Polly of Lady Gay Cottage

tricia; but soon afterwards the lad courteously excused

n't he?" obse

eyes following David. "I wish he hadn't gone off so quick,

like my new cousin," she giggled, squ

stance behind, saw them enter the school yard in high glee. Laughter was far from

Ilga Barron. The Senator's daughter instantly

ay from me

my cousin home," retor

to know? Nobody

ying Ilga's puzzled stare. "Allow me to present

You can't make m

cousins! I found it in the Genealogy la

face

. "She isn't related to her mother a

gnantly. "Her own mother was Phebe Illingworth, and

a retorted. And she

atricia gazed soberly at each other. Then they walked over

whispered Patricia. "I didn't like

stn't!" obj

y n

ve everybody, I s'pose,

demanded Patricia

aid I don't now," she admitted

I shall-ever," she declared; "you

, and confidences were hushed, the tw

right after school to-night!" whispered Patr

er. And Polly went to her seat, st

ing on anyway." So the new friends were left for the greater share of the walk quite to themselves, Polly, when not too much interested in tales of the pet broncho back in Silverton, keeping a

helves at the back one must pass through the pinched little door, an easy matter for a sprite like Polly, who flitte

per was needed, and Miss Carpenter, an assis

on the third shelf," she ex

nfusion she grabbed two packages instead of one, and attempted to make her exit; but to her dismay she found that with the bulky parcels in her arms the return passage was to be difficult if not impossible. Scarlet with mortification, yet holding blindly to her bundles, she twisted this way and that,

e, drew back in anger, muttering something about wishing "folks would mind their own business." Polly, however, loyal to her aim, followed into the closet, and in an earnest whisper urg

out? Polly, how came you

Ilga," sh

in getting a ream of paper," the teacher repli

m, and an uncontrollable smi

scerned no cause, Miss Carpenter's sentence upon

and stay there u

e young teacher either was too much occupied with her visitors or did not c

of it. She had meant only to spare Ilga further mortification-and ha

children were distraught and restless, and things went

he teacher's desk without turning her head, and as Polly saw her plump figure disappear in the stairway she went back to her examples, philosophically thinking that, at

r little watch which she usually wore, the "wedding" gift of Colonel Gresham, and was surprised to find it to be after five. She did not put it directly back in its pocket, b

rt; but she smiled when she recognized through the dimness Miss Co

oice, "I am so sorry this has happened. Dav

glad tone. "But, Miss Cordeli

is its own excuse. You were do

irst and then come herself; but I s'pose she was flustered and didn't think. I felt so sorry for her, and th

ave forgotten what she told you; her memory is treacherous at times. Please say to your father and mother, dear, that my sister and I are very much grieved over the occurrence, and that we shall endeavor to let nothing

pils' entrance executing a double shuffle, to k

got here at la

to wait for me," she cro

in. So I just ran home and to your house, to tell them how it was-while I was waiting for those folks to go. I guess that maid

uble I've made you

it for? That girl!-with all the mean things she's said!

ully. "But I was so sorry for h

chuckled. "It

y disappointed," she went on. "For a minute, when Miss Carpenter told me to stay, I

e had to do with i

icia right after school. Mrs. Il

respond

icia," Polly continued;

o kind to go off and leave invited compa

d it have done? They board, you k

remarke

u feel so about Pat

or a girl broncho-bu

d Col

s, doesn't she? I heard her telling you about being on a bronc

ut till she got on him! But he couldn't throw

rned. "It's just a

lovely little horse that she rides, and he's as gentle as can be. She isn't-that!

are any better 'n oth

r. "Why, David Collins," she went on, the words tumbling out tempestuously, "how foolish you are! I couldn't! You ought to know! There we were at the hospital together

led. "You didn't run off wi

come, too! Patricia thinks

esn't k

t we could be friends all tog

" he c

ther friends I have. It was lovely of you to wait for me to-night a

home cottage, and wer

to be a monopolist

y. David's long word

you all to myself!" he exp

not!" decl

od-night! I'll be on h

that David ha

nied her and Patricia to school, showing only the merry, winsome s

off upstairs, where a group of lads, with heads together

ing them furtively. "Vance Alden is reading so

he greatest boy for writing poetry. He wro

ng row of boys, arm in arm, marched across the

a Ba

eat fa

the clos

e was

ldn't g

she had

she had

rmed in line, to see what they were going to do, and as the singing went on they stood as if d

!" she cried. "You

a circle, with the girl inside,

r escort ho

ay we'll sin

Bar

at fanf

nd a scream, burst her bars, and fled to the next ro

as dist

shamed," she declared, "to

oys g

it!" spoke u

Prescott Saunders. "Never said a wo

en actin' to you all alon

sadly; "but it isn't fa

ance Alden that questioned. The rest

her. I know h

gan again the taunting song. They

nted Patricia, as she and Polly and L

ing across to Ilga's desk, where she was in

aron mean?" que

answered Polly.

he dictionary, and turn

r; a swaggerer; an empty boa

looked

at all, the accent is right on the first syllable, and fanfaron do

ora followed at a

the ditty. There was no distress in h

d, "and I wanted to use uncommon words, I think I'd mak

ou mean?"

ghed, and

n word in it," mused Vanc

the dictionary," suggested Amos Ra

d out!" c

sprang to a

he commanded, w

d talking

told Ilga?

not," she

mise not to?"

into his an

er if she gets hold of it," he fretted.

as stil

't b'lieve in hurti

ou only laughed when I begged

to pay me off," he

"that's just exactly

s face d

"by not telling a single person, and I'll g

're a dandy girl!"

an off

saw the word in the dictionary, for Vance Alden is so sensitive about a mistake. It is funny! Ilga-why, she'd never know wheth