home. It just spoiled
everybody's fun to have them act so silly. Lucy got Frank Morse to bring
out all his valentines and hers. I'll never go with her again, whether she
goes with Alma or not!"

Angry little sparks were shining in Ada's eyes, and she evidently made
great effort not to cry.

"What was this comic valentine that made so much trouble?"

"Oh, something about a factory girl. You know the verses are always silly
on those."

"Well, it wasn't very nice to send it to her before all the children, I
must say. Who do you suppose did it?"

"No one ever tells who sends valentines," returned Ada defiantly. "No one
will ever know."

"Well, if the foolish child, whoever it was, only had known, she wasn't so
smart or so unkind as she thought she was. Mrs. Driscoll isn't an ordinary
factory hand. She is an assistant in the bookkeeping department."

"Well, they must be awfully poor, the way Alma looks, anyway," returned
Ada.

"I suppose they are poor. I happened to hear Mr. Knapp begging your father
to let a Mrs. Driscoll have that position, and your father finally
consented. I remember his telling how long the husband had been away trying
for work, and what worthy people they were, old friends of his. They lived
in some neighboring town; so when Mrs. Driscoll was offered this position
they came here. They live"--

"Oh, I know where they live," interrupted Ada, "and I knew they were
factory people anyway, and you wouldn't want me going with girls like
Alma."

"I'd want you to be kind to her, of course," returned Mrs. Singer.

"Then she'd have stuck to us if I had been. I guess you've forgotten the
way it is at school."

Mrs. Singer sighed and opened her book wistfully. "You ought to be kind to
everybody, Ada," she said vaguely, "but I really think I shall have to take
you out of the public school. It is such a mixed crowd there. I should have
done it long ago, only your father thinks there is no such education."

Ada saw that in another minute her mother would be buried again in her
story. "But what shall I do about Frank and Lucy?" she asked, half crying.

"Why, is Frank in it, too?"

"Yes. I know Lucy has been talking to him. He came back and got her
valentines."

"Oh, pshaw! Don't make a quarrel over it. Just be polite to Alma Driscoll.
They're perfectly respectable people. You don't need to avoid her. Don't
worry. Lucy will soon get over her little excitement, and you may be sure
she will be glad t