The Girl Next Door

So her name was Cecily Marlowe! Was she any relation of Miss Be

ation on Miss Benedict's mot

y she was there?" replied Janet, scornfully. "She couldn't be in doubt about it if she were

ed in a little country village, and she didn't know a thing about American money. She's f

s she must be English. She looks English. Now will you tell me how she

net! this is precisely like a mystery in a book. Do you realize it? An

e music. 'Tr?umerei' is certainly about as well known as any piece of classic music. She said she neve

ssly. "Suppose I play some on the violin here in our window right now

very best, including the "Tr?umerei," but no golden

see her to-morrow, most likely. P

g blue eyes, and curly golden hair, and such a trusting look in her face, somehow! It went

"I felt the same way. But doe

of. I guess you agree with me now, Janet, that I had a secret worth talking ab

every shuttered window of the old mansion remained blank. Neither did any one go in or out of the gate. Late in the afternoon Marcia played again at

ny marketing done to-day, so

Marcia, disconsolately. "Surely that would have been easy to do, when she said s

, and oughtn't to blame her without knowing," declared Janet, defending the

ey did see her again, but under circumstance

isely the same way. They sat very conspicuously in their own window-seat, so that there could be no doubt in Cecily's mind about their being at home. M

" she

e saw Cecily, dressed to go out, approaching the gate. It was plain that she

t!" exclaimed Marcia in bewild

en it. But, do you know, there may be some very good reason why she didn't-or couldn't-

rgued Marcia. "She might at least have looked up and

f the big old gate, which seemed, as on a forme

nd seizing their hats, the girls hastened downstairs. Their front door closed behind th

passed them b

ly smile, expecting their new companion to m

g

k into their faces, dropped her eyes, and passed them by with

rting figure till she turned the corn

resently exploded. "If that wasn't the

mind our own business!" even Janet had

ppened. She's thought it over and decided that we were meddlesome and just trying to push an acquaintance with her, and she thinks she's a little

t somehow, even yet, I can't feel that she

did they argue it back and forth, turning and twisting the sorry little occurrence, viewing it in every possible light, that before they realized i

irectly by where they were standing, and

here and watch her as she goes by. She can't help but see

down, watching the pavement. But even when she was quite in front of them, she did not

en, they were just about to turn to each other

. It was such a wistful, imploring look, a gaze so full of appeal for forgiveness

she smiled back in return, the most adorable little smile in

gate, leaving her two new friends