r, she had noticed very soon one little girl, about her own age, who looked at her very hard with a pair of light, rather dull,

and when Sara stepped forward and, looking at him with the innocent, appealing eyes, answered him, without any warning, in French, the fat little girl gave a startled jump, and grew quite red in her awed amazement. Having wept hopeless tears for weeks in her efforts to remember that "la mere" meant "the mother

that she attracted the attention of Miss Minchin, who, feelin

you mean by such conduct? Remove your elbows! T

looked as if tears were coming into her poor, dull, childish eyes; and Sara saw her and was so sorry for her that she began rather to like h

he would have gone about the country with her sword drawn, rescuing and defending

Her French lesson was a pathetic thing. Her pronunciation made even Monsieur Dufarge smile in spite of himself, and Lavinia and Jessie and the more fortunate girls either giggled or looked at her in wondering disdain. But Sara did not laugh. She tr

etween her teeth, as she bent over h

ed rather disconsolately in a window-seat, she walked over to her and spoke. She only said the kind of thing little girls alwa

our name?"

is new pupil the entire school had talked the night before until it fell asleep quite exhausted by excitement and contradictory s

ngarde St. John

ra. "Yours is very pretty.

luttered Ermengarde

f volumes which he has apparently learned by heart, he frequently expects you to be familiar with the contents of your lesson books at least; and it is not improbable that he will feel you ought to be able to remember a few

as he stared at her, "there are times when

ntirely when she had learned it, Ermengarde was strikingly like her.

learn," her father

things and forgot them; or, if she remembered them, she did not understand them. So it was natur

ch, can't you?" she

a big, deep one, and, tucking up her feet,

all my life," she answered. "You coul

said Ermengarde. "I

uired Sara

er head so that th

"I'm always like that. I can't

ed with a touch of awe in her voi

e wet, iron railings and the sooty branches of the trees. She reflected a few moments. She had heard it

seeing a mournful look on the round, chubby face

e to see Emily

ngarde asked, just as

and see," said Sara,

the window-seat togeth

hey went through the hall--"is it true t

-well, it was because when I play I make up stories and tell them to myself,

's room by this time, and Ermengarde stopped

sped. "Can you do that--as w

at her in si

up things," she said.

nd warningly o

e whispered, "and then I will open it qu

Whatsoever she meant, Ermengarde was sure it was something delightfully exciting. So, quite thrilled with expectation, she followed her on tiptoe along the passage. They made not the least noise until they reached the door

d see her!" Sara explained. "Of course the

from her to the do

k?" she asked

least I PRETEND I believe she can. And that makes it se

rde. "Never. I--

ally stared at Sara instead of at Emily--notwithstanding that

t stop. You just go on and on doing it always. And it's beautiful. Emily, you must listen.

ay I, really? She is beautiful!"

an hour as the one she spent with the queer new pupil before t

yage, and stories of India; but what fascinated Ermengarde the most was her fancy about the dolls who walked and talked, and who could do anything they chose when

Sara, seriously. "You s

eyes. She drew her breath in so sharply that it made a funny, sad little sound, and then she shut her lips and held them tightly closed, as if she was determined either t

pain?" Ermen

she added something in a low voice which she tried to keep quite steady, and it w

a select seminary to say that it had never occurred to you that you COULD love your father, that you would do an

she stammered. "He is always

ten times over," Sara said. "That is

her little, huddled-up knees, and

out loud," thought E

tumbled about her ears, and she sat still

what soldiers bear! Papa is a soldier. If there was a war he would have to bear marchin

t that she was beginning to adore her. She wa

e and shook back her black lo

lling you things about pretending, I shall bear it

p came into her throat and her ey

we could be `best friends.' Would you have me for yours? You're clever,

liked. Yes. We will be friends. And I'll tell you what"-- a sudde