s business to
see that the boys had a good time, and also, to keep order among them.
Mrs. Hart soon found that he was a sort of special policeman, always
ready to settle difficulties, and make the boys behave themselves if
necessary--which it seldom was.

Feeling the responsibility of his position and influence, brought out
in him a manliness of character he had never before shown, and when he
became a man in years, no one could have the slightest fear that Jack
Rawson would ever follow in the downward steps of his father. And all
this he owed to the fact that Alice tried what one girl could do.

It is Shakespeare who says,--

"How far that little candle throws its beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world."

"You said it was going on now," said Kristy, as Mrs. Wilson paused.

"Yes, it is; I was in that town a few days ago, and one of the
neighbors told me the whole story."

"That's a good deal for one girl to do," said Kristy.

"I know it is," said Mrs. Wilson, "but I know of another girl who did
almost as much."

"What did she do?" asked Kristy, all interest.

"She conquered a crusty old woman, who was soured to all the world."

"Conquered her?" asked Kristy puzzled.

"Yes; shall I tell you? I see it is raining yet, and mamma's time
isn't out."

"Please do!" said Kristy, adding as she turned to her mother, "Mamma,
you're getting off too easy."

"Oh, I'm afraid I shall have to make it up later," said mamma, in
pretended dismay.

"Indeed you will," said Kristy, with a laugh; "I shan't let you off a
single story."

"We'll see," said mamma smiling, as Mrs. Wilson began.

CHAPTER X

THE LOCKET TOLD

This is about a girl who drove the village cows out to pasture every
morning and back to the village every evening. She had to pass a small
cottage, almost hidden with flowers, where lived a mysterious woman
whom the foolish and ignorant children of the neighborhood called "old
witch," simply because she had a hump on her back and was rarely seen,
except when she rushed out to drive away some naughty child trying to
steal her flowers through the fence. She attended to her garden very
early in the morning before other people were out of bed, and so was
rarely seen except on these occasions.

One day she was sitting at her window, behind the blinds as usual,
when the girl I spoke of came by with her cows.

"There's that cow-girl again," said Hester Bartlett--for that was her
name