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diff --git a/13753-0.txt b/13753-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5300bb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/13753-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4220 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13753 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 13753-h.htm or 13753-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/7/5/13753/13753-h/13753-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/7/5/13753/13753-h.zip) + + + + + +DOROTHY DAINTY'S GAY TIMES + +by + +AMY BROOKS + +Author of _Dorothy Dainty Series_, _The Randy Books_, +and _A Jolly Cat Tale_ + +With Illustrations by the Author + +1908 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Down the path came a lovely little girl swinging a +skipping-rope.] + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL. + + II. ARABELLA AT SCHOOL + + III. THE DIALOGUE + + IV. AN ENTERTAINMENT + + V. THE RETURN OF PATRICIA + + VI. WHAT FLOSSIE DID + + VII. PATRICIA'S PROMISE + + VIII. THE PARTY + + IX. TWO SLEIGHRIDES + + X. THE PUNG RIDE + + XI. AN UNEXPECTED TRIP + + XII. THE NECKLACE + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +Down the path came a lovely little girl swinging a skipping-rope + +She was reaching down as if to get something + +"Put your left paw on _do_, and your right paw on _mi_; now sing" + +"There! that's another fountain" + +"I'll go if you'll promise to bring me back" + +Nancy clasped her hands together and gasped, "Oh-o-o!" + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL + + +The great gateway stood wide open, and through it one could see the fine +stone house with its vine-covered balconies, its rare flowers and +stately trees. + +A light breeze swayed the roses, sending out their perfume in little +gusts of sweetness, while across the path the merry sunbeams flickered, +like little dancing elves. + +Down the path came a lovely little girl, swinging a skipping-rope, and +dancing over and under it in perfect time with the song which she was +singing. + +The sunlight touched her bright curls, making her look like a fairy, and +now she skipped backward, and forward, around the circular garden, and +back again, only pausing to rest when another little girl ran across the +lawn to meet her. She was Dorothy Dainty, the lovely little daughter +of the house, and the sprightly, dark-eyed child who now joined her was +Nancy Ferris, her dearest playmate. + +"I was just wishing you'd come out, for I've something to tell you," +Dorothy said. "You know Aunt Charlotte has all her plans ready for +opening her private school next week, and you heard her tell mamma that +the class was _very_ full." + +"Oh, I know it's to be a big class," said Nancy, "for besides all the +girls that used to be in it, there's to be one new one, and one _boy_, +Katie Dean's cousin, Reginald, and,--oh, _did_ you know that Arabella is +to join the class?" + +"Why, Nancy, are you _sure_?" asked Dorothy; "only yesterday we looked +over toward her house, and there seemed to be no one at home." Nancy's +eyes were merry. + +"Come and look _now_!" she said, clasping Dorothy's hand, and running +with her down to the gate. + +"There!" said Nancy, "see all those windows open, and somebody out there +behind the house beating a rug; you see they _are_ at home, and that's +her queer little old Aunt Matilda." + +Dorothy looked at the resolute little figure, and wondered how the thin +arm could wield the rug-beater with so much energy. She remembered that +Arabella had said that her father _always_ did as Aunt Matilda directed, +and truly the small woman appeared able to marshal an army of men, if +she chose. + +"Perhaps Arabella will go over to the public school," said Dorothy; "she +doesn't have to enter Aunt Charlotte's private class." + +"Oh, but she _will_, I just know she will," Nancy replied, "and Aunt +Charlotte'll _have_ to let her. You know Mr. Corryville was in your +papa's class at college, and if he says he wishes Arabella to join the +class, your papa will surely say 'yes.'" + +"He certainly will," said Dorothy, "but there's one thing to think of," +she said, with a bright smile, "There are nice girls in the class, and +if Arabella is queer, we _mustn't_ mind it." + +"We'll _try_ not to," Nancy said, and then, as Dorothy again swung her +rope, Nancy "ran in," and the two skipped around the house together, the +rope whipping the gravel walk in time with the dancing feet. + +It was cool and shady near the wall, and they sat down upon a low seat +where the soft breeze fanned their flushed cheeks. + +"I'd almost forgotten something that I meant to tell you," Dorothy said. +"You know Aunt Charlotte says that the pupils are to give a little +entertainment each month, when we are to have dialogues, songs, solo +dances, pieces to be spoken, and chorus music. Well, mamma has arranged +to have a fine little stage and curtain. You didn't know that, _did_ +you?" + +"Indeed I didn't," said Nancy, "and I guess the others will be +surprised. You haven't told them yet, have you?" + +"I only knew it this morning myself, but I'm eager to tell them," said +Dorothy. + +"Here's Mollie Merton and Flossie Barnet now," cried Nancy, and, +turning, Dorothy saw the two playmates running up the driveway. +"Mollie was over at my house," said Flossie, "and we saw you and Nancy +just as you ran around the house, and we thought we'd come over." + +"We were wild to know if our private school is _truly_ to commence next +week. Mamma said it would if enough pupils were ready to join it," said +Mollie, "and we knew Katie Dean's cousin was a new one, and won't it be +funny to have one boy in the class?" + +"Oh, but he is just a _little_ boy," said Nancy. + +"And he must begin to go to school this year, and he says he likes girls +ever so much better than boys, so he asked if he might go to our +school," Dorothy said. + +"He _always_ says he likes girls best," said Flossie; "isn't he a queer +little fellow?" "I don't know," Mollie said, so drolly that they all +laughed. + +"And there is a new pupil, who has just come here to live, and she is +_very_ nice, Jeanette Earl says," and as she spoke Dorothy looked up at +her friends, a soft pleading in her blue eyes. + +She intended to give a kindly welcome to the new pupil, and she hoped +that the others would be friendly. + +"How does Jeanette know?" asked Mollie, bluntly. + +"Oh, Jeanette ought to know," said Nancy, "for the new little girl is +her cousin, I mean her _third_ cousin." + +"Well, Nina is Jeanette's sister," said Mollie, "so what does _she_ +say?" + +"She didn't say anything," said Nancy, "she just _looked_." + +"Arabella Corryville is to be in our class," said Flossie, "and when I +told Uncle Harry he laughed, and asked me if her Aunt Matilda was coming +to school with her." + +Of course they laughed, and it was Mollie who first spoke. + +"Your Uncle Harry is always joking," she said, "and sometimes I can't +tell whether he is in