Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/48

 man would come riding along to Marlin Mills some day, and we were going to have such a romantic time together. And first I find I'm homely! And then they begin to tease me about Neil Kennedy, who delivers papers and whose father drinks!" Whereat she shook that wise little head of hers, and more in wonder than sorrow she said: "Life's a funny sum!"

Thus the two cousins grew up, one growing more old-fashioned and the other growing prettier every day. By the time they reached their senior year at high school, Margaret had developed into what can only be described as a howling beauty, and Charlotte found herself dreaming more and more often of the day when she would do that sum which she had already decided would startle the world.

"Yes, and I can, too!" she told herself one afternoon. "I feel it in me!"

She had walked out into the country