Rosy

u find your

some good

strain, try

r the spide

Y A

; there was no chink of moonlight coming in at the window, and everything was perfectly still. Beata could not help wondering what had awakened her, and she was settling herself to sleep again when a little sound caught her ears. It was a kind of low, choking cry, as if some one was crying bitterly and trying to stuff their handkerchief into their mouth, or in

"Bee, I wish you'd come to sp

, which she opened and softly went into Rosy's room. For a moment she did not speak, for a new idea struck her,-could Rosy be crying and talking in her sleep? It was so very unlike her to cry or ask any one to go to her. There was no sound as Beata opened

ly, "are you awake? We

le. It was Rosy

night. It's dedful to be awake all night, Bee. I

oice, going nearer the bed. "Wha

little, Bee? There is room, if we scrudge ourselves up. One n

a, "just while you tell me what's the

speaking. She seemed so much gentler and

of a sudden I thought it would be nice to be good-not pretending, but real good-never cross, and all that. And so I fixed I would be quite good, and I thought how pleased you'd be when I never quarrelled with Colin, or was cross to Martha, or anything like that. And it was all right for a while; but then when mamma

ee. "No, I don't th

tone of satisfaction. "No, I didn't mean anybody to know, only after I was in bed it came back to me, and I was so vexed and so unhappy. I thought everybody would have been so surprised at finding I c

re. If you didn't you wouldn't have been thinking

ing it would be very nice, But I'm not going to care-that's just the thi

our prayers, Rosy?" ask

od. I've been just as naughty some days when I'd said t

felt p

ink. Mother told me if I thought just saying my prayers would make me good, it was

re they then

like opening the gate into being good; it gives us a sort of feeling that He, you know, Rosy

about me than other peoples, for I've often said, 'Do make m

re not good and you don't care. But I think you do care, onl

like the bother,"

ry so much. But please, Rosy, don't say you'll leave off. Do go on. It will get easier. I know it will. It's like skipp

morning what I've settled. Perhaps I'll fix just to be naughty again to-morrow, for a rest you know. How would it do, I wond

tumbling back two steps. No, it would be worse, it would be like going up two and tumbling b

climb up the steps-how funnily you say things, Bee!-or I'll not try at all. I'll tell you to-morrow mo

sy," said Bee, feeling afraid that Rosy wou

t you knows it won't so much matter. But if I was to tell everybody then

inst them. She went back to her own bed with a curious feeli

"I'll never think of her that way again. Poor Rosy, she has had no mother all these years that I've

ly as they bade each other g

aid to herself. "She is good, but I don't think she is pretending," and it w

y nearly the beginning of a stormy scene with Martha when the sound of Bee's voice calling out "Good-morning, Rosy," from the next room reminded her of their talk in the night, and though

low voice, "I haven't settled yet what I'

s and sometimes even blows. And when Colin, surprised at her patience went further and further, ending by tying a long mesh of her hair to the back of her chair, while she was busy fitting a frock on to one of the little dolls, and then, calling her suddenly

boy as if Rosy's temper had passed into the quiet little girl, "I a

" she was going to have said, forgetting her promise to tell no one of Ros

ooked a

ly. Besides there's no fun in only making her cr

said Bee,

never meant really to hurt her. And all the fellows at schoo

who was for once quite vexed with Colin. "I don't think that'

ta, who was perhaps a little matter-of-fact, would have answered him gravel

nd, if you'll promise me to leave Rosy alone-any way for a few days;

r honest gray eyes bright with kindly feeling for Rosy. "You may tea

d not help

ll, I will promise you-I'll promise you more than you ask-listen, what a grand promise-I'll

yes gli

nths you'll have forgotten how to tease! But, Colin, please, it must be a secret between you and m

lf ashamed of having taken her in, "you don't understand why I promised for th

very sorry. I had forgotten about you going to schoo

s, for he does a little too-they'll be beginning a

give us lesson

ame's Miss Pinkerton, but it's so long, she

ittle dull at the idea of having still

her tempers. You'll see. But you'll get on all right. I re

g away, Colin. In three months you'll have forgotte

s going away for a while, for Rosy's sake. It might make it easier for her to carry out her good plans. But for

ren saw that she did not want any notice taken. She looked at Colin and Bee r

Miss Pink," said Colin. "She

ld thing," said R

nd, isn't she

her kind. But I don't care for h

eople pretending," said Bee. "I think it mu

tending, it's best t

ting puzzled again. Co

t," he said, "at least not Rosy's w

said Rosy, "n

er think some people good who aren't good than think

quite what Colin meant; she liked to understand things

world-really kind and good, not pretending a bit. And then, too, mother used to tell me that f

ood-night, she whispered, "I did go on trying, Bee, and I think it does get a

f you go on, Rosy, everybody will find

h little girls felt very happy