ts about the
school who pitied the lonely child, Nancy Nelson had experienced little
affection.

She was popular in a way with her fellow pupils, yet there had always
been a barrier between her and the rest of the school. She was the
refuge of the dull scholars, or of the little ones who needed help in
their lessons; but Nancy never made a real _chum_.

It was not the girl's fault. She was heart-hungry for somebody to love,
and somebody to love her. But circumstances seemed always to forbid.

A new girl was scarcely settled at Higbee before somebody pointed Nancy
out to her as a girl who was "peculiar." Sometimes the story of Nancy's
coming to the school, and of her circumstances, were sadly twisted. She
was often looked upon as a combination of Cinderella and the Sleeping
Princess.

However that might be, it set Nancy in a class by herself. Girls came
and went at Higbee. Some took the entire course and were graduated. But
none save Nancy remained at the school from year's end to year's end.

Miss Prentice saw to it that the girl had a sufficient supply of neat
and serviceable dresses. She had all that she could possibly need, but
little that she really _wanted_.

When her spending money was increased moderately, Nancy was able to buy
herself the little trifles that persons like Miss Prentice never realize
a girl's longing for. Nancy's private expenditures occasioned even Miss
Trigg to say that she was "light-minded" and would never know how to
spend money.

They did not take into consideration that Nancy had nobody to give her
the little trifles so dear to every growing girl's heart. She never had
a present. That is, nothing save some little things at Christmas from
some of the smaller girls whom she had helped. Miss Prentice discouraged
the giving of presents among the girls at Higbee. She said it occasioned
jealousies, and "odious comparisons" of family wealth.

Miss Prentice was a very good teacher, and she exerted a careful
oversight over both the girls' health and conduct. Most of the girls had
their particular friends, and even the few other orphans beside Nancy in
the school had those who loved and cared for them.

But here was a heart-hungry girl with absolutely no apparent future. The
end of her last year at Higbee was approaching and neither Nancy, nor
Miss Trigg, nor Miss Prentice herself, knew the first thing about what
was to "be done with her."

Curiosity about herself--who she was, what was i