Glenloch Girls

still. Mrs. Hamilton had gone into town, the housemaid was taking her "afternoon out,"

came out slowly and carefully on his crutches. "I can do miles of exercise in this hal

en. The bell rang again, this time more insistently, and he wondered impatiently where Katie and Ellen were, and why some one didn't go to the door. A third peal of the bell sent him back to the hall window. From there he could see the depot carriage wit

y too soon," gasped Arthur. He threw

," he said, "I will try to find s

faithless maids who didn't attend to their duties. He groaned as he suddenly remembered that it was Katie's a

ry it baby fashion." Sitting down, he let his crutches slide along beside him, and holding the injured leg straight out before him hitched alo

for Arthur to speak said pleasantly, "I am Ruth Shirley,

nd won't be back before five o'clock," said Arthur, unpleasantly consc

r hand. "Thank you very much, Mr. Ingersoll, for taking care

am only sorry that I must say good-bye so soon." The driver having carried in her trunk, Ruth shook hands warmly with Mr. Ingersoll and watched him with a little homesick pang as

d stories who open mysterious doors and have ail sorts

ned some other mysterious door than his own. What on earth

l show you," he added, and then stopped short. How was he going to get up those stairs again? Wo

he last room on the right as you go toward the back of the house, and I think y

ong journey, felt an intense desire to laugh at him, at herself, or at nothing at all, for that matter. S

ll crawl up-stairs," he said to himself, dropping wearily into one of the hall chairs. He had sat there but a mom

od it seems to see y

ensely relieved to find that it was no o

rd the bell ring, but wasn't sure," finished Betty with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I saw it all from my wi

had to ask her to go up to her room, and I was just thinking she'd be rather forlorn sitti

aused and then came back. "I've got to run back home, Arthur. There's so

fore her return. "I should be afraid to try it," he thought; "she's as quick as a flash, and I should probably be st

room was doing its best to mak

le shone with all its might, and a capacious couch heaped with pillows and covered with a gay Bagdad looked so comfortable that Ruth longed to try it at once. She couldn't res

room," she said half aloud, "but I didn't t

was filled with foreign note-paper in delicate blue. "Just what I want for my letters to papa," she thought wit

ck filled with books, and wandered to the pretty tea-table where a tall chocolate pot seemed to

and Ruth turned suddenly to see standing in the doorway a plump,

," cried Ruth, much to the

u knew," answered Betty, open

laughed Ruth, "and I've looked at your pictu

d Betty with great satisfaction. "I live just across the street, and I saw you com

nesome. What a darling kitten," she continued, stroking the soft head

, and I hoped you liked them, too. Mrs. Hamilton says you may have a kitten if you wa

the rug. "You couldn't have brought me anything I should have liked better. I had to

y, "and now I shall crow over them, for they are always laughing at me

d Ruth eagerly. "Is she as muc

nted with her. She's tall and thin and doesn't look very strong, and I'm afraid you won't think her a bit pretty. I'm so fond of

, rubbing the sleepy kitten under its c

girl I know; there isn't anything she can't do; and she writes the most beautiful stori

never can get them through my head. Papa says I must go to school here, but I'm af

tty; "she has long braids of really golden hair, and blue eyes and the prettiest color in her cheeks. She's full of fun and always ready for a good time. Her

oes to," confessed Ruth. "Papa wants me to keep a cash account this winter, a

t was the first time, but when I came to balance it I was forty-three cents short and so I wrote at the end, 'Gone, I know not where, forty-t

y opened it to find Ellen standing there, with he

you up a cup of chocolate and a bit of bread and butter to make you last till dinner

p of your chocolate, Ellen?" replied Betty enthusiastica

Betty, dear," said Ellen, backing ou

as the door closed. "Wasn't it nice of Arthur to think of

e steaming chocolate topped with small mountains of whipped cream, had j

tell that Betty might not come down at any minute and perhaps bring Ruth with her? At last a brilliant idea struck him. Ruth must be hungry after her journey, and if Ellen should take up a lunch it would keep them busy for some time at least. He made his way out into the kitchen, where Ellen received him with wonder and delight, and almost cried over him, so great was her

cup with hardly a drop in it, "I feel like another girl. I didn't know how hungry I was.

noise of some one or something clat

it is, Betty?" aske

for the hall. As they reached the top of the stairs they stopped short, for there s

s! I thought some one was jus

ached the top stair, and I nearly broke my neck trying to catch them. I don't see how I

think of it!" said Betty, as she slippe

hur would laugh and make things seem less solemn. Then as he di

ly sensitive about his lameness, and I am afraid it will take him a long time to get over this a

f-stifled little laugh as she said, "I was dreadfully sorry for him, but he was so funny sitting there at the top of the

ho had been on the verge of either laughter

asped, as Ruth gave an answering peal of laughter. "It's dreadful of us," said Betty a

ou're really too funny when yo

as though a fresh burst were imminent w

before I expected her. Your father's telegram has only just arriv

ame toward her. Then she put both hands into the welcoming ones ou

ent I saw you I should