FEBRUARY, “THE LONG-—SHORT MONTH” 811 
Corners with the others, but the doctor shook his head 
and said something to her mother about ‘ unwholesome 
stove heat, fresh air but not draughts,” but Gray Lady 
smiled at Goldilocks with a mysterious sort of glance that 
always hid a surprise and said, “‘ Be content to grow strong 
this winter and wait and see what will happen.”’ 
“Yes, but Miss Wilde may go to a better school next 
year, if she is well, for you know that Sarah Barnes’ 
grandmother heard that she had two chances, one at the 
Bridgeton High School and one to teach the eighth grade 
at the Centre. Besides, the children I like best — Sarah, 
and Tommy, and Dave, and Eliza—won’t be at Foxes 
Corners next year. If their parents can take turns in lend- 
ing them a horse, they will have to go to the Centre 
School for the eighth grade, because no one can go from 
Foxes Corners straight into the High School, and they do 
so want to learn.” 
“Of course it is quite possible that Rose Wilde may go 
to another school, and we would not wish to keep her back, 
I’m sure, little daughter.”” Something in Gray Lady’s 
voice made Goldilocks look as her quickly. 
“T can’t guess what it is, motherkin, but I simply know 
that you have a secret and a plan in your head that I may 
not know until summer.’”’ Then Goldilocks smiled to 
herself, as she remembered that she also had, or rather 
was a part of, a secret of Miss Wilde’s that her mother 
could not know until summer; and this secret had many 
things in it, — girls and boys, needles and thread and bits 
of coloured cloth, long walks into the far-away hemlock 
woods, axes, and many other things! 
* * * * oe * * 
