uestions they must not expect them
to be answered," responded Miss Mills.

Judy was silent. The faint, passing interest she had experienced died
out of her face, and the rather sulky, unsatisfied expression returned
to it.

Miss Mills, whose heart was very full of something, spoke again, more to
herself than to the children.

"If there is one bigger mistake than another," she said, "it is the
mistake of being fond of any one. Oh, how silly girls are when they get
engaged to be married!"

"What's that?" asked Babs.

"I know," said Judy, who was again all curiosity and interest. "I'll
tell you another time about it, Babs. Miss Hicks in the village was
engaged, and she had a wedding in the summer. I'll tell you all about
it, Babs, if you ask me when we are going to bed to-night. Please, Miss
Mills, why is it dreadful to be engaged to be married?"

"Your troubles begin then," said Miss Mills. "Oh, don't talk to me about
it, children. May you never understand what I am suffering! Oh, the
fickleness of some people! The promises that are made only to be broken!
You trust a person, and you are ever so happy; and then you find that
you have made a great, big mistake, and you are miserable."

"Is that you, Miss Mills? Are you the miserable person?" asked Judy.

"No, no, child! I didn't say it was me. I wasn't talking of anyone in
particular, and I shouldn't even have said what I did. Forget it,
Judy--forget it, Babs. Come, let us collect the ferns."

"Suppose we find some white heather," said Babs eagerly.

"And much that's worth, too," replied Miss Mills. "I found a piece last
summer. I gave----" She sighed, and the corners of her mouth drooped.
She looked as if she were going to cry.

CHAPTER II.

THE PEOPLE WHO GET MARRIED.

Thou wert mine--all mine!...
--Where has summer fled?
Sun forgets to shine,
Clouds are overhead;
Blows a chilling blast,
Tells my frightened heart
That the hour at last
Comes when we must part.
Hurrying moments, stay,
Leave us yet alone!--
All the world grows gray,
Love, when thou art flown.

Judy's soul swelled within her when she heard the music still sending
volumes of sound out of the little church. Miss Mills had not spoken all
the way home. Babs had chattered without a moment's intermission. Her
conversation had been entirely about birds and beasts and creeping
things. Judy had replied with rather less interes