nction.

"So am I." And then I went up-stairs, and crept into bed. My head
ached frightfully, my heart throbbed and fluttered. I was so
unnerved that it seemed a burden to be alive. And then, mercifully,
I fell asleep, and didn't wake until Alicia brought me a
breakfast-tray the next morning.

"My goodness, Sophy, you must have had a terrific headache!" she
exclaimed. "Why, your lips are bloodless, and you've black circles
under your eyes!"

"I'm all right this morning," I said, hastily. "But you look pale,
yourself. Aren't you rather overdoing things, Leetchy?"

"No: I'm as sound as a trivet!" said she. And then: "Sophy, guess
who was here last evening." Her eyes began to shine. "Mrs. Cheshire
Scarboro; no less!" And she paused, to let that highly important
statement sink in.

Mrs. Cheshire Scarboro was the Leader of the Opposition. She'd had
a lifelong feud with old Sophronisba, who said that when the Lord
wanted to try himself out in the way of a fool, He made Cissy
Scarboro. They hated each other as only relations can hate.
Naturally, Mrs. Scarboro resented our presence in Hynds House. She
said Hyndsville ought to show us what it thought of the outrage.
Under her leadership, Hyndsville showed us.

Mrs. Scarboro was a very important person in Hyndsville. She ruled
the older and more conservative portion of it, and although the
younger set at times rebelled and went its own way, her power was
very real. That she had changed her mind, or at least her tactics,
in regard to us was important news.

"She came with Mr. and Mrs. Haile," Alicia continued. "It was the
first time she had ever been inside Hynds House. Think of that,
Sophy! There were some girls here, and a few boys, naturally, Jimmy
Scarboro among them. Should you think that accounted for his mama's
presence, Sophy? And we sat around like adoring mice, listening to
The Author's sky-rockets going off. Doctor Geddes wouldn't let us
sing, wouldn't even let us have music, because you mustn't be
disturbed. He thinks a whole lot of you, Sophy."

"I think a whole lot of him. I never thought I could like that man
as much as I do."

I was determined to show Miss Alicia Gaines that no matter how much,
or for whatever reasons she had changed for the worse toward him, I,
at least, had changed for the better. But she listened listlessly.
For which cause, being resentful, I said not one word to her about
The Author.

The thought of The Author confused me. I was