest in her, now
that she has blossomed out so unexpectedly. Even old Mr. Wade, who never
says nice things about any one, asked me who our distinguished-looking
guest was, and, when I told him Agnes Waring, he fairly gasped and
dropped his eye-glasses. Then he gave his usual contemptuous sniff that
always makes me wan