her cheerful spirits.

Hannah took her station in the little outside hall one blustering
afternoon, watching through the side window till Cordelia climbed the
porch steps loaded to her chin with wood; then Hannah braced her back
against the outside door. Cordelia spared one hand with difficulty,
tugging at the door with wind-tossed garments, all in vain. She dropped
her wood to use both hands. The door would sometimes stick when lightly
closed, and thinking this to be the case, she threw her weight against
it in a forcible attempt to burst it open. Hannah jumped away and
darted through the inside door in silent glee.

Cordelia fell full length into the hall and struck her head against the
inner threshold. She lay in a dazed condition for a little, then aroused
herself, to catch a glimpse of Hannah peering through the window of the
inside door. She vanished instantly, but the expression of her face had
told Cordelia where the mischief lay.

"She will not let me like her," thought Cordelia, struggling to her feet
with aching head, and blinking back the tears. "Just like I shall have
to hate her just a little while I do her good."

She turned, and saw to her surprise that Emma Two Bears, who had come
behind her to the porch, was gathering up her wood. Emma often helped to
fill the wood-box in the music room, as an especial friend of hers
attended to that work, and Cordelia feared her wood was being boldly
captured for that purpose. She was about to cry out sharply, but
restrained herself and fell back silently, while Emma passed into the
house. Cordelia followed her, and saw with sinking heart that Emma took
a straight track through the playroom for the music room; but on the