first at this
one and then at that with a good deal less fear of the sparks from the
grate than of those from Nan's eyes.

She knew better than to try to pacify the girl when her temper was at
such a white-heat, and she inwardly wondered what would happen if the
governess should come down while it was yet at its worst. As if in
answer to her question they heard the sound of an opening door above,
and immediately after Miss Blake's light steps upon the stairs. Nan
bit a word off square in the middle and set her lips tightly together.
Delia removed the "blower" from the grate and the dancing flames leaped
high up the chimney and sent a ruddy glow about the room. The only
sounds to be heard were the comfortable ticking of the tall clock in
the corner and the low purring of the fire behind its bars. Miss Blake
came down the hall and paused on the library threshold.

"Oh, how jolly!" she cried, clapping her hands like a delighted child
and running forward eagerly to the hearth. "How perfectly jolly!
Don't you think an open fire is the most comfortable thing in the
world? And I always loved this one particularly--I mean this kind,"
she corrected herself quickly.

Nan made no response. She sat in her father's study-chair as stiff and
stolid as a lay-figure in a shop window, with her lips drawn primly
over her teeth.

Miss Blake was, or pretended to be, unconscious of her attitude,
however, and went on talking as easily as though she had the most
appreciative of listeners.

"When I was a little girl I used to love to cuddle down here on the
hearth-rug--I mean I used to love to cuddle down on the hearth-rug and
look into the burning coals. I used to see all sorts of wonderful
things in the flames. They used to tell me I'd 'singe my curly pow
a-biggin' castles in the air,' but I didn't mind, did I--I mean I
didn't mind," she caught herself up quickly.

Delia coughed behind her hand and hurriedly left the room in order to
get Miss Blake's supper, which she meant to serve upstairs for the
occasion.

As soon as she was gone the new governess turned toward Nan in a
strange apologetic sort of way and said:

"I think, if you'll excuse me, I'll just cuddle down on the rug as I
used to do when--when I was a little girl. It seems so good to get
back--to an open fire that it makes me quite homesick. You won't mind,
will you?"

Nan gave a grunt that was meant for "No," and the new governess plumped
down upon the flo