8. In ttic

    t nig in tic . During its passing so anyone about ood. It ed, norangeness of   been so, t oo great for a co bear. But, really, han one.

    quot;My papa is dead!quot; s ;

    It  until long after s  surned over and over in it to find a place to rest, t tense t tain scufflings and scratcing boards. S t, because Becky  rats and mice oget scurrying across ter days, ed up in bed and sat trembling, and whes.

    t come about gradually, but  once.

    quot;S begin as so go on,quot; Miss Minco Miss Amelia. quot;S be taug once .quot;

    Mariette  t morning. t of ting room, as ss open door, s everyts and luxuries o transform it into a new pupils bedroom.

    doo breakfast s  at Miss Minco her coldly.

    quot;You ies, Sara,quot; s;by taking your seat  a smaller table. You must keep t, and see t t e t to tie  ea.quot;

    t o day ties given to o. Saug of   sions. S on errands at any time and in all old to do ted. took tone from Miss Minc t;young onequot; s of t class, and empers, and it ly convenient to  hand someone on whom blame could be laid.

    During t mont t o do t soften ttle  sed to see t srying to earn  accepting cy. But time came ened at all; and to do as sold, ting careless o blame her.

    If so teacructress; but tle superior errand girl and maid of all  rusted  commissions and complicated messages. Sy to dust a room o set things in order.

    . Sauger long and busy days spent in running  everybodys orders o ted scudy alone at night.

    quot;If I do not remind myself of t t; so ;I am almost a scullery maid, and if I am a scullery maid  and begin to drop my  remember t ;

    One of t curious tence ead of being a sort of small royal personage among to be one of t all. S so constantly at  sunity of speaking to any of t avoid seeing t Miss Minc s from t of ts of the schoolroom.

    quot;I  imacies and talking to t; t lady said. quot;Girls like a grievance, and if so tell romantic stories about s  is better t se life--one suited to ances. I am giving  is more t to expect from me.quot;

    Sara did not expect mucoo proud to try to continue to be intimate ly felt ratain about   Miss Minc of dull, matter-of-fact young people. tomed to being ricable, and as Saras frocks greablis t s out to buy groceries and carry treets in a basket on ed t rato .

    quot;to t sed. quot;S. And s I cant bear t  speaking--just as if s.quot;

    quot;I am,quot; said Sara, promptly, s  some people for. I like to kno ter;

    trut simes by keeping e ready to make misco  for the ex-show pupil.

    Sara never made any miscerfered ramped t streets, carrying parcels and baskets; stention of ttle ones Frencold t ster take airs; sreated as if s gre sold anyone w s.

    quot;Soldiers dont complain,quot; seet;I am not going to do it; I end t of a ;

    But t mig  for three people.

    t, it must be o Becky. t all t first nig in t, s a vague comfort in kno on ts scuffled and squeaked ture. And during ts t follo gretle co speak to eacasks to perform, and any attempt at conversation o loiter and lose time. quot;Dont mind me, miss,quot; Becky ;if I dont say note. Some und be do I dassnt to take time to say it.quot;

    But before daybreak so slip into Saras attic and button  doairs to ligc came Sara al o  upefied to talk, so it  some time passed before ts. Beckys  told  it  t people in trouble s alone.

    trio of comforters  odd things happened before Ermengarde found her place.

    o ao t  sten t an Ermengarde lived in t be contested t Ermengarde e. So Sara in a simple,  o  s be ened to s for stories. But seresting to say ion. S, not a person one orm of a great trouble, and Sara forgot her.

    It o forget  see Sara for a day or time sered s aken doairs to be mended. Sara augo mend ttired in tgrown frock wness shin black leg.

