alone in the dear, shabby little rooms, presented a funny picture, for
of them all she was least fitted to live alone. Even Billy could do
better.

"The rest of us will live together," laughed Laura Ann. "There's nothing
to prevent that, if we live outside the old B-Hive. We'll start a new
B-Hive! Poor Thomasia O.!"

They would miss T.O. very much indeed--well, they could invite her in to
tea and keep her all night! In spite of the wicked old Compact, they
would keep together. "And we'll never," vowed Laura Ann for them all,
"sign any more nefarious bonds!"

She hung the picture of Amelia on the wall when they were all away, and
then went away herself. She stayed away until nearly dark. Thomasia O.
went to meet her.

"I knew it all the time," she said quietly, without preface of any kind.
"It's a perfect likeness."

"You knew it?" said Laura Ann.

"Yes, I was prowling 'round one day, to see what attics were like, and
I found Amelia. Only her hair and her eyes, then, but I knew her. I'm
so glad poor Mrs. Camp will have that picture to help her bear her
troubles!"

[Illustration: THE PICTURE WAS NEARLY DONE.]

"Poor"--"troubles." This was all enigma to Laura Ann. But she wisely