earnest, or only saying things just for fun." + +"Well, I guess you'll laugh when I tell you what he said next! He said +that although he had graduated from college, and now was in business, he +would urge Aunt Charlotte to let him attend a _few_ sessions of our +school, if Arabella's Aunt Matilda was to be there. He said it would be +a great pleasure which he really could not miss." How they laughed at +the idea of Flossie's handsome young uncle in the little private school, +while Arabella's prim little aunt was also a pupil. + +"I asked him what he meant," said Flossie, who looked completely +puzzled, "and he said that sometimes a man's wits needed sharpening, and +that Aunt Matilda would be a regular file. Papa laughed, but mamma said: +'Harry, Harry, you really mustn't,' and he ran up to the music-room +whistling 'O dear, what can the matter be?' I can't help laughing even +when I don't understand his teasing jokes, he says things in such a +funny way, while his eyes just dance." + +"He looked very handsome the day he wore his uniform, with the gold lace +on it," said Dorothy; "don't you remember, Flossie? Your aunt was on +the piazza, and she stooped and pinned a rose in his buttonhole. Do you +think he knew how fine he looked, when he sprang into the saddle, and +rode away?" + +"I don't know," Flossie said, her blue eyes very thoughtful, "he never +seems to think about it, and one thing I don't at all understand, he's +big, and brave, and manly, yet he plays with me so gently, and he's as +full of fun as a boy." + +"That's why we all like him," said Nancy, "and he never acts as if we +were just little girls, and so not worth noticing." + +"Do you remember the day that the tramp came into our kitchen, and +frightened the cook? Uncle Harry was just strolling along the driveway. +He walked into the kitchen, took the dirty tramp by the collar and +marched him right out to the street," and Flossie's cheeks glowed with +pride for her dear Uncle Harry. + +"Yes, and a moment after, he saw little Reginald fall off his bicycle, +and you ought to have seen how tenderly he picked him up, and brushed +off the dust, and he was quite as gentle as mamma would have been." + +"Oh, he's just fine," said Mollie, "and I _do_ wish he would visit our +school on a day when Arabella's aunt would be there! I love to see him +when he looks at her. Someway he seems so very respectful, and yet his +eyes laugh." + +"Well, it's just a few days now before school begins, and what fun we'll +have," said Flossie, "and perhaps Arabella will invite her aunt to one +of our entertainments; if she does, I'm just sure Uncle Harry would go." + +"Oh, come here this minute, every one of you," called a cheery voice, +and Nina Earl stepped through an opening in the hedge. + +"Why, how surprised you look! I've been over to the stone cottage to +call for you, Nancy, and Aunt Charlotte said that you were with Dorothy, +so I ran across the lawn. I could hear you all talking, and I was wild +to tell you something." + +"Oh, tell it, tell it, Nina!" cried Mollie. + +Nina looked back through the opening in the hedge. + +"She's just saying 'good-morning' to Aunt Charlotte," she said, "and let +me tell you something; she's been all over the stone cottage, looking +into this thing and peeping into that, till I'd think Aunt Charlotte +would be wild. It's Arabella's aunt, and she says she came to learn if +the house was a healthy one to be in, and to see if the plumbing was +all right." + +Dorothy's sweet eyes suddenly flashed. + +"Doesn't she think my papa would keep Aunt Charlotte's house as +comfortable as ours?" she said. + +"Oh, 'tisn't that!" laughed Nina, "she said she felt obliged to find out +if the cottage was a healthy place for a private school to be in, before +she could say that Arabella might belong to the class! Did you ever hear +anything like that?" + +"Well, what makes her let Arabella come to our school?" queried blunt +little Mollie; "she could go to the public school. I guess we wouldn't +mind." + +"Mamma says we must be kind to Arabella," said Dorothy, "so I think we +mustn't speak like that." "I'll be kind to her when she comes," said +Mollie, "because your mamma wishes it, but _now_, before school begins, +I'm going to say that I just _wish_ Arabella was going to the other +school." + +The others felt, as Mollie did, that the class would be quite as +pleasant if Arabella attended the public school, but they did not like +to say so. + + * * * * * + +The few days of waiting were past, and now the first day of school had +come. The door of the pretty stone cottage stood wide open, as if +assuring a welcome to the little pupils who would soon arrive, while the +sunlight streamed in across the hall, giving a cheery greeting. + +On the rug sat Pompey, the cat, his fine coat sleek and glossy, and his +white bosom as pure as much washing could make it. His paws were snugly +tucked in, and he purred softly to himself as if he knew that it was +nearly time for the pupils to arrive, and remembered that the little +girls had been very fond of him. + +In the cheery sitting-room, which was used as a schoolroom, sat Aunt +Charlotte Grayson, looking over some books which lay upon the table. + +Her soft gray gown and broad lace collar were most becoming, and she +looked every inch the gentlewoman that she really was. She had once been +Mrs. Dainty's governess, and now, as mistress of a thriving private +school, she was independent and happy. The class was not a large one, +but the little pupils belonged to families who were well able to pay +generously for fine instruction, and her home at the stone cottage was a +loving gift from Mr. and Mrs. Dainty. Mrs. Grayson had permitted +Dorothy and Nancy to call her "Aunt Charlotte," and now it had become +the loving title by which all her pupils addressed her. + +She was eager to have her little class assemble, and, wondering if they +were late, she looked at her watch. + +"Quarter of nine," she said, and as if he understood what she had said, +Pompey blinked up at the tall clock, yawned, and looked at the door. + +The sound of merry voices made him prick up his ears. A moment more, and +Dorothy and Nancy, Mollie and Flossie, Nina and Jeanette Earl ran up the +steps and in at the open door. Pompey received his usual number of +love-pats, and then the girls, having hung their hats and coats in the +hall, walked quietly in to greet Aunt Charlotte. It was a fixed rule +at the private school that there should never be any haste in reaching +places in the schoolroom. + +"It matters not that you are little girls, or that you are at school," +Mrs. Grayson would say; "let me always have the pleasure of seeing you +enter the class-room in as gentle a manner as you would enter a +drawing-room," and her pupils took pleasure in doing as she wished. + +The broad window-seats were banked with flowering plants, and as the +children took their places they thought it the brightest, cheeriest +schoolroom in the world. + +As if to show that he also had