Part 6 (2/2)

That night Glory could hardly wait to get to Aunt Hope.

”Oh, auntie, won't it be splendid if she gets that place!” she cried when she had unfolded the beautiful plan at which the conductor had hinted.

”But you mustn't set your heart on it, Glory. The grandmother may not think that so young a girl will do for the boy.”

”She will when she sees Diantha, auntie--I am just sure of it. Di is so strong and helpful, and so cheery, and so full of courage, and never thinks of herself, but always of others.”

”Well, dear, we will leave it in the good Father's hands, and just ask him to bring it out in the way that is best for all.”

June and all its glory was touching the world, and the sweet air, full of the perfume of rose and honeysuckle, crept in and fanned two faces close together on the sofa pillows.

”Auntie, you haven't called me 'Little Disappointment' this ever so long,” Glory said suddenly after a long silence. ”Is it a good sign?

I thought--well--maybe it was.”

”Dear child!” Aunt Hope's arms were round Glory, holding her in their feeble, loving clasp. ”Dear child, did I ever call you that? Are you sure? Well, I shall never do it again, dear, as long as we twain shall live! Do you want a new name, Glory?”

”Yes'm, please,” murmured the girl.

”Then you are my Little Ambition, and G.o.d bless you, dear!”

After that it was still again, and the cool darkness wrapped them in softly. They could hear the solemn tick-tock of the clock across the room. It was the same clock that used to say reproachful things to Glory when she was a little child and had been naughty. Once she had climbed on a chair and stopped its accusing tongue, because she could not bear it any longer. It was talking to Glory now, and she could not make it say anything but ”Dear--child! dear--child!” over and over, solemnly. It was Aunt Hope's voice it was trying to imitate.

Glory laughed out softly, under her breath.

”What is it, dear child?”

”Dear--child! dear--child!” echoed the clock solemnly.

”I've got to get up and stop that clock!” Glory said.

The week before the graduating exercises at the Centre Town Seminary, Glory had another of her ”ideas,” and of course she carried it to Aunt Hope.

”Why not?” she said, when she had introduced it to her. ”It would be like one of Tiny Tim's plays. He could go, too, and help us 'play'

it, don't you see? I think I should enjoy graduating better if Diantha 'played graduate' with me. The teacher wouldn't care if she sat with me down on the end seat. I don't believe she ever had a white dress in her life--a soft, thin, floaty one.”

”Would you like to have hers just like yours, Glory?”

”Just, auntie. She's the--the _friendest_ friend I ever had,” Glory said simply. ”I'd like to have her close when I'm there getting ready to read.”

And so it came about that graduation day found the Other Girl beside Glory, in a beautiful white dress that lay about her in soft, sheer folds. The Other Girl's face above it was s.h.i.+ning and rapt. This was almost like graduating herself. On the other side of Glory sat Tiny Tim, in the conscious pride of his best suit. There was no little crutch in sight. Timmie had hidden it under the seat. He was playing ”Uncrutchit.”

”You can't see--an'thing, can you?” he whispered anxiously to the Other Girl, across Glory's lap.

”Not a splinter of it, Timmie.”

”An' you don't see where my legs don't match, do you?”

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