[Transcriber's note: The spelling inconsistencies of the original have been retained in this etext.] [Illustration: SADIE HAD A GLIMMERING OF SOME STRANGE CHANGE AS SHE EYED HER SISTER CURIOUSLY.--_Page 263_.] ESTER RIED BY PANSY AUTHOR OF "JULIA RIED," "THE KING'S DAUGHTER," "WISE AND OTHERWISE," "ESTER RIED YET SPEAKING," "ESTER RIED'S NAMESAKE," ETC. _ILLUSTRATED BY ELIZABETH WITHINGTON_ BOSTON LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. PANSY TRADE-MARK Registered in U.S. Patent Office. Norwood Press: Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. ESTER'S HOME CHAPTER II. WHAT SADIE THOUGHT CHAPTER III. FLORENCE VANE CHAPTER IV. THE SUNDAY LESSON CHAPTER V. THE POOR LITTLE FISH CHAPTER VI. SOMETHING HAPPENS CHAPTER VII. JOURNEYING CHAPTER VIII. JOURNEY'S END CHAPTER IX. COUSIN ABBIE CHAPTER X. ESTER'S MINISTER CHAPTER XI. THE NEW BOARDER CHAPTER XII. THREE PEOPLE CHAPTER XIII. THE STRANGE CHRISTIAN CHAPTER XIV. THE LITTLE CARD CHAPTER XV. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? CHAPTER XVI. A VICTORY CHAPTER XVII. STEPPING BETWEEN CHAPTER XVIII. LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS CHAPTER XIX. SUNDRIES CHAPTER XX. AT HOME CHAPTER XXI. TESTED CHAPTER XXII. "LITTLE PLUM PIES" CHAPTER XXIII. CROSSES CHAPTER XXIV. GOD'S WAY CHAPTER XXV. SADIE SURROUNDED CHAPTER XXVI. CONFUSION--CROSS-BEARING--CONSEQUENCE CHAPTER XXVII. THE TIME TO SLEEP CHAPTER XXVIII. AT LAST Ester Ried ASLEEP AND AWAKE CHAPTER I. ESTER'S HOME. She did not look very much as if she were asleep, nor acted as though she expected to get a chance to be very soon. There was no end to the things which she had to do, for the kitchen was long and wide, and took many steps to set it in order, and it was drawing toward tea-time of a Tuesday evening, and there were fifteen boarders who were, most of them, punctual to a minute. Sadie, the next oldest sister, was still at the academy, as also were Alfred and Julia, while little Minnie, the pet and darling, most certainly was _not_. She was around in the way, putting little fingers into every possible place where little fingers ought not to be. It was well for her that, no matter how warm, and vexed, and out of order Ester might be, she never reached the point in which her voice could take other than a loving tone in speaking to Minnie; for Minnie, besides being a precious little blessing in herself, was the child of Ester's oldest sister, whose home was far away in a Western graveyard, and the little girl had been with them since her early babyhood, three years before. So Ester hurried to and from the pantry, with quick, nervous movements, as the sun went toward the west, saying to Maggie who was ironing with all possible speed: "Maggie, do _hurry_, and get ready to help me, or I shall never have tea ready:" Saying it in a sharp fretful tone. Then: "No, no, Birdie, don't touch!" in quite a different tone to Minnie, who laid loving hands on a box of raisins.