gathered up the sled-rope, and the door banged after her. Then Mr.
Gerrish said something to the man mending watches in the window, and
went back to his desk in the rear of the store.

Matilda could just see Comfort running down the street toward home,
and she ran after her. She could run faster than Comfort. As she got
nearer she could see people turning and looking curiously after
Comfort, and when she came up to her she saw she was crying. "Why,
you great baby, Comfort Pease," said she, "going along the road
crying!"

Comfort sobbed harder, and people stared more and more curiously.
Finally one stout woman in a black velvet bonnet stopped. "I hope you
haven't done anything to hurt this other little girl?" she said,
suspiciously, to Matilda.

"No, ma'am, I ain't," replied Matilda.

"What's the matter, child?" said the woman in the black velvet bonnet
to Comfort. And Comfort choked out something about losing her ring.

"Where did you lose it?" asked the woman.

"I don't k--n--o--w," sobbed Comfort.

"Well, you'd better go right home and tell your mother about it,"
said the stout woman, and went her way with many backward glances.

Matilda dragged her sled to Comfort's side and eyed her dubiously.