"My dear," said Miss Marshall gently, "I want to thank you for your letter, I don't think you can realize just what it has meant to me. I was so--so lonely and tired and discouraged. It heartened me right up. I--I know you have thought me a cross and disagreeable person. I'm afraid I have been, too. But--but--I shall try to be less so in future. If I can't succeed all at once don't mind me because, under it all, I shall always be your friend. And I mean to keep your letter and read it over every time I feel myself getting bitter and hard again." "Dear Miss Marshall, I'm so glad you liked it," said Cyrilla frankly. "We're all your friends and would be glad to be chummy with you. Only we thought perhaps we bothered you with our nonsense." "Come and see me sometimes," said Miss Marshall with a smile. "I'll try to be 'chummy'--perhaps I'm not yet too old to learn the secret of friendliness. Your letter has made me think that I have missed much in shutting all young life out from mine as I have done. I want to reform in this respect if I can." When Cyrilla reached the front room she found Mrs. Plunkett there. "I've just dropped in, Miss Blair," said that worthy woman, "to say that I dunno as I mind your making candy once in a while if you want to. Only do be careful not to set the place on fire. Please be _particularly_ careful not to set it on fire." "We'll try," promised Cyrilla with dancing eyes. When the door closed behind Mrs. Plunkett the three girls looked at each other. "Cyrilla, that idea of yours was a really truly inspiration," said Carol solemnly. "I believe it was," said Cyrilla, thinking of Miss Marshall. Dorinda's Desperate Deed Dorinda had been home for a whole wonderful week and the little Pages were beginning to feel acquainted with her. When a girl goes away when she is ten and doesn't come back until she is fifteen, it is only to be expected that her family should regard her as somewhat of a stranger, especially when she is really a Page, and they are really all Carters except for the name. Dorinda had been only ten when her Aunt Mary--on the Carter side--had written to Mrs. Page, asking her to let Dorinda come to her for the winter.