od back, with her hands behind her, and stared up at the
ones above her head; and a familiar name, printed in dull gold letters
on the back of a solid volume in russet brown, suddenly made her heart
leap.

'Father's book!' she gasped. 'There's father's book! And I've been in this
stupid place all this time, and never discovered it till now! Oh, I must
get father's book!'

There was a sob in her throat when she found that even a footstool, placed
on the highest chair in the room, did not mount her up sufficiently
to reach the precious volume. Her bright little eyes travelled quickly
round the study, to embrace all its resources, and she very nearly uttered
one of her wild war-whoops of delight when she spied a step-ladder
half hidden in a dark corner. It did not take her a minute to stagger
with it across the room and to fix it, more or less securely, against the
bookshelf. After that, there was no sound in the little study except the
ticking of the clock and the rustling of leaves, until the door
opened sharply and the owner herself walked in.

For a moment Miss Finlayson thought the room was empty. Then she saw the
small figure with the big book, perched on the top of the ladder; and
the quaintness of the picture made her smile irresistibly. 'What are you
doing, Barbara?' she asked.

She spoke as softly as she could, but the sound of her voice was quite
enough to startle the unconscious child. She dropped the heavy book with
a thud, and would have lost her balance and plunged after it, had not
Miss Finlayson been prepared for the contingency and put out an arm to
save her. Babs caught at it wildly, and found herself lifted down and
placed on the floor in safety.

Miss Finlayson had stopped smiling, but she did not look very angry. 'What
were you doing up there, Barbara?' she repeated gently.

'I was reading father's book,' answered Barbara, rubbing her eyes. 'I
didn't know it was there, till I looked up and saw it; and then I just
climbed up and got it. I think I must have been reading a great long time,
because I've got such an ache just there.' She curled her hand under her
arm and thumped the middle of her back. 'Do you ever get an ache in the
middle of your back when you've been reading?' she inquired earnestly.

Miss Finlayson did not answer immediately. She stooped and picked up the
fallen book first, and replaced it on the shelf. Barbara began to wonder
if she was angry, and if that was why she had such a