sums. The paper and a
pencil will do."

He put down quite a sum in addition. There were several nines and sevens
in it.

She drew a long breath.

"It is a big sum. I haven't done any as large as that."

"Well, begin. Add as I call them off."

Alas! After three figures, in puzzling over an eight, the amount went
out of her mind and she had to begin again. Uncle Winthrop made a mark
at one figure and put down the amount beside it. After a while she
reached the top of the column. Clearly heaven had not meant her for a
mathematician. There was no rapport between her figures.

Her eyes were limpid, almost as if there were tears in them.

"Maybe that was pretty difficult for a little girl. I know most about
big boys and young men."

"Betty just guesses, this way--eight and nine, and it comes quite as
easy as if I had said two and three are five."

Uncle Win gave his gentle smile and it comforted her greatly.

"This quickness comes by practice. When you have had six years' study
you may know as much as Betty in arithmetic, and you will know more in
some other branches."

"If I can just know as much," she said wistfully.

Cato gave a gentle rap on the open door.

"Juno's ready," he announced. "Will master take little missy out, or
shall I go for Master Cary?"

"I had not thought. Would you like to go, Doris?"

Her eyes answered him before she could speak.

"You may put in the other seat, Cato, and drive."

Cato bowed in a dignified manner.

"Now run and bundle up well," said Uncle Win.

Miss Recompense seemed to know a good deal about little girls, if she
had none of her own. She tied a soft silk kerchief over Doris' ears
before she put on her hood. Then she told Dinah to slip the soapstone in
the foot-stove, and drew the long stockings up over her knees.

"Now you could go up to Vermont and not get cold," she said pleasantly.

But after all it was not so very cold. The sun shone in golden
magnificence and almost dazzled your eyes out. Uncle Win had on his
smoked glasses, and he looked very queer, but she saw other people with
this protection. Some of the glasses were green.

The streets were really merry. Children were out with sleds, and
snowballing parties were in the field. They went over to State Street
for the mail. Cato sprang out and returned with quite a budget. There
was one English letter with a big black seal, but Mr. Adams covered it
quickly with the papers and drew the package under th