The Poor Little Rich Girl

streamed about her shoulders in tangles. Her head being unpillowed, her face was pink-and pink,

of one who had recently suffered a scare, and her faded eyes shifted here and there uneasily. Thomas, too, looked apprehensive as he moved b

, realized how her last night's breach of authority had impressed each one

chocolate, Thomas," she said, with a fair semblan

tat! of heels. He bent above the table attentivel

plendid! How did you manage it?" A knife-edge c

fell silen

nly my own forethoughtedness, as you might say. The first time

m Gwendolyn blinked with in

enishing the chocolate cup, "that was a'

er of the cake-in astonishment at this new turn of affairs.

uously. "Down at the Employment Agency, where Madam got her, they said so. The common, two-faced th

"I don't mind if

eping her like a wave-at seeing her cake portioned out; at havi

pounding the rug full force. "And an egg.

own to the library?" she inquired. She seeme

Thomas. "She's gettin

e. "You knew I wouldn't permit you to bo

me!"-chokin

s on your dresses, and your pony, and your beautiful car! And he hires all of us"-she swe

Gwendolyn, rapping her

s vulgar," asse

ng to day-school l

sense!" commanded

up at him. "That wi

little imp needs is a goo

with the disciplining of the

The very idear of her bawlin' all

lungs," contradicted Gwendol

' about the floor. It's clear shameful, I say, and enough to gi

ings to Jane," interpos

e you ain't displeased

e, more than ever fretful. "Oh, Thomas

face to the row of toys in the glass-fronted case. Murdering the Ki

o, Miss Royle," reminded Thomas,

afe. Relieved, Gwendolyn straig

es than we're gettin' for it's a real trial to hav

o make my living in this way!" she exclaimed, voice deep with mournfulnes

le's declaration again gave Gwendolyn that sense of triump

threateningly, "if you're going to act like that, I shall know there'

at her, smirking exultantly, her smile went, and

dicine," declared Thomas, "or ma

won't

charge your papa a thousand dollars. Oh, you

etorted. "I'm going to give all my money to the hand-orga

," observed Miss

d I hate you," she cried shrilly.

was a solemn and

slowly toward the window-s

in this chair," b

aused, but

I fet

. "Oh, you-you-you-" (she yearned to say Snake-in-the-grass!

see that you want to g

arms tossing, face aflame. There were those wicked words across the river that each

stamping a foot, "Vill

h a look of alarm. So much Gwendolyn saw before she flung herself

ose the door leading into the hall. There were times-the nursery ha

rse lamenting

ubtless, since it was her allotted time. The lamentations swelled then-and grew f

square of serene blue framed by curtains and casing, small clouds were drifting-clouds da

m. Oh? where was that stream? the glade through whi

Gwendolyn wished sh

way alone to the library. Why not put o

d the country. Besides, he knew the way. She decided to ask him to go with her-old and stooped though he was. Perhaps she would also tak

Let them weep, and

s she looked, both pictured faces gradually dimmed. For tears had come at last-at the thought of leavin

she fors

play the Johnnie Blake Pretend ... Oh, very well,"-t

ottage, and she rolled it nearer the dull rose timber at the side window. The rug was the grassy, flowery glade;

led with woven cane. A hassock did duty for a runabout that had no top to shut out the sun-light, no

he sun was just rising above the forest, and it warmed her little back. The fresh breeze caressed her cheeks into crimson, and swirled her hair about the down-sloping rim of her wreath-encircled hat. That breeze b

rout-pools. Gwendolyn's father led the way with basket and reel. Sh

is small nose was as freckled as Jane's. His brown hair disposed itself

" said Gwendol

ed outing-suit of hunter's-green, and high buckled boots. He wore a plaid gingham waist, starched so stiff that its round collar stood up and tickled his ears. His hat was of straw, and somewhat ragged.

n in these woods?"

said J

here b

op

here d

there's s

e got one at home. It's long and b

to go ba

wish I

er toward the school-room; the

explained Johnnie. "But jus

rown-up?"-a tr

." Whereat she strode up and down, hands

to the air (from the top of the nursery table), caught the lower branch of a tall, slim tree (the chandelier), and swung himself to and fro with joyous abandon. For Gwendo

," she murmured, looking up a

-and yet everything

the water's edge that were assuredly a mile high. Red smoke meant that evening was approaching. Jane would enter soon. With t

w and busied herself in the vicinity of the bed, moving

ht. At its head, on the small table, was a glass of mil

to jade. The river flowed jade beneath. Along

The tears were falling again; but not tears of an

front. She undid it, weeping softly the while, fou

orn with her day-long combat. She lay back among the pillows. And as she loo

ned. "Everybody hates m

thought: She would pl

e dark beside the bed; that a tender face was bending down, a gent

love me, moth-er?... Love you?-oh, big as the sky!... Dear moth-er, may I eat at the grown-up

n of the hall. She spoke more low then, but continued to chatte

" she plead, "will

quavered and broke. But the song was one she had heard in the

le beauty and yout

k is unstain

d faith of a soul

. Then one small hand in the gentle ma