John Bass's blacksmith shop 76 He pictured himself sitting in the quiet study of the minister, looking sad, sad ... 78 What a thing is youth! That sunny morning in Hempfield Nort thought that he was drinking the uttermost dregs of life--and yet, somehow, he was able to stand a little aside and enjoy it all 80 "Well!" exclaimed Nort, drawing a long breath, "I never imagined it would feel so good to be orfunts" 104 She turned around quickly--but there was no one there to see 128 After that she opened her heart more and more to me--a little here, a little there 224 "David, I saw a face looking in at that window" 286 _Illustrations in Text_ PAGE It sat there in its garden and watched with mild interest the hasty world go by 11 A very lonely little girl, sitting at a certain place on the third step from the bottom of the stairs 40 The home of her girlhood seemed dreadfully shabby, small, and old-fashioned 42 I soon found that every one else in the office, Anthy included, had begun to be interested in Nort 91 "I tell you, Miss Doane," said Nort, explosively, "the only way to make a success of the _Star_ is to publish the truth about Hempfield----" 169 "Practical!" he exploded. "You are a blackguard, sir! You are a scoundrel, sir!" 185 The old Captain was perfect. He was a very pattern of gallantry 268 "Toys! Mere circus tricks to take in fools!" 310 "I couldn't stay away another minute. I had to know what the old Captain said and did when the flying machine came to Hempfield" 314 Fergus stuck his small battered volume of Robert Burns's poems in his pocket--and going out of the back door struck out for the hills 332 HEMPFIELD [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER I I DISCOVER THE PRINTING-OFFICE For years my sister Harriet and I confined our relationships with the neighbouring town of Hempfield to the Biblical "yea, yea" and "nay, nay," not knowing how much we missed, and used its friendly people as one might use an inanimate plough or an insensate rolling-pin, as mere implements or adjuncts in the provision of food or clothing for our needs.