it made a noticeable difference. Her mother greeted her
pleasantly, with a new tone of voice, while Nancy Ellen was
transformed. Kate noticed that, immediately. She always had been
a pretty girl, now she was beautiful, radiantly beautiful, with a
new shining beauty that dazzled Kate as she looked at her. No one
offered any explanation while Kate could see none. At last she
asked: "What on earth has happened? I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," laughed Nancy Ellen. "You thought you ran
the whole place and did everything yourself, so I thought I'd just
show you how things look when I run them."

"You are a top-notcher," said Kate. "Figuratively and literally,
I offer you the palm. Let the good work go on! I highly approve;
but I don't see how you found time to do all this and go to
Institute."

"I didn't go to Institute," said Nancy Ellen.

"You didn't! But you must!" cried Kate.

"Oh must I? Well, since you have decided to run your affairs as
you please, in spite of all of us, just suppose you let me run
mine the same way. Only, I rather enjoy having Father and Mother
approve of what I do."

Kate climbed the stairs with this to digest as she went; so while
she put away her clothing she thought things over, but saw no
light. She would go to Adam's to return the telescope to-morrow,
possibly he could tell her. As she hung her dresses in the closet