len looked down at the two bright, girlish faces turned up to
her and said slowly, "I think I can, but I am not sure my choice will
please you. Why not ask Miss Price?"

Miss Price! They had never thought of her! She was the pale,
timid-looking little teacher in the primary department of the
Hazelwood school.

"Miss Price?" repeated Frances slowly. "Why, Mother, we hardly know
her. She is dreadfully dull and quiet, I think."

"And so shy," said Alma. "Why, at the Wards' party the other night she
looked startled to death if anyone spoke to her. I believe she would
be frightened to come here for Thanksgiving."

"She is a very lonely little creature," said Mrs. Allen gently, "and
doesn't seem to have anyone belonging to her. I think she would be
very glad to get an invitation to spend Thanksgiving elsewhere than in
that cheerless little boarding-house where she lives."

"Of course, if you would like to have her, Mother, we will ask her,"
said Frances.

"No, girls," said Mrs. Allen seriously. "You must not ask Miss Price
on my account, if you do not feel prepared to make her welcome for her
own sake. I had hoped that your own kind hearts might have prompted
you to extend a little Thanksgiving cheer in a truly Thanksgiving
spirit to a lonely, hard-working girl whose life I do not think is a
happy one. But there, I shall not preach. This is your dinner, and you
must please yourselves as to your guests."

Frances and Alma had both flushed, and they now remained silent for a
few minutes. Then Frances sprang up and threw her arms around her
mother.

"You're right, Mother dear, as you always are, and we are very selfish
girls. We will ask Miss Price and try to give her a nice time. I'll go
down this very evening and see her."

* * * * *

In the grey twilight of the chilly autumn evening Bertha Price walked
home to her boarding-house, her pale little face paler, and her grey
eyes sadder than ever, in the fading light. Only two days until
Thanksgiving--but there would be no real Thanksgiving for her. Why,
she asked herself rebelliously, when there seemed so much love in the
world, was she denied her share?

Her landlady met her in the hall.

"Miss Allen is in the parlour, Miss Price. She wants to see you."

Bertha went into the parlour somewhat reluctantly. She had met Frances
Allen only once or twice and she was secretly almost afraid of the
handsome, vivacious girl who was so differ