path, and yet there was a forlorn air about her.

"I don't know as the child was fit to go to school to-day," Mrs.
Pease said, doubtfully.

"She didn't look very well, and she didn't eat much breakfast,
either," said Grandmother Atkins.

"She was always crazy after hot pancakes, too," said her mother.

"Hadn't you better call her back, Em'ly?"

"No, I won't," said Mrs. Pease, turning away from the window. "She's
begun to go to school, and I'm not going to take her out unless I'm
sure she ain't able to go."

So Comfort Pease went on to school; and she had the gold ring in her
pocket, which was tied around her waist with a string under her dress
skirt, as was the fashion then. Comfort often felt of the pocket to
be sure the ring was safe as she went along. It was bitterly cold;
the snow creaked under her stout shoes. Besides the green shawl, her
red tippet was wound twice around her neck and face; but her blue
eyes peering over it were full of tears which the frosty wind forced
into them, and her breath came short and quick. When she came in
sight of the school-house she could see the straight column of smoke
rising out of the chimney, it was so thin in the cold air. There were
no scholars out in the yard, only a group coming down the road from
the opposite direction. It was too cold to play out of doors before
school, as usual.