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 our good times are all spoiled. We can't have any more fun."

Bess sat down on the grass. "What you been doing?" she asked. "Did you have to go without your dinner?"

I gritted my teeth. A girl always thinks you're hungry if you don't grin.

"No, I didn't," I said. "I'm not just blue. It's real trouble,—trouble for both of us."

Bess shook her head soberly and didn't say anything for a while.

"Want to tell me about it, Chet?" she asked, by and by.

I was gnawing the bark off of a little twig of apple-tree. It sort of relieved me to do it. After a while I got it all chewed off. The bark was kind of bitter, and it was hard to get my mouth fixed so I was sure I could tell Bess about things.

By and by I spoke, real steady. "There's a girl coming here," I said.

"A girl," said Bess. "Coming where?"

"Here. To our house."

Bess stared. "How long's she going to stay?"

"Forever."