The Girls at Mount Morris

ristmas came on the following Monday. The Miss Kirklands were going to remain and devote the time to study. Alice N

eyes full of wonder. There was some fancy things

e calendar and is Christmas put off and a

and fanned her

from that brother in a year and didn't know whether he was dead or alive. She said they would hear from him and that he would return soon with a fortune, and this very morning the letter came. He's been in Alaska and British Colum

what she is waiting for," laughed Phil. "But I hav

e's future. She spoke of mamma's walking without crutches, which we couldn't believe and said after we came home something mysterious would happen to us, that a member of the family would come f

hope none of you will be foolish enough to spend your money on such nonsense. Those people are generally impostors.' I'd like

at of lovers," said Louie, "and

when she was seventeen, and I'll be nineteen in June; but she

d there may be a little chance of some one leaving father a fortune. Oh, let us go

s and the so-called good luck are delights to hope for and it is seldom that any dark

d the afternoon to themselves. Four were going to

and I'll wear my old gray coat. Mother would make me bring it and I've not had

awford House and have som

always tabooed blue. Now with a sudden impulse she put it on. Clara had gone to the musicale and would not be home until late. Then she gathered up her curls and stuffed them in the crown. Yes, she did su

ody had wanted to go down town. Mrs. Trenham lived in the corner house. Th

, middle-aged wo

see the Cl

. "All of you? I'm r

n the table dusty, and some clot

ng girls. Now, I'll tell you-it's a dollar if I go into a trance and see you inside, up and down and I can tell to a T whether there's anything the matter. But I don't believe

pend on such fooler

pack off of the mantlepiece. "Now you try first," motioning to Phillipa. "Why I can see by

ould tell by the brightening of an eye or the move

re making a big time and lots of company, a great Christmas dinner, and a dance in the evening, and you'll get kissed under the mistletoe-but you won'

t all and you don't want to a bit, and you're going to have some trouble, and a journey with a trunk, and-why you'll be in school and you'll be most crazy to hear fro

laughed a

next," t

t took the chair

tmas dinner together. There would be a great surprise with a fair young man who cared a great deal for her, and there were wonderful surprises that wouldn't make her happy at first. Here was a strange girl-but she doesn't want to come. Gifts and friends, and this stout man-your fath

back, but she would be troubled about a prize, be disappointed in a girl friend who would try to injure her and who would say mean things, but she must not mind t

with profuse wishes for their happiness and a merry Christmas, and shut th

t us run out back and across lots" and they started i

outer door, flew down the path and across a space over to the next stree

irls," exclaimed Zay. "W

ach other's faces. Phillipa gave a half hysterical

you suppose the Dane was watching out-suspecting? And that horrid smell in the

d view, Louie,

at if it was small pox?" an

have you any aromatic ammonia? Let's all take a dose to quiet our nerves and ward off whatever it may be, and ge

he thing for her to let us i

ut she hit a good deal about you, Zay. I wonder who is coming to t

ankly. "And maybe he will be sent on a th

all take our composing draught and then wend our way to sc

u, Phil, shall have my brown turba

with those yellow daisies.

it as a Chr

said they must have a cup of hot cho

ear. Mrs. Dane sat in the hall looking over some mail. She glanced up and nodded, but

n Miss Arnold's bed. She had not

y things Claire was making for Christmas, but before she reached the corn

n't go. You ca

ill?" in

you a note. You cannot go there this week. Mother has a friend staying with her and I

e," studying her while she

-I'll write this evening and tell you the 'whys;' and now dear, don't feel vexed i

"Lilian, do not mention meeting me today; I ask it

she did not feel joyous, Christmasy. She rambled about a little. There was the Clairvoyant's sign. Could any one tell about the future, even another's health? For, somehow it seemed as if her mother had been curi

r laughing and chatting. Why, she had never felt so alone, not even back in Laconia

right to a good many privileges that under some circumstances she would have claimed, but the su

door on the landing

e your friend, Miss Trenham?" Ther

se." Yet she colored as

the comment in

r was not so

tty invalid friend an

did not

you were going there. W

and said over French verbs

cold-I wish people would let you have your room as you w

bed. She looked old a

eel poorl

en I am goo

ave tea tog

very comfortable now.

persuade her mother to taste the toast o

tudy as she was not due down stairs

like to see you in her

rs. Dane sat there in

e you at your friend's, Mrs

d at the repe

ngly. "I meant to go, but"-then she p

eyes were fixed on her face an

any other per

answered quietly. Oh,

irvoyant's from half past four to about five?

oice was unsteady as she said-"I was

out on the stoop. I think there was some one behind her. She saw me and bolted back in the hall. There are just two girls in the school who have light blue Tams. Miss Arnold went to a musicale and found

peechless wi

and we walked together a short distance. B

at their mother thought was measles. The doctor was not sent for until noon, and did not get there until nearly six. He found one boy dead

e. "Oh, you are mistaken, as God hears me, I was not in that house

sed from study hour tonight. We must consi

might be other blue Tams in the town but she did not remember to have seen many in light blue except

become warmly interested in Lilian. She had

s with outward calmness, but I have a feeling that some day she will break out in an awful tempest, and I

evoted to the

ms so," rathe

Arran and laid the matter before her. She

he saw the necessity of the truth. Mrs. Dane has very strong prejudices

without even a physician, or any care to prevent the spread of contagion. Well-I suppose tom

's door. Lilian opened it. She had been crying

you such a cruel, willful falsehood! I was not even

always been so anxious, one might say jealous for my welfare, and you see thi

," cried Lilian in broken tones

to the study this even

ving a lov

ay before there is any real fright. I do not anticipate any

nces Lilian would have given Mrs. Barrington an unreasoning adoration. She could not

he girl poured the fragrant balm on her wounded