a place in Aunt Charlotte's class, Pompey +ran across the floor and sprang up into a space on one window-seat +between two large flowerpots, where he could enjoy a sun-bath. + +Katie Dean, with her little Cousin Reginald, now entered, just in time +to avoid being late. + +"I thought you said your cousin was coming," whispered Mollie, but Aunt +Charlotte had opened her Testament, and was commencing to read, so Nina +only shook her head, and Mollie saw that she must wait until recess to +know what Nina would say. + +"'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of +God,'" read Aunt Charlotte, and every girl looked towards Flossie +Barnet, who was always trying to say a pleasant word of an absent +friend, or to coax two playmates, who had become estranged, to be fast +friends again. Often they had heard her Uncle Harry say: "Flossie, +you're a peacemaker." Her hands were clasped, and her blue eyes were +full of interest in the verse which Aunt Charlotte was reading. Her red +lips moved. + +"'They shall be called the children of God,'" she whispered, and in her +gentle little heart she determined to be, if possible, more kind and +loving than ever before, toward her playmates. + +Little Reginald had failed to understand the verse, and sat staring at +Aunt Charlotte with round eyes. He was a handsome little fellow, with +soft flaxen curls, and a smart, sturdy figure, and as he looked up into +Aunt Charlotte's face, he seemed like a pudgy cupid whom some one had +dressed in a sailor suit. + +Singing followed the reading, and all through the two merry songs which +they sang, Reginald watched Aunt Charlotte, and wondered over the verse +which she had read. When the arithmetic lesson was over, Aunt Charlotte +asked if any one had a question to ask. + +Katie Dean wished to hear an example explained, and when it had been +made clear to her, Reginald held up his hand. + +"What is your question?" + +"What's 'peacemakers'?" he asked. + +Aunt Charlotte explained the verse, and Reginald listened, but it was +easy to see that he was disappointed. + +"Do you understand now what the peacemakers are?" Aunt Charlotte asked. + +"Yes'm," said Reginald, "but I wish I didn't." + +"And why?" questioned Aunt Charlotte. + +"'Cause I thought grandma was a peacemaker," Reginald said, "for she's +_piecin'_ a silk patchwork quilt, an' papa said she'd be _blessed_ glad +when it's done." + +Aunt Charlotte was the only one who did not laugh, but the small boy was +not at all vexed. + +"_You_ needn't laugh," he said to Katie, "for you've seen her makin' +pieces out of silk, an' what's the difference between _makin' pieces_ +an' _peacemakin'_?" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ARABELLA AT SCHOOL + + +When recess time came Mollie had forgotten to ask Nina if her cousin +was to be a pupil, and it happened that neither of the others questioned +her. + +They were in the midst of a game of hide-and-seek, when Mollie, who, +with Nina, was hiding behind a large rosebush, looked up just in time to +see the garden gate open. + +"Look!" she whispered. + +"Why, that's Arabella!" said Nina, "but why has she brought her Aunt +Matilda with her?" + +"I guess she didn't," whispered Mollie, "it's likely her Aunt Matilda's +bringing _her_." + +Nina stifled a laugh, and they saw the two go along the walk, and enter +the cottage. + +Flossie, who had been "it," ran quite around the house, and the others +"ran in," Reginald loudly shouting, "All in, all in!" + +Flossie returned, laughing gaily to think that they had all got in free. +Then they commenced to talk of the new pupil, and quite forgot their +game. + +The schoolroom windows were open, and Aunt Matilda's shrill, piping +voice could be plainly heard, but the children were not near enough to +know what she was saying. + +They saw her turn to go, and then, when she reached the door, she drew +something from her bag, and placed it in Arabella's hand. + +"What _do_ you s'pose she's giving her?" whispered Nina. + +"_Peppermints_!" said Mollie, but although she had whispered it, she +felt that Dorothy had heard it, and knew that both she and Nina had +been laughing at Arabella and her aunt. Mollie's cheeks flushed, and she +looked down at her shoes. She knew that Dorothy's sweet eyes were +looking at her, not angrily, but with a tender grieving. + +Dorothy was full of fun, and ready for merriment at any time, but she +saw nothing amusing in laughing at a playmate, or friend, and she had +asked them all to be kind to Arabella. + +Aunt Charlotte turned to the window, and set the little silver bell +tinkling, and the pupils at once filed into the schoolroom. + +They found Arabella Corryville sitting primly in her place. Her small, +thin hands were clasped upon her desk, and she looked at the pupils as +they filed in, peeping first over her glasses, and then through them, as +if she were hunting for little faults which she really hoped to find. + +Aunt Charlotte had told her that on this, her first day of school, she +might listen to the recitations, and on the next day come with her +lessons prepared, and then recite with the class. + +She sat very still, only moving her round eyes to watch the pupils, and +as she did not smile, one could not guess if she were pleased with the +school or not. + +The little girls busied themselves with their books, but Reginald kept +his blue eyes fixed upon Arabella, as if he could think of nothing else. + +At first she seemed not to notice him, but after a time she moved +restlessly on her seat, and wriggled about in a way that delighted the +small boy. + +Arabella was not used to being stared at. She always stared boldly at +other people, but here was some one who looked at her without so much as +blinking. She glanced at the clock, and then, as if just remembering +something, took a small bottle from her pocket, shook some pills into +her hand, swallowed them, and turned to see if Reginald were looking. He +was, and Arabella was provoked. + +"What you staring at?" she whispered rudely. + +"You!" he whispered, not a bit abashed. + +"Well, you just _needn't_," said Arabella. + +"I know _I needn't_," replied the small boy, "but I like to." + +"Why?" she asked. + +"'Cause you're funny," Reginald said. It was not strange that Arabella +was angry. Would any girl be pleased to have a small boy watching her, +and declaring that she was "funny?" + +And now Aunt Charlotte was calling the youngest class in reading, and +Reginald hastily snatched his book, and began to hunt for the lesson. + +"The third page, Reginald," said Aunt Charlotte; "you may read the first +paragraph." + +He found the place, and read the lines without a mistake. It was his +first term at school, but his mother had found pleasure in teaching him, +and he read quite as well as some of the younger pupils. + +"Read the next paragraph, Reginald," said Aunt Charlotte. + +"'When the king rode over the highway, the sun glistened upon his,--on +his,--'" + +It was a word which Reginald had never seen, and he frowned until an +odd little pucker appeared on his forehead. + +"'When the king rode over the highway, the sun glistened upon +his,'"--again he paused. The word looked no easier this time than when +he had first read the lines. + +"I _can't_ pronounce that word," he said. + +"Read the lines again, and when you come to the word that puzzles you, +pronounce it as you think it should be," said Aunt Charlotte. + +The other pupils were interested, but when Reginald glanced toward +Arabella, he saw that she was smiling in evident delight at his +discomfiture. He resolved to rush through the reading in a way that +would tell her that he could read _anything_. He drew a long breath, and +then, as fast as possible, he read: + +"'When the king rode over the highway, the sun glistened upon his +_carrot_ wheels!'" + +Even Aunt Charlotte smiled at the droll error, but Arabella laughed long +and loud. + +"Order, order!" said Aunt Charlotte. + +"The word is _chariot_," she said. + +The others read in turn, until they had finished the charming story, and +each of the girls wondered why Arabella was not reproved for rudeness. +The arithmetic lesson completed the morning's work, and as they walked +home, they talked of the new pupil. + +"I don't see why Aunt Charlotte didn't speak to Arabella," said Nina +Earl, "she was horridly rude." + +"And how queer she is," said Mollie Merton; "just the minute school was +out she ran down the path, and across the street to get home before any +of us could talk with her. And I _do_ wonder Aunt Charlotte didn't speak +to her about laughing so loudly, just because Reginald made a mistake. +I don't believe she could read any better." + +"I guess _perhaps_ Arabella didn't mean to be disagreeable," said +Flossie Barnet. + +She disliked Arabella, but she never could bear to hear any one spoken +of unkindly. + +"Now, Flossie Barnet, you might just know that Arabella _likes_ to be +unpleasant," said Jeanette, and Flossie could not deny it. + +Dorothy and Nancy had heard what they were saying, and they thought that +it was not at all nice of the girls to speak as if Aunt Charlotte had +allowed Arabella to be rude. + +"Perhaps Aunt Charlotte thought she wouldn't correct her the very first +day," Nancy said, and Nina and Mollie wished that what they had said +had not been heard. + +Little Reginald seemed, for once, to have nothing to say. + +He was skipping along between his cousin Katie Dean and Jeanette Earl, +and tightly grasping their hands. + +There had been a light shower early in the morning, and here and there a +little puddle reflected the blue sky and floating clouds. Reginald saw +one just ahead, and laughed softly. Katie and Jeanette were talking with +Dorothy, and paying little heed to the small boy who walked between +them. + +"I thought your cousin was coming to school this morning," said Dorothy. + +"She's coming the first of next week," said Jeanette. + +"And what is her name?" asked Katie. + +They were close to a fine large puddle now, and Reginald with a hop +landed both feet in the middle of it. + +"Why, Reginald Merton Dean! You naughty boy!" said Katie; "just _look_ +at my new shoes! See the dirty water you've splashed on Jeanette's +dress!" + +"And look at the puddle," exclaimed Reginald, "I didn't spoil the +puddle; it looks just same's it did before I jumped in it." + +Katie forgot that her question had not been answered, but Jeanette +remembered it. + +"You asked what my cousin's name is," said Jeanette; "her name is Lola +Blessington." + +"Is she a peacemaker?" asked Reginald, who still remembered the +morning's verse. "Well,--no, I mean not _exactly_," said Nina, who +hastened to reply before Jeanette could do so. + +"What's she like?" asked Reginald. + +"Oh, you'll know when you see her," said Jeanette. + +"And we shall see her next week," Katie said. + +The sunny days slipped by, and nothing unusual happened at the little +school. + +In that first week the other pupils learned that there was but one way +to get on peaceably with Arabella. + +At first they followed Dorothy's example, and urged Arabella to join +them in their games, but games which they chose never pleased her, and +when Friday came, Reginald spoke his mind. They were walking home from +school, and Arabella, as usual, had turned from her playmates, +preferring to go home alone. + +Reginald looked after her frowning. + +"She's just an old _fussbudget_!" he said. + +"Oh, hush!" said Katie, "don't you know that we all promised Dorothy +we'd be kind to Arabella?" + +"Well, I didn't say it _to_ her," said Reginald, "but I'd like to." + +"Now, Reginald," said Katie, "you know mamma said that you were always +to be a gentleman, and that you must be 'specially polite and gentle if +you were to be in a class of girls." + +"Well, what did I _do_?" he asked with wide open eyes. "I haven't +touched Arabella; if she'd been a boy I would have shaken her this +morning, when she sneered and called me a pretty boy. Boys aren't ever +pretty; only girls are pretty, and any boy would hate Arabella for +saying it." + +They tried not to laugh, but the handsome little fellow was so angry, +and all because Arabella had called him pretty. Reginald, who never +could be angry long, joined in the general laugh which could not be +controlled. + +Early Monday morning Dorothy and Nancy were skipping along the avenue on +their way to school. + +Every day of the first week had been sunny, and here was Monday with the +bright blue sky overhead, and the little sunbeams dancing on the road. + +"We had every lesson perfect last week," said Dorothy, "and I mean to +get 'perfect' this week, too." + +"So do I," said Nancy, "and I can, if Arabella doesn't make me do half +her examples!" + +"I don't think she ought to," Dorothy said. + +"She doesn't _really_ ask me to," said Nancy, "but it's almost the same. +She says she can't do them, and says she could if some one was kind +enough to just show her how. Then I can't seem to be unkind, and the +minute I say I'll _help_ her, she pushes her slate and pencil towards +me. 