"That's all right, Cordelia," she declared. "I know just how you feel. _Now_ you know what was the matter with me when you girls gave me the Texas yell at the station. Just cry all you like!" As if permission, only, were all she wanted, Cordelia wiped her eyes and smiled shyly into Mr. Jonathan Edwards Sanborn's face. "It is really you, isn't it?" she murmured. "It certainly is, Miss Cordelia." "And you wouldn't have come if it hadn't been for what I said?" "No. You set me to thinking, and when I got to thinking I couldn't stop. And, of course, when I couldn't stop thinking I had to come; that's all." "I'm so glad," sighed Cordelia; then, interestedly: "How long have you been here?" "Only since day before yesterday. No one in the village knows I'm here, I suspect. We've been talking over our plans--father and I. I want him to come West with me." Cordelia got up from the ground. "I'm so glad," she said again, simply. "Genevieve, I think we ought to be going." As she turned toward the path, Hermit Joe advanced so that he intercepted her. "Miss Cordelia, I would like to tell how--but I can't. Still--I wish you could know how happy you've made me." Hermit Joe spoke with evident difficulty. His lips, so long unused to speaking, stumbled over the words; but his eyes glowed as with hidden fires, and his whole face was alight with joy. CHAPTER XX THE NEW BOY The first day of school, for Genevieve, was not a success. Before two hours of it had passed, indeed, she declared to herself that Miss Hart, her new teacher, was not at all promising, and that she did not like her nearly so well as she had liked Miss Palmer the year before. Making the final arrangements as to her studies and recitations, too, Genevieve privately voted a bore; and more than once her eyes turned longingly to the beautiful September sunshine out of doors. At recess time the Happy Hexagons met in the corridor and held what proved to be an indignation meeting. "Well, I for one don't like her a bit," declared Tilly, perking up the bow ends of the black sling that hung about her neck. "Nor I," echoed Genevieve. "Not much like Miss Palmer last year, nor Miss Jones," said Bertha. "I told you we wouldn't get such a good one this term." "But, girls, I think we ought to try to like her," ventured Cordelia, in a voice that told very plainly how she expected her remark to be received. "Of course," sniffed Tilly, disdainfully. "Oh, but I'm sure she won't be half bad when we come to know her," cried Alma Lane. "She was so nervous this morning, and I think acted troubled over something." Tilly tossed her head. "Troubled! I should think we were the ones that were troubled. Did you ever see such a lot of rules and regulations about what not to do? She's scarcely left a thing we _can_ do."