morning when no one saw her, Miss Grundy had stolen out to Patsy's
grave. Mary was not called to wash the dishes, but up in her own room
she sat with her head resting upon the window sill, while the sweet,
fresh air of the morning swept over her face, lifting the hair from
her flushed brow. Billy Bender was standing near her, his arm thrown
around her, and his lips occasionally pressing her forehead.

Suddenly there was the sound of carriage wheels, and he whispered in
her ear, "Ella is coming."

Hastily running down the stairs, Mary met her sister in the doorway,
and throwing her arms around her neck, burst into tears. Ella would
gladly have shaken her off, for she felt that her curls were in danger
of being mussed, and she had besides hardly recovered from her pet.
But Mary firmly held her hand, and led her on through the long hall,
into a room which they usually denominated "the best room."

There, upon the table, lay a little stiffened form. The blue eyes were
closed, and the long eyelashes rested upon the marble cheek, and in
the waxen hands, folded so carefully over the other, there was a
single snow-drop. No one knew who placed it there, or whence it came.
Gently Mary laid back the thin muslin covering, saying as she did so,
"Allie is dead. I've got no sister left but you!" and again her arms
closed convulsively about Ella's neck.

"You kind of choke me!" said Ella, trying to get free, and it was not
until Mrs. Campbell, thoroughly ashamed of her want of feeling, took
her hand and placed it on Alice's cold cheek, asking her if she were
not sorry her little sister was dead, that she manifested any emotion
whatever. Then, as if something of her better nature were roused, her