I knew then, all of a sudden, why I'd felt somebody was listening.

There was.

Across the hall in the library in the big chair before the fire sat--_Father_! And for 'most a whole half-hour I had been banging away at that piano on marches and dance music! My! But I held my breath and stopped short, I can tell you.

But he didn't move nor turn, and a minute later I was safely by the door and halfway up the stairs.
I stayed in my room the rest of that evening; and for the second time since I've been here I cried myself to sleep.
* * * * * _Another week later_, Well, I've got them--those brown and blue serge dresses and the calfskin boots.

My, but I hope they're stiff and homely enough--all of them! And hot, too.