came in. At the sound of her voice in the hall, P

I'm trying to do my hair Anna's

s locks when Ruth burst into the room, somewhat out of breath after her

"awfullest thing" might mean that her father was bankrupt or that she had mislaid her thim

's something," she said in an altered voice "that it

extremely sensitive regarding any reference to her tender years, and seldom failed to grasp the import

he announced, scowling darkly in Ruth's direc

ped her hair over her

ally. "I hope he isn't out on the front lawn where

the toes of her small shoes,

ls on the plate in the pantry last night.

suggested Dorothy, f

o you if you can't reach it." Peggy laughed out, as Dorothy clattered down the stairs. "Isn't she quick?" she exclaimed admiringly. "That chi

an impulsive step forw

, in spite of her efforts. She turned the key in the lock to secure the conference

showy monogram at the top. "My dear boy," Peggy rea

t stamp of her foot. "Do go on." And Pegg

s unique and charming as that of the brooch you sent last week. I noticed that you purchased both at King and K

in their window the other day. Ask to see it sometime when you are passing. They are

with man

ou

au

nd it," she cried. "Who wrote it, and whom is it written to, and why d

ly hard. "I don't know who wrote it, except that her

it fall to the floor, as if it had scorched her fingers. "O, Rut

d tell me what to do." The tears of utter misery began suddenly to cour

Graham have always been great chums, but you must have known tha

a girl named Maud, and Graham never mentioned such a person to any of us. He has lots of girl friends, like all college boys,

ation for Graham's singular omission. Ruth continued, gradually losing her

to tell me about his friends unless he chooses to. That isn't the worst part. You see he's giving her prese

reat deal of her," Pegg

real hard time. He spoke to Graham about it not a week ago, and asked him to be as careful as he could, and Graham talked so beautifully about it, and he wa

herself, as Graham's frank, handsome face flashed out on the screen of her memory. Only that morning she had seen Graham and his father pass. The older man was listening to something the younger was saying, smiling a little, and the look he bent upon his son was full of trus

which sounded very much as if the three carame

who was making a brave struggle to regain her self-control, and possessing herself of the limp hand, stroked it tenderly. Then

l it a mole-hill for Graham to take his father's money an

a mistake," Peggy protested, "I don't sup

morning to do the work and this letter l

e were ashamed of it," Peg

ooked at it to see if it was meant to be thrown away or not, and then my eye caught that about the pendant, and I

ing to talk to Graham about it. You can't mean to let it

d her face i

know all about it. If it was anything else, I wouldn't feel so," she added despairingly. "But think, Peggy, of telling your brother that you know he has been cheating your father, and bei

ppose," said Peggy, after a long pa

esting cry. "Why, it would kill father to know s

as for Ruth, her sturdy common sense refu

s like us to keep to ourselves. Somebody's got

you couldn't be so--so dishonorable as to tell. I came to you beca

on of which she was immediately ashamed. "Of course

g vainly to bring her friend's resolution to the sticking point, while Ruth

in Graham. If he found out that he had tricked and

mother

uld be worse. Her heart isn't strong, you know. T

about it. You've got to pluck up your

cused of heartlessness, a most unjust charge, for at the

and thought he was perfectly splendid, and felt sorry for other girls with ordinary brothers, just think what it would be like to face him and tell him that

n the brother, whom she had been accustomed to set on a pedestal, poor Ruth's nerves were sadly unstrung. Peggy coaxed her to lie down upon the bed, and stroked her burning forehead with sympathetic fingers, cooing over her like a dove ove

creams, sent her flying to the door. Most unexpectedly she found her exit barred by a solid oak table and, when she pushed that impatiently aside, she stumbled over the upturned rockers of

nging down the stairs, forgetful of everything excep

in the lock, had pushed a table in front of Peggy's door, and placed her own small rocking-chair on top, intending from this vantage ground to make a dramatic entrance through the transom. The rocking-ch

kick?" pleaded Mrs. Raymond, running her fingers anxiously

teen years he never left his bed." Sally, who had a taste for the ghastly, contributed this information, and wou

, tear-stained little face toward Peggy, who crouched on the stairs beside her, a con

y volunteered at last, and b

wed wha

wed 'em quick. I didn't

ther exchanged w

d Peggy. "By and by, when you feel b

abruptness that was uncanny.

does it hur

like butter-scotch

nquiries were interrupted by Dorothy's clapping her hands and beginning to fri

ly hopefully. "I knowed an idget boy onct. It was

es, and Peggy flew to her room to get her apron. At the head of the stairs she encountered Ruth, a red-eyed, drooping figure, and Peg

as almost sure that Dorothy was dreadfully hurt, you know." But Ruth only shook her head and made the answer ch

s is dif