'You can do 'em easier than I can,' she says, and instead of +_helping_ her, I do them all." + +"Does Aunt Charlotte like to have you?" asked Dorothy. + +"I don't know; I haven't told her about it yet. I don't want to be a +telltale," Nancy said. + +"Of course you don't," agreed Dorothy, "but you know Aunt Charlotte says +that we are to be independent, and Arabella's anything but independent +when she doesn't do her examples herself. It's puzzling, though; mamma +says we mustn't notice her queer ways, and that we must be kind to her, +and it doesn't seem kind to refuse to help her with her lessons." + +"Wait for us!" called a merry voice, and turning, they saw Nina and +Jeanette running toward them. A third girl clasped their hands, and +Dorothy knew that she must be their cousin, Lola Blessington. + +She was very pretty, and she seemed so friendly that Dorothy was really +glad that she was to join the class, and Nancy was quite as pleased. It +was early for school, and Nina proposed that they sit on the wall, and +wait for Katie and Reginald. + +They seated themselves upon the stone wall, and like a row of sparrows, +they chattered gaily. + +Lola seemed full of fun, and she told of some fine games which she had +played at the school where she had been a pupil, and they were all very +glad that she was to be a member of the private class. + +And now a thin little figure made its way across the street, just a +little way from where they were sitting. + +Nina reached behind Lola, and touched her sister's sleeve; Jeanette +nodded, and looked toward the girl who walked along, looking down upon +the ground. + +Dorothy saw her, and called to her kindly: + +"Arabella! Arabella! Won't you come and meet our new playmate?" + +Arabella turned, paused just a second to stare at the new pupil. Then +turning toward the stone cottage, she said: + +"I can't stop to talk; I've got to go to school." + +"Why, how--" Nancy would not finish the sentence. + +She was grieved that Arabella should be so rude to Dorothy, and vexed +that their new friend should be unkindly treated. + +"Who is she?" Lola asked. + +"She's Arabella Corryville," said Nina, "and she's in our class, and I +wish--" she stopped as short as Nancy had a few moments before. + +Lola turned to look at Nina. + +"What were you going to say?" she whispered. + +"I was going to say that I wished she wasn't." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE DIALOGUE + + +Lola received a cordial greeting from Aunt Charlotte, and at recess +time she declared that she was now in the nicest school that she had +ever attended. + +"Why, how many have you been in?" asked Mollie; "this is the only one +I've ever been to, and you aren't any older than I am." + +Lola laughed. + +"I've been in three schools," she said. "Last year I commenced in one +school, but we moved, and I had to go to another one. This makes the +third, and I know I shall like it best of all." + +Every one liked Lola. She seemed to be tireless. She knew many games, +and as soon as they wearied of one, she chose another. + +"She's as much fun to play with as a boy," said Reginald, at which +Arabella laughed. + +"You like _any_ girls better'n boys; you said so the other day," she +said. + +"I like _some_ girls," said the small boy, and he might have said more, +but his cousin Katie stood behind Arabella, shaking her head, and +frowning at him. Reginald looked at Katie, and decided to be silent. + +There were ever so many things which he would have liked to say, but +Katie _might_ tell at home if he were too naughty. + +When Arabella found that Lola was liked by all the other pupils, she +decided to be just a bit friendly toward her, and Lola seemed pleased +that Arabella was no longer odd and silent. + +And so it happened that Arabella now seemed really to be a member of the +class. She no longer refused to join in their games at recess, and +took more interest in her lessons than she had before. + +Aunt Charlotte was delighted, and hoped that Arabella's pleasant mood +would last. + +There was great excitement one morning when the little class was told +that plans had been made for the first entertainment, and that +rehearsals would commence that afternoon. A little murmur of delight +passed over the class, and Aunt Charlotte smiled at their pleasure. + +"I shall ask Dorothy to sing two songs for us; Nancy, I know, will be +willing to do a fancy dance; Nina and Jeanette are learning a new duet +for the piano, and I should be pleased to have that for another number +on our programme. I have chosen a fine dialogue which will give a part +to every girl, and also a boy's rôle for Reginald." + +When Aunt Charlotte had finished speaking, there was another little +murmur of delight, and then the lessons for the day commenced. + +At recess they could not spare a moment for games! They talked, and +talked of the entertainment which they were to give, and of the fine +times which they would have at the afternoon rehearsals, and after +school, when they walked along the avenue, they still were talking of +the solo numbers, and of the dialogue. + +"There's eight girls in it, and one boy, that's Reginald," said Mollie, +"and I know--oh, wait till I tie my shoe." + +She rested her foot on a stone, and tied the ribbons with a smart little +twitch. + +"And now what were you going to say?" asked Jeanette. + +"I _said_ how many were to be in the dialogue, and I was _going_ to say +that I know I'm just wild to hear Aunt Charlotte read it to us this +afternoon." + +"Then you won't have to be wild long," Jeanette said, "for we are to +come back at two to have our parts given to us." + + * * * * * + +At two o'clock they were again at the cottage, eagerly watching Aunt +Charlotte, as she opened her desk, and took from it a book with a +scarlet cover. + +"There are nine girls in my class, just the number required for this +dialogue," she said. "Eight of the characters are school girls, one is a +fairy, and the boy in the little play is an elfin messenger." + +"That'll be _me_, for I'm the only boy here," said Reginald; "you girls +don't know _who'll_ be _which_!" Aunt Charlotte laughed at this speech +as heartily as did the girls. + +"We'll soon know who'll be which," said Nancy. + +"Yes, because Aunt Charlotte will tell us," laughed Dorothy. + +"The directions for producing the play, speaks of the fairy queen as +being taller than the school girls, so I will give that part to you, +Jeanette, as you are a trifle taller than the others." + +"Oh, I'll love to be the queen," Jeanette said quickly, and she glanced +at her playmates with flashing eyes. + +"I guess Dorothy expected to be the queen," whispered Nina to Lola. Nina +felt _almost_ as proud as if she herself had been honored. + +It was true that Dorothy had usually been given leading parts, but +evidently she was not at all vexed. + +"You'll make a fine queen, Jeanette," she was saying, "and oh, Aunt +Charlotte, do tell her to let her hair hang loose; it's 'most below her +waist." + +"Surely Jeanette must have her hair unbraided," Aunt Charlotte agreed, +"and we must make a tiny gold crown for her." + +"How lovely!" said Nancy, and Jeanette was delighted. + +Of course Reginald was to be the little page, and the other parts were +assigned, Aunt Charlotte choosing for each of the girls the part which +best fitted her. + +At first Arabella had seemed greatly interested, but as soon as Jeanette +had been chosen for the fairy queen, she left the group, and turning +toward the window, looked out into the garden. + +Flossie called to her. "Come, Arabella!" she cried. "We're going to +read our dialogue now." + +The others took their places, and Arabella turned, and slowly joined +them. + +"We will pass the book from one to another, and thus read the little +play through," said Aunt Charlotte, "and I will copy each part +carefully, that each can memorize all that she has to say. When you have +learned your lines, we will have our first rehearsal." + +"Hooray!" said Reginald, and