"But how did you get down if you didn't miss? was it for bad behavior?"
"No; but she upset the class and made us all draw lots for our places, and the one I drew made my place next to the foot."
"Mother, do you hear that?" asked Mildred, hotly; for anything like abuse or unjust treatment of her little brothers or sisters was sure to rouse her ire.
"Yes," Mrs. Keith said, "but Ada, you like the fun of getting up in your class, and you could never have that if you were always at the head."
This seemed a new idea to the child, and she smiled faintly through her tears.
But the wound was so deep it must bleed awhile, and the briny drops fell fast again.
She was an uncommonly good speller for a child of her age, and had taken great pride in keeping her place, working very hard to be able to do so; and this sudden, unexpected downfall, due to no failure on her part, almost overwhelmed her with a sense of loss, humiliation and injustice.
Mildred waited; she couldn't bear to go and leave Ada in such distress.
"Don't cry," she said, stroking her hair caressingly while the mother wiped away the fast flowing tears with her own soft white handkerchief, and kissed the flushed cheek, "don't cry, you'll soon get up again."