Miss Stratton looked straight into the boyish face that appeared.

"I want to know where you threw our paper to-night," she demanded.
"I can't find it anywhere."

The boy stepped one side so that the light within the farther room
might fall on Miss Stratton's face. He recognized her.

"Oh," returned the boy, "your paper went up a tree."

"Up a tree!" exclaimed Miss Stratton, indignantly. "Why didn't you
come in and tell me, so I'd know where to look for it?"

"If I'd had an extra copy with me, I'd have thrown in another," said
the boy--"I'll get you one."

He walked back into the sitting-room, glad to escape from the
accusing subscriber, whom he had not expected to see following him
to his home. Miss Stratton sternly waited. The boy's sister had come
into the hall, and was holding a candle for a light. Her brother
came back with the evening paper, and Miss Stratton took it.

"I wish you'd be careful where you throw that paper, Harry," she
admonished him, her indignation cooling. "I've spoken to you about
that before. I don't like to have to come away up here for the
paper. It isn't convenient."

"Yes'm," answered the boy.

Miss Stratton hurried home. When she arrived there, one of the first