although the girls laughed, they were quite +as eagerly delighted as he. + +They left the cottage, and as they walked down the avenue they talked of +the pretty dialogue, each insisting that she liked her part best. + +"But mine's the best," said Reginald, "for I'm the only boy in it." +"Mine's the best, for I'm the queen," said Jeanette, and she held her +head very high, as she looked toward her playmates. + +"_All_ the parts are nice," Nancy said, "and we'll have a fine +entertainment." + +Arabella had stopped to arrange her books in her desk, and was the last +to leave the cottage. + +"I like to see that you are orderly," Aunt Charlotte said, as Arabella +passed her on her way to the door. + +She made no reply, but hurried down the walk. + +"An odd child, truly," Aunt Charlotte said, as she looked after the +slender little figure. + +The next day each girl received a copy +of her lines, and Wednesday of the next +week was set for the first rehearsal. + + * * * * * + +"I know every word I have to say," said Jeanette, as she walked along +toward the cottage with Katie Dean. + +It was Wednesday morning, and the first rehearsal was set for the +afternoon. + +"I _guess_ I know mine, but I'm not sure. Aunt Charlotte will have the +book and she can prompt me," Katie said. + +"I know mine," boasted Reginald; "I have to run in right after the +fairy, and say, 'Here is your magic wand, oh, queen,'" + +"I guess you can't say it _that_ way," laughed Jeanette, "for Aunt +Charlotte wouldn't let you. You said it just as if you'd said, 'Here is +a great, big sandwich, oh, queen!'" + +"Well, I _didn't_ say that, and you needn't laugh. It makes you feel big +to be queen!" "_Reginald_!" + +"Well, it does," declared the small boy, "an' Arabella said so +yesterday." + +"Arabella likes to say mean things," said Jeanette, "but it doesn't +prove that they're so because she says so." + +Everything went smoothly at the afternoon rehearsal, until Dorothy said +that Nancy was to do a lovely fancy dance for one number on the +programme, when Arabella felt moved to make one of her unpleasant +remarks. + +"My Aunt Matilda doesn't 'prove of dancing," she said, looking sharply +at Nancy. + +"Well, your Aunt Matilda doesn't _have_ to dance," said Mollie, pertly. + +Mollie knew that she was naughty, but truly Arabella was trying. + +"Perhaps your aunt likes music," said Nina; "Dorothy is going to sing." + +"I don't know whether she likes singing or not," Arabella replied, "but +she doesn't like dancing, I know, for she said she wouldn't ever let me +learn to dance." + +"P'r'aps your father'd let you learn," said Reginald. + +"He wouldn't unless Aunt Matilda said I could." + +"Why _does_ folks have Aunt Matildas?" muttered Reginald. + +Mollie Merton laughed. She had heard what he said, although he had +spoken almost in a whisper. + +They left the cottage, promising to study their parts very carefully, +and as they walked down the avenue they repeated some of the pleasing +lines which they remembered. + +Suddenly Reginald spoke. + +"I've got to go back; I've left my ball on my desk," he said. + +"Don't go back," Katie said, "you won't want it to-night." + +"P'raps I will, and anyway I'm going after it," said Reginald, stoutly; +"you wait for me." + +"Oh, we can't, Reginald," Katie said, "but you can overtake us if you +hurry." + +Reginald was already running toward the cottage, so he did not hear what +Katie said. He pushed open the little gate and ran in, and up the steps +on to the piazza. + +"I left my ball on my desk," he said to Aunt Charlotte, who was standing +in the hall. + +"The schoolroom is open," she said with a smile, and Reginald rushed +past her, and hurried to his desk. The ball was not on it, nor was it +in the desk, as careful hunting proved. + +"I left it right on top of my desk," he declared to Aunt Charlotte, who +had followed, and now stood beside him. + +"Are you quite sure of that?" she asked gently. + +"Oh, yes, I _know_ I left it there, and I came back on purpose to get +it," he said, his blue eyes wide with surprise, "and now it is getting +late to hunt for it, 'sides, I don't know where to hunt." + +His lip quivered, and there was something very like tears in his eyes, +although he blinked very hard to hide them. + +"I will search for the ball, and keep it for you to-morrow morning," +Aunt Charlotte said; "it may have dropped to the floor, and rolled away +into some shadowy corner, or behind the draperies. It is almost twilight +now, but the lamplight to-night or the bright daylight to-morrow will +help me to find it for you." + +Thus comforted, Reginald left the cottage, but although he ran nearly +all the way home, he saw neither of his schoolmates. He had hunted so +long for the coveted ball that they had reached their homes before he +was even in sight. + +"We can't wait for him," Katie had said, as she looked down the road to +see if he were coming, and then they had become so interested in talking +of their dialogue that they forgot all about him. + +Usually Reginald called for his cousin Katie, but the next morning he +was so eager to learn if his ball had been found, that he started early, +intending to be the first at school, and hurried past Katie's house lest +she might call to him to wait. He had almost reached the cottage when +he remembered that he had left both his spelling-book and reader at +home. + +It was really provoking, and for just a moment he paused, wondering if +he might borrow books, or if indeed he ought to return for his own. + +It was only a few days before that Aunt Charlotte had spoken of +promptness at school, and at the same time said that only a careless +pupil would be obliged to borrow. + +He would not be the first to be thought careless; he would run back to +the house, but he must hurry, or be late. + +There was a field that he could cross, and thus save a little time, he +thought, but when half-way across it he found that he was losing, +instead of gaining time. The uneven ground and coarse grass were much +harder to run over than the fine, hard surface of the avenue, and in +his haste he stumbled along over sticks and rough places, reaching the +house flushed and tired. + +He found his books just where he had left them and hurried past the +maid, who was surprised to see him. + +"Why, Master Reginald, I thought I see yer go out to school some time +ago," she said. + +"I had to come back after my books," he replied, looking over his +shoulder as he ran down the walk. + +"I won't go across that little old field," he said in disgust. "It must +have taken twice as long to go that way." + +So he ran along the avenue, and soon neared the bend of the road where, +between trees and shrubbery, he could see a bit of the cottage. + +"I'll be the only one that's late," he thought, when at that moment he +noticed some one farther along the avenue. + +It was Arabella Corryville, but what was she doing? + +He drew back, and stood behind a bush which overhung the sidewalk and +partly hid him. + +Arabella was looking