The Girl Next Door

two girls held

thumb. I think the way she's treated is scandalous-not allowed to go out, or speak to, or associate wit

the old, unanswerable ques

o care for! Where can all her relatives and family be? Miss Benedict certainly can't be a relative, for Cecily calls her 'Miss.' To think of that lovely little thing wi

ied Marcia, decisively. "I'm going to tell A

forget that Cecily fairly begged us not

, looking blank. "What a

but she can't forbid us meeting and speaking to Cecily, can she? So why can't we just watch for Cecily to come out, and th

her. After I heard her speak that time I was sure she must be lovely. It doesn't seem possible that any one w

s just horrid!" cri

d, as Marcia had once before described, the sound of running feet in the garden beyond the wall. This time there was

Marcia. "I shouldn't feel like r

quiet. I'd go crazy if I were shut in like that. I'd feel like-like jumping hurdles when I got out of doors. And she's a country gi

loated the dreamy, tender melody of the "Tr?umerei." The romance of th

c ended, they thought they could distinguish a soft little sound, half sigh, half sob, from the vel

lonely, lonely little thing!" she

enedict's Folly." Cecily did not appear, either at her window or on a marketing

y for her sprained ankle and had, perhaps, shut Cecily up in close confinement, or even sent her

emerge from the house and walk toward the gate, with the market-basket o

time, her eyes cast down as usual; but they were w

and strolled in the same direction. It was not till they had turned the cor

to-day. I-you mustn't come with me!" In spite of her words, however, it

"why can't we join you when you go

enedict usually asks me when I come in whether I have me

r! The girls lo

of course," h

because she's very much better now,-the salve helped her ankle very much,-and

after this blow. Then Janet, no longer a

into your affairs. It's only because we think so much of

ow!" said C

ow!" they gas

to me. Miss Benedict is a perfect stranger to me, and no relation

u here then?" d

to me. But I'm so lonely I've cr

, Cecily,-you say the only ones you have,-and we don't ask just out

've lived in Cranby, a little village in England. Mother and I lived there together. We never went anywhere, not even up to London, becaus

ill. I don't know what was the matter, but I hardly had time to call in a ne

she went on, very low. Marcia pressed her hand

just then Mother grew so much worse that she couldn't explain why I was to be taken there, or what they were to me or I to them. After it was all over we searched everywhere, hoping to find some papers or letters or something that would tell, but we found nothing. So Mrs. Wadd

We rang the old bell at the gate, and then waited and waited. I thought no one would e

he was certainly going to refuse to take me in, her manner was so odd. After she had stood thinking a long time she suddenly said to me, 'Come, then!' and to Mrs.

mmered Marcia, quive

Cecily. "Here we are at the shop. I'l