ked
Ruby, presently, thinking that if Ann would admit that she had said a
great deal that she did not mean in the past, she would feel still
happier.

Ann was sorry to have the child from whom she had never been separated
for a whole day, go away for weeks, but she was not by any means
disposed to admit that Ruby had not deserved all the scoldings she had
over given her, and her voice had quite a little of its usual sharpness
as she answered,--

"You know as well as I do, Ruby Harper, that you 've been enough to try
the patience of a saint many and many a time, more particularly since
your mother has been taken ill, and though I 'm sorry you 're going
away, I am sure it is the best thing for you, for you had got long past
my managing, and nobody knew what you were going to do next. If you
were n't going to school, likely enough you would burn us all down in
our beds some night."

Ruby looked rather crestfallen.

"I don't think you need be cross the very last thing when I am going
away so far, and you won't see me for ever and ever so long again," she
said, with a little quiver in her voice.

"Well, I did n't mean to be," said Ann, giving her another hug. "It's
only that I got provoked that I said that. You see you and me have a
lot to learn yet, Ruby, before we can say and do just what we ought to,
and nothing else. I'll take it all back, and I'll show you the nice
cake I have made for your lunch on the cars."

Ruby followed Ann to the buttery, and admired the cake with its white
crust of icing, that looked like a coating of frost, to Ann's content,
and would have been quite willing to have had a piece of it then and
there, if Ann would have permitted it.

Everybody talked a great deal about everything but Ruby's going away,
for nobody wanted to give the little girl time enough to think about
it, lest she should grow homesick; and it seemed quite like a party,
Ruby thought, as she sat beside her father at the table, with Ruthy
sitting by her, all ready for another breakfast, she had risen so early.

After breakfast papa went down to the stable to harness up; the little
trunk was shut for the last time, and the key turned and put in Aunt
Emma's pocket-book,--greatly to Ruby's disappointment, for she wanted
to keep it herself; but Aunt Emma said she might have it after they got
safely to school, but it would be very inconvenient if she should lose
it on the way there, and she tried to console herself with th