over the low wall,--ah, now she was reaching down +as if trying to get something that was hard to reach, or was she +dropping something over? + +[Illustration: She was reaching down as if to get something.] + +Reginald could not guess which she was doing, and he knew that if he +asked her, she would not tell him. + +Now Arabella was running; Reginald ran, too. He knew that he must be +quite late, for none of the other pupils were in sight. + +He was a swift runner, and he entered the door just as Arabella was +about to close it. + +"You're late, too," she whispered. + +The little pupils were singing, and the two went softly to their seats. + +After the singing, Aunt Charlotte questioned Reginald. + +"I started early, but I forgot my books, and going back for them made me +late. I ran 'most all the way; I meant to be here early." + +"Being late for such a reason as that is excusable," said Aunt +Charlotte. + +"You, also, were late, Arabella." + +"I had to help my Aunt Matilda," said Arabella, as glibly as if it had +been true. + +"Oh, oo! That's a fib!" whispered Reginald, but Arabella did not hear +him. + +Aunt Charlotte said nothing, but she thought it strange that Arabella's +aunt should have detained her. Surely the maid could have given all +necessary assistance, rather than force the little daughter of the house +to be late at school. + +Reginald had longed to peep over that wall, but he dared not linger. +What had Arabella been doing? He determined to wait until he had a fine +chance, and then he would look over that wall. He believed that she had +hidden something there. He would not tell the other girls, for they +might tell Arabella. + +At recess time he asked Aunt Charlotte if she had found his ball. + +No, the ball was not in the room. + +"I think you must have been mistaken," she said, "the ball must be at +your home." + +"Truly I had it here," the boy insisted, "I left it on my desk." + +"It must have gone to find my red book which had our dialogue in it, for +that has disappeared, and hunt as I will, I cannot find it. You have +your parts carefully copied, and can be learning them, but I need the +book to prompt you." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AN ENTERTAINMENT + + +Reginald knew that the ball had been on his desk when he had left the +schoolroom, and he could not think how it could have disappeared unless +some one had helped it to do so. + +Again he searched in his desk, but the ball was not there. He put away +the books which he had taken out, and closed his desk, looking up just +in time to see that Arabella was closely watching him. How queer she +looked! She was not laughing, but she seemed to be amused. + +"I b'lieve I know where my ball is," he whispered; "I just know Arabella +took it, and p'r'aps that was what she dropped over the wall." + +"What are you saying?" whispered Arabella, but Reginald only shook his +head. "I guess I won't tell her," he thought, "but right after school +I'll look." + +When school was out he lingered, hoping that the girls would hurry off, +and thus leave him free to search behind the wall where he believed +Arabella had hidden his ball. + +It was useless to wait. The girls sat upon the wall talking until +Reginald was out of patience, and when at last they started for home, +Katie insisted that he must go with her. + +"You know mamma said that we were to hurry home from school," she said. + +"You weren't hurrying when you were sitting on this wall," said +Reginald. + +"But I forgot, so I'm hurrying now," Katie replied, and grasping his +hand, she commenced to run very fast, laughing because he looked so +unwilling. + +That night there was a heavy shower that drenched the trees and left +clear little puddles in the road. + +Reginald reached the cottage just in time to avoid being late. + +The lessons went smoothly until the readers were opened. It was a +charming story, but there were many long words which puzzled the pupils. + +"The water nymphs paused in the moonlight to watch the fountain spray," +was the opening sentence of the paragraph which Reginald was to read, +but the letters were spaced so that the s and p were not close together +in "spray." Reginald read it as it appeared: + +"'The water nymphs paused in the moonlight to watch the fountains +pray.'" + +"Why, how could they?" he asked, "how could fountains _pray_?" + +The class was amused, but Arabella laughed long and loudly, and Aunt +Charlotte was obliged to speak forcibly to her to check her merriment. +The small boy was angry. + +"I'll get even with her; see 'f I don't," he thought. + +Indeed he could hardly wait to punish Arabella for her rudeness. + +"May I leave the yard?" he asked at recess time, "I've thought of one +place I'd like to hunt for my ball." + +He was off like a flash, and the girls returned to their game. + +"It's your turn, Dorothy," Nancy said, and Dorothy entered the ring. + + "From this ring that has no end + You may choose a little friend," + +sang the merry voices, and Dorothy looked from one to another. She would +have liked to choose Nancy, but she thought how few of the girls _ever_ +chose Arabella, and she held out her hand to the playmate who seldom was +favored. + +If Arabella was pleased she did not show it. She took her place in the +ring, however, and looked at the merry faces that circled around her. + + "You are next the favored guest, + Choose the friend you love the best." + +"Choose?" How _could_ she choose? She never liked to do a pleasant thing +for any one, and whomever she called into the ring would feel favored. + +"Hurry, and choose some one, Arabella," called Mollie Merton, but still +Arabella stood sullenly staring at her shoes. + +Mollie was ready again to urge Arabella to choose, when the gate flew +open, and Reginald, breathless and excited, rushed in. Aunt Charlotte +was standing in the walk, watching the pretty game. Reginald ran to her, +holding out something very wet and dripping. + +"I didn't find my ball, but I guess this is the di'logue book you +couldn't find," he said. + +The red and gold cover was blistered, and its fine color had almost +disappeared. + +Aunt Charlotte looked her surprise. + +"Where did you find it?" she asked. + +"Down behind the wall, where I saw somebody drop it," he said, looking +sharply at Arabella. + +Of course they all looked at Arabella, who hesitated for a moment, then +pushing past the girls, she ran down the walk to the gate, looking over +her shoulder to call to Aunt Charlotte: + +"I've got to go home, 'cause my head aches." + +"I wonder what Aunt Charlotte will do about the book?" whispered Mollie. + +"Why, what _could_ she do?" Flossie asked in surprise. + +"Why, Flossie Barnet! You saw the cover all spoiled. Don't you s'pose +she'll--" + +But Mollie's question was hushed by the silvery tinkle of the bell which +told that recess was over. + +Arabella did not return for the afternoon rehearsal, but she entered the +class-room on the next morning as calmly as if nothing had happened, and +she seemed very