    Ermengarde oo sloo be equal to sucuation. S to say. S , some like a servant. It made e miserable, and s break into a s erical laug any meaning, quot;O you?quot;

    quot;Yes,quot; ansrange t passed ts in ed upon top of it to keep it steady. Sometraigs still more. S as if Sara o a nehings and work like Becky.

    quot;O; sammered. quot;;

    quot;I dont kno; Sara replied. quot;;

    quot;Im--Im quite ; said Ermengarde, overo say e. quot;Are you--are you very un; she said in a rush.

    ty of an injustice. Just at t moment orn  s t if anyone upid as t, one ter get away from her.

    quot; do you t; s;Do you t; And s  another word.

    In course of time s if c made  t poor, dull Ermengarde  to be blamed for , tupid so being.

    But t wive.

    quot;S; s. quot;S really  to talk to me. S;

    So for several ood bet by c too stiff and embarrassed to speak. Sometimes to eac times w even excing.

    quot;If s talk to me,quot; Sara t, quot;I  of  easy enoug;

    Miss Minc so easy t at last t all. At t time it iced t Ermengarde upid t sless and uno sit in t, are out of t speaking. Once Jessie, o look at her curiously.

    quot; are you crying for, Ermengarde?quot; she asked.

    quot;Im not crying,quot; anseady voice.

    quot;You are,quot; said Jessie. quot;A great big tear just rolled do t. And t;

    quot;ell,quot; said Ermengarde, quot;Im miserable--and no one need interfere.quot; And surned ook out .

    t nig to tic, ser t at il after t o bed, and after t so op of tairs, so see a glimmer of ligtic door.

    quot;Nobody goes t myself,quot; s quickly, quot;but someone ed a candle.quot;

    Someone ed a candle, and it  burning in tcick sed to use, but in one of to tting upon ttered footstool, and was dressed in gown and wrapped up in a red s was Ermengarde.

    quot;Ermengarde!quot; cried Sara. Sartled t s frig;You  into trouble.quot;

    Ermengarde stumbled up from stool. Stic in oo large for h crying.

    quot;I kno; s;But I dont care--I dont care a bit. Oell me.  is tter?  you like me any more?quot;

    Somet. It ionate and simple--so like to be quot;best friends.quot; It sounded as if s meant  weeks.

    quot;I do like you,quot; Sara ans;I t--you see, everyt no you--.

    Ermengarde opened  eyes wide.

    quot; ; s;You didnt  to talk to me. I didnt knoo do. It er I came back.quot;

    Sara t a moment. Sake.

    quot;I am different,quot; s;t in t  me to talk to t of t  to talk to me. I t--per. So I tried to keep out of your ;

    quot;O; Ermengarde almost o eac must be confessed t Saras small black es on to desert  horribly lonely.

    After dooget ttle face adoringly.

    quot;I couldnt bear it any more,quot; s;I dare say you could live  me, Sara; but I couldnt live  you. I onig all at once of creeping up  begging you to let us be friends again.quot;

    quot;You are nicer t; said Sara. quot;I oo proud to try and make friends. You see, no trials  I am not a nice c;-- is  for.quot;

    quot;I dont see any good in t; said Ermengarde stoutly.

    quot;Neito speak trut; admitted Sara, frankly. quot;But I suppose t be good in t see it. tquot;--doubtfully--quot;Be good in Miss Minc;

    Ermengarde looked round ttic y.

    quot;Sara,quot; s;do you t;

    Sara looked round also.

    quot;If I pretend its quite different, I can,quot; s;or if I pretend it is a place in a story.quot;

    Sion o  unned.

    quot;Ot of Monte Cristo in teau dIf. And tille!quot;

    quot;tille,quot; co be fascinated. Sories of tion ion of t Sara could .

    A o Saras eyes.

    quot;Yes,quot; s;t o pretend about. I am a prisoner in tille. I ten about me. Miss Minc;--a sudden ligself to t;Becky is t cell.quot;

    Surned to Ermengarde, looking quite like the old Sara.

    quot;I send t,quot; s;and it  comfort.quot;

    Ermengarde  once enraptured and awed.

    quot;And ell me all about it?quot; s;May I creep up  nig is safe, and   friends t;

    quot;Yes,quot; ans;Adversity tries people, and mine ried you and proved ;