Ellen quickly accepted this welcome invitation, and hurried back to her friend.
She found Diantha sitting uncomfortably on a high box, leaving the spring seat to be occupied by the old lady who was showing signs of great weariness.
"Oh, Ellie, I am so glad you have come. Help me to unroll this bedding and get a place fixed for grandma to lie down. I was sure she could not ride on the spring seat, but she wanted to try it to save trouble."
The girls quickly unfastened the huge roll of bedding, and with the aid of the lad who was driving the team, they made a fairly comfortable bed on the boxes inside the wagon.
"Now, grandma, you try to sleep a little; you have not slept a wink all night."
"Who could sleep, dearie?" answered the plaintive voice of the old lady.
The girls covered her feet with her shawl, and then both of them crowded into the spring seat with the driver.
"Say, Dian, whose ring are you wearing? It looks like Charlie's," said the quick voice of Ellen.
"Whose ring but my own, silly? Should I be wearing other people's rings?"
Ellen was abashed with the little rebuff. She was too proud to ask for confidence not willingly shared, yet she was sure the ring belonged to her friend Charlie; she hastily turned the talk into safe, impersonal channels.