But it was Mrs. Marchbanks’s saying that she would give almost anything to have Lily taught such a style; she hardly knew what she should do with her; there was no good teacher in the town who gave lessons at the houses, and Lily was not strong enough to go regularly to Mr. Viertelnote.  Besides, she had picked up a story of his being cross, and rapping somebody’s fingers, and Lily was very shy and sensitive.  She never did herself any justice if she began to be afraid.

Jeannie Hadden said it was just her mother’s trouble about Reba, except that Reba was strong enough; only that Mrs. Hadden preferred a teacher to come to the house.

“A good young-lady teacher, to give beginners a desirable style from the very first, is exceedingly needed since Miss Robbyns went away,” said Mrs. Marchbanks, to whom just then her sister came and said something, and drew her off.

Ruth’s fingers flew over the keys; and it must have been magnetism that guided them, for in her brain quite other quick notes were struck, and ringing out a busy chime of their own.

“If I only could!” she was saying to herself.  “If they really would have me, and they would let me at home.  Then I could go to Mr. Viertelnote.  I think I could do it!  I’m almost sure!  I could show anybody what I know,—­and if they like that!”

It went over and over now, as she lay wakeful in bed, mixed up with the “forever—­ever,” and the dropping tinkle of that lovely trembling ripple of accompaniment, until the late moon got round to the south and slanted in between the white dimity curtains, and set a glimmering little ghost in the arm-chair.

Ruth came down late to breakfast.

Barbara was pushing back her chair.

“Mother,—­or anybody!  Do you want any errand down in town?  I’m going out for a stramble.  A party always has to be walked off next morning.”

“And talked off, doesn’t it?  I’m afraid my errand would need to be with Mrs. Goldthwaite or Mrs. Hadden, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, I dare say I shall go in and see Leslie.  Rosamond, why can’t you come too?  It’s a sort of nuisance that boy having come home!”

“That ’great six-foot lieutenant’!” parodied Rose.

“I don’t care!  You said feet didn’t signify.  And he used to be a boy, when we played with him so.”

“I suppose they all used to be,” said Rose, demurely.

“Well, I won’t go!  Because the truth is I did want to see him, about those—­patent rights.  I dare say they’ll come up.”

“I’ve no doubt,” said Rosamond.

“I wish you would both go away somewhere,” said Ruth, as Mrs. Holabird gave her her coffee.  “Because I and mother have got a secret, and I know she wants her last little hot corner of toast.”

“I think you are likely to get the last little cold corner,” said Mrs. Holabird, as Ruth sat, forgetting her plate, after the other girls had gone away.