This evening, however, her work had fallen into her lap with an
idle needle sticking in it. She had been resting her head upon
her hand and her elbow on the table when Nan came in. But she
spoke in her usual bright way to the girl as the latter first of
all kissed her and then put away her books and outer clothing.

"What is the good word from out of doors, honey?" she asked.

Nan's face was rather serious and she could not coax her usual
smile into being. Her last words with Bess Harley had savored of
a misunderstanding, and Nan was not of a quarrelsome disposition.

"I'm afraid there isn't any real good word to be brought from
outside tonight, Momsey," she confessed, coming back to stand by
her mother's chair.

"Can that be possible, Daughter!" said Mrs. Sherwood, with her
low, caressing laugh. "Has the whole world gone wrong?"

"Well, I missed in two recitations and have extras to make up, in
the first place," rejoined Nan ruefully.

"And what else?"

"Well, Bess and I didn't have exactly a falling out; but I
couldn't help offending her in one thing. That's the second
trouble."

"And is there a 'thirdly,' my dear?" queried little Mrs. Sherwood
tranquilly.