Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/113

 the champions living are going to be beaten some day, and why shouldn't I beat one?"

But the next day, when she packed her suit case, she had to grow quite angry with herself to keep her courage up, and when Mr. Briggs' red-wheeled buggy came up from Penfield to take her to the station she wept openly and bade Aunt Hepzibah good-bye as though she never expected to see her in this world again.

The tournament began on Monday. The business of the first day was to reduce the number of contestants to thirty-two. Charlotte started early and turned in a score which easily qualified her as an entrant, and after that she had nothing to do except watch the others.

"I guess I'm the only poor one," she thought once. "All the others seem to have that dress and manner"

She was anxious to see Lady Salisbury, but the latter, also finishing early,