ood word?
Doesn't it mean a lot? Where could you find one other word that
means being with you and also means comforting you and loving you
and sympathizing with you and surrounding you with firm walls and a
cushioned floor and a starry roof? I love that word. I hope it impresses
Marian with all its wonderful meaning."

She went back to her room, put both letters into her Geometry, and
in the morning mailed them. She stood a long time hesitating with the
typewritten letter in her hand, but finally dropped it in the letter box
also.

"It will just be something," she said, "to make her think that some man
appreciates her lovely face and doesn't care if her hair is white, and
sees how steadfast and fine she is."

And then she slowly repeated, "'steadfast,' that is another fine word.
It has pearls and rubies all over it."

After school that evening she visited James Brothers' and was paid the
full amount of the appraisement of her furniture. Then she went to an
art store and laid in a full supply of the materials she needed for the
work she was trying to do. Her fingers were trembling as she handled the
boxes of water colors and selected the brushes and pencils for her work,
and sheets of drawing paper upon which she could do herself justice.
When the transaction was finished, she had a few dollars remaining. As
she put them in her pocket she said softly:

"That's gasoline. Poor Katy! I'm glad she doesn't need her money,
because she is going to have to wait for the allowance or the sale of
the books or on Jane Meredith. But it's only a few days now, so that'll
be all right."

CHAPTER XII. The Lay of the Land

Linda entered the street car for her daily ride to Lilac Valley. She
noticed Peter Morrison and Henry Anderson sitting beside each other,
deeply engrossed in a drawing. She had been accustomed to ride in the
open section of the car as she liked the fresh air. She had a fleeting
thought of entering the body of the car and sitting where they would see
her; and then a perverse spirit in Linda's heart said to her:

"That is precisely what Eileen would do. You sit where you belong."

Whereupon Linda dropped into the first vacant seat she could reach, but
it was only a few moments before Peter Morrison, looking up from the
plans he was studying, saw her, and lifting his hat, beckoned her to
come and sit with him. They made room for her between them and spreading
the paper across her lap, all three of them bega