The Girl Next Door

ork?" began Janet, when at last

were a lodger, or-or some one she allowed to stay there for reasons of her own, but didn't particularly want to have about. She's kind to me, but never-friendly. So

Marcia. "We only wonder about it.

th some brown stuff-even the pictures. And most of the other rooms are not used at all-nothing on the ground floor. I eat down in the basement, and my b

o with yourself al

ands. Sometimes she lets me dust the rooms on the ground floor. She keeps everything very, very neat, even if it is all covered up and never used. The rest of the time I sit in my room and read the few books I brought w

t and take a walk or get a litt

en her ankle has been so bad. At night, after it is dark, she

out about your knowi

found such nice friends. But she looked so queer-almost frightened, and she said: 'You must not speak to them again. It was kind of them to help you, but y

Benedict look like, anyhow? Do you ever see her

Cecily, simply. "S

ey gasped

at last she raised her hands and took off her bonnet and veil. I don't know what I expected, but I was surprised to see such a lovely face. Her hair is gray, almost white, and so soft and wavy. And yet she has rosy cheeks, and whi

with the little black-robed and veiled figure that they knew as Miss Benedict. The voice alone tallied, and Marcia recounted h

bout the o

er one?" she queried. "Oh, you me

other old lady who sits in t

lady?" inquired Ce

idn't you know it?

was ill in there. But she never told me who it was, nor anything more about her. She always waits on her herself. Even when her ankle was hurtin

hutter. "How strange this all is," she ended, "that Miss Benedict should neve

t it as they walked along. But by this time they had approached within a block of the

is going to do the marketing after this, perhaps we won't see you again for some time. But I've a plan by w

Benedict allows me to, but often I don'

eight attached to it, and fasten it in the window. Every night, after dark, we'll write a note to you, fasten it to the string, and drop it down into the garden among th

be glorious!" she murmured. "Only-I must not. Even if Miss Benedict doesn't know ab

y should she object to three girls sending little notes to one anothe

l she would be nice to me, only something is holding her back. She isn't a bit cruel. I sometimes

Benedict can't forbid us to do that, and you needn't answer at all-needn't even read

t up as if touched by a shaft o

h! it would keep me from being so very lonely. But I must

ile Janet and Marcia stood looking after her, w