laughed Pem, but the laughter was bitter,
two-edged. "Oh! Una," she burst forth
shakily, "as long--as long's ever I live,
I'll wish I hadn't done it, letting--letting
that Jack at a Pinch, as he called
himself, that big, boorish boy, play friend
in need to me-e again. Ugh-h!"

Her stung lips quivered and were twisted,
partly upon the after-taste of terror.

"Humph! forget it--oh-h! forget it,"
caroled the younger girl. "See that you
don't make a trouble out of it, for trouble
is a hor-rid kettle-o'-fish for the troublers--see!...But--listen!
Listen!
Surely that's singing--singing from somewhere--&other^
singing!"

She paused on tiptoe, a green dryad,
one little hand, fair as a flower-petal,
curled about her startled ear.

But Pem was for the moment comfort-proof.

"Bah! 'Tisn't quite so easy to forget,"
she murmured, bitterly.

Her less fragile fists were mounted one
[[95]]

p094 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p095w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p096

v?