Glenloch Girls

ot going to Boston with her. To explain what she had done with the money was out of the question, for Charlotte would have been more unwilling to tell of the performance of a good deed than

in town, and she couldn't disappoint her. The fact that her mother was still si

twins and Molly were actually scared into silence, and forbore to make their usual demands on her time and patience. Charlotte, who un

went to Mrs. Hamilton's and found Ruth

dy so early as this," she said in surp

other is still too sick to be left alone with the children. I came

adfully disappointed." Ruth looked so reproachful th

ething off to her nephew in Maine, and if she doesn

et my heart on having you with

own sorrow. "I'm sorry it's happened s

to-day. Why can't we both go to-morrow?

inth of thought through which she had wandered this exceed

't," she went on decidedly. "The truth is, Ruth, I'm not

"Then, of course, you wo

tter not. I'm sorry

t to do as you please, of course." Ruth's tone was

an attempt at cheerfulness. "Would you like

nd only thing she could do was to go. She was so absorbed in her own disagreeable thoughts that she plodded along through the sn

ng down upon him like a ship under full sail,

te, with assumed scorn. "I suppose now that vacation ha

ve been disappointed if Charlott

s she passed him and he fell into line behind her.

otte briefly, and in a flas

was that kind," Joe

g the matter, and it's all my fault. Ruth'

atement of affairs. Then he said, "Good for you, Charlotte. Y

he only kind of work

o shovel snow when it

harlotte ungratefully. "I have the twins and Molly

ng when it's offered you," said Joe goo

, as they turned the comer and saw the twins, looking like industrious brownies, rolling a huge sno

re to play as she used to play when a child. "Get the shovels, Joe," she command

a walk in his garden," chimed in Molly, who had b

" said Joe with a wink, as h

them symmetrically. Betty, who had wandered over to see Charlotte, proved a most efficient helper, and Frank and Bert, driving

ched doorway gave entrance to the interior, which was divided into two rooms. It had taken a large amount of snow to build it,

entrance, "I consider that the finishing touch. Now if you boys will co

as the church clock struck twelve. "I'm

left for us," begged Charlotte, "and then we c

und a chance to say softly to Charlotte as he pas

e foolish," answered C

s Charlotte brought out sandwiches, cookies, brown bread and a plate heaped with the

e us some cocoa, Betti

ly old thing. You know I love to

I weren't such a stupid about doing all the things a girl

I'd be only too glad to do if I could. You ought to have he

he morning. Now it ail came back to her with a rush. Ruth would never again say nice things about her, and there wou

in a tone of dignified disapproval, and Charlotte came to the rescue just in time to defe

kept Betty in a perpetual state of amusement. To Charlotte, however, the tempting food might as well have

soberly, as she and Betty finished putting away the dishes. "You and

working on my Christmas presents anyway, and I've had a pretty goo

ate it. I hate Christ

ad when Chris

ns," she said penitently; "I'm a cross, disagreeable thing, and I ought to know better, Only, if you lo

't make yourself out too much of a villain," she said with a comforting pa

, but knowing from long experience that nothing of the kind was possible. Mrs. Eastman had been so long an invalid that Charlotte could hardly remember the time when it had not been the first object of her fat

see you sitting up," she said happi

ht I would give my good little daughter a pl

weeks since she had heard that cheerful tone, had seen

horrid pain," she said, setting the tray on the table

ead with a tender hand. "I'm glad I look pretty to

t no one has come back to finish up." Charlotte looked out as she spoke and opened the window a crack to remind Irv

stmas Day; oh, Mumsey," and Charlotte glowed with delighted anticipation. "It won't make so very much

I know we can't spend much money for presents, but we'l

r. At first she could not tell what had happened. Then she realized that Molly was dancing wildly around wringing her hands, th

anley?" she called, o

ked Molly. "He can't ge

f the window or over the stairs. She realized only that some one came sw

fore Charlotte could prevent, her mother

ied piteously; "my other b

which had fallen on poor Stanley, and she felt sick

in a voice sharp with fear. Then she seized a shovel which lay near and bega

otte; my baby will smother

"We may hurt him if we use the shove

side with her arms and her whole body, felt the touch of her brother's c

arlotte tried to run, but couldn't. She was vaguely conscious that a sleigh had stopped outside the gate, that figures were hurrying toward

and Betty were smiling reassuringly at her. She looked at them a moment

?" she cried, sta

a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Dr. Holland says that b

was out there in

arlotte, and you mustn't worry." Betty's tone was so motherly and insistent that Charlotte couldn't help smiling. She clos

ing-room a subdued murmur of voices, and now and then Irving's giggle, promptly suppressed by the stern Molly. A

te with a suddeness t

it, and how

res she never felt better in her life. Stanley's sitting up on the sofa with the pillows ail around him, f

e? Oh, bring me anyth

li

. Hamilton. She wanted I should come up to see how you are, an

Melina, please. I feel qui

te's eagerness conquered, and she we

l you how mean I feel. I don't believe I should have

on, "You see I know all about what you did with the

Charlotte, hardly able

l of joy over having sent the bed off to her nephew that before she k

years," murmured Charlotte, looking so embarrassed

, Charlotte, I'll never tell if you don't want me to. I'm simply bowed

and I'm not going to be horrid about Christmas any mor