uch as saying a word to me about it; and Gail and Faith have
gone to the lake with the Sherrars and never invited me."

"If the whole family is away, who is keeping house?"

"Gussie and Marie, of course. Who'd you s'pose? Grandma told Gussie that
when I called up she was to 'xplain matters to me so's I'd understand
how it all happened and not feel bad about their going off. Gail and
Faith went first. I 'xpected that part of it, but none of 'em ever
hinted a word to me about the Pine Woods. I s'pose they've lived so long
without me at home that they've got used to it and so don't care any
more about me."

Two tears stole out from under the twitching lids and rolled down the
chubby cheeks. The clerk moved uneasily. He did hate to see anyone cry,
but had not the slightest idea how to avert the threatened deluge. As
his eye roved about the small store for something to divert her
attention, it chanced to rest upon the candy cabinet, and hastily diving
into the case, he brought forth a handful of tempting chocolates, and
presented them with the tactful remark, "Aw, you're cross; have some
candy to sweeten you up!"

The brown eyes winked away the tears and blazed scornfully up at the
face above her. "Keep it yourself! You need it!" she growled savagely,
pushing the extended hand away from her so fiercely that the candy was
scattered all about the floor, and without a backward glance, she
flounced out of the store.

"Well, I vum!" exclaimed the astonished clerk. "Next time I'll let her
bawl." Stooping over to collect the hapless chocolate drops before they
should be tramped upon, he began to whistle, and the notes followed
Peace out on the street--just a bar of her sunshine song, but the
woe-begone face brightened a bit, although the girl said to herself,
"Oh, dear, seems 'sif that song chases me wherever I go. I get it sung
or whistled or spoke at me a dozen times a day. And it's hard work
always to remember it, 'specially when folks go off and forget all about
you when you've just been counting the _days_ till 'twas time to go home
and see Allee and grandpa after being away so long. S'posing I should
die 'fore they get back, I wonder how they'll feel. Why, Peace
Greenfield, you hateful little tike! Ain't you ashamed of yourself? Yes,
I am. Of course they didn't run away a-purpose. Grandpa didn't know he
had to go until an hour 'fore the train went, and there wasn't time to
send for me and get my clo'es ready to go, too.