eager to show her interest in the dialogue by appearing +at all the other rehearsals. + + * * * * * + +Exhibition day had arrived, and parents and friends were seated before +the tiny stage, waiting for the curtain to rise. + +Dorothy had sung two songs very sweetly, Nancy had danced for them, and +had charmed them with her grace, Nina and Jeanette had played a duet, +and now, yes, the curtain was rising! + +Every one leaned forward to catch the first glimpse of the +stage-setting, and in the midst of the excitement, a small, prim figure +entered the room, and made its way toward the only seat which was still +unoccupied. It was beside Flossie's Uncle Harry, and as the woman took +the seat he turned, and then moved to make extra room for her. + +"That _must_ be Arabella's Aunt Matilda!" he whispered to his wife. + +"Hush-sh-sh!" she whispered. + +"It not only _must_ be, but it _is_!" he declared, and he offered her +his programme. + +Aunt Matilda was not wholly pleased with his courtesy, and had half a +mind to refuse it, but few could resist his winning smile, and +reluctantly she kept it. + +"Aunt Matilda looks as if she were angry because she is not included in +the dialogue," whispered Uncle Harry, to which his lovely young wife +replied: + +"She'll hear you, if you aren't careful; now _do_ give your attention to +the stage." + +"I'm simply _all_ ears," he whispered, and at that moment, the children +ran on, entering from either side. + +The pretty scene represented a little grove, in which the school girls +had gathered to summon the queen of the fairies, who might grant the +dearest wish of each. + +The first fairy to appear was Green Feather, an elfin page or +messenger, and Reginald made a perfect sprite, in his green suit, and +cap with a long, green quill. + +He took the message which the girls wished to send to the queen, and +then hurried away to summon her, while the school girls chanted a magic +verse which should aid her to appear quickly. + + "Fairy queen, we wait for thee, + Willing subjects we will be. + Come! Thou'lt find us at thy feet, + We would beg, ay, and entreat + That our wishes thou wilt hear, + When thou dost indeed appear. + Now we draw a magic ring, + 'Come, fair queen,' we gaily sing." + +With a silver-tipped wand they drew a circle upon the ground, and +scarcely was it finished when Jeanette ran out from between the mimic +trees, and sprang into the circle, a dazzling figure, all white and +silver, and blue. Upon her long, dark hair rested a tiny gold crown, +and in her hand she carried a gold wand which was wound with strings of +pearls. + + "Thou, with voice so silvery clear, + I your dearest wish will hear." + +As Jeanette spoke the lines she held her wand above Dorothy's head. + + "Song! Ah, let me always sing + For the peasant, or the king, + For the ones I hold most dear, + For all hearts that I may cheer," + +sang Dorothy, in her clear, light little treble, and very winning she +looked, as she extended her hand toward the fairy whom she implored to +grant her wish. + + "Sing you shall, in tones so clear + That the very birds shall hear, + And, in envy, cease their lay + While your melody holds sway." + +As Jeanette chanted the verse, she waved her wand, and Dorothy, entering +the circle beside her, sang a fairy song which delighted all who +listened. + +The woman beside Uncle Harry seemed ill at ease, crumpling her +programme, and moving restlessly upon her seat as if the little play +bored her. + +Uncle Harry stooped, and picked up the fan which had dropped from her +lap. She looked at him as if she thought that he had intended to steal +it, then, relenting, she screwed her thin lips into something like a +smile. + +"Thank ye," she said, as she took the fan, and glanced at his pleasant +face. + +Uncle Harry wished that she would speak again. + +"I wish she'd give us some of her '_views_,'" he whispered to his wife, +"Arabella says she has plenty of them." + +"Oh, Harry, hush, unless you want her to hear you." + +"I wouldn't mind," he whispered, his blue eyes twinkling with merriment. + +Just at that moment, the fairy queen seated herself upon her woodland +throne, and as the girls knelt before her, the red curtain rolled slowly +down, hiding the little stage. + +The first act was finished, and now, in the few moments before the +curtain would rise, the buzz of voices whispered approval of the pretty +play. + +Arabella's prim little aunt looked furtively toward her neighbor. He +smiled encouragingly, and she ventured to speak. + +She was a little old lady and he was tall and stalwart; his handsome +face was youthful, and she wished him to know that she thought him a +mere boy. + +"Young man, do you approve of this play-acting?" she asked. + +"Oh, surely," he replied. "Who would care to see professionals, if he +might, instead, see children _trying_ to act?" + +She eyed him sharply to learn if he were joking, but his manner was so +dignified that she did not dream that he was amused. + +"Well, I think if we had these exhibitions often the children would grow +to be just too pert for anything. I have my views about play-acting, and +as my niece is a pupil here, I'm just a little anxious about how this +school is run. Have you any small sisters here?" she asked. + +His eyes were dancing. + +"I've no small sisters," he said, "and as my little daughter is but +nine months old, I've not yet sent her to school." + +"Your daughter? Well, I declare! Why, I thought you were an overgrown +boy!" she said, bluntly. + +"Alas! That's what my wife frequently calls me," he said, and from his +manner one might have thought that he deeply regretted the fact. + +"If your wife is here, young man, I should think she'd see you talking +to that pretty girl beside you," said the little woman, sharply. + +"Oh, she rather likes it," he said, with a soft laugh, "you see that +pretty girl is my wife." Aunt Matilda stared. + +"Wouldn't you like to meet her?" he asked; "this is such a very informal +gathering that I might venture to present her, if only I knew your +name." + +"I'm Arabella Corryville's aunt," she said, without realizing that that +was not telling her name. + +"Vera," he said, "allow me to present you to Arabella's aunt; madam, +this is my wife!" + +The ladies bowed, and the younger woman spoke very cordially, then the +curtain went up and every eye turned toward the stage. + +It was in the last act that Arabella entered from the right, and all +were surprised when in a clear voice, and with appropriate gestures, she +spoke her lines, making quite as good an impression as any of her +schoolmates. + +During the early part of the dialogue Arabella had not been on the +little stage, and her doting aunt felt injured, because she believed +that the other children had been given the most important parts. She had +expressed her disapproval of "play-acting" to Uncle Harry. + +Now all was different; Arabella had appeared, had spoken well, and the +applause which she received completely changed Aunt Matilda's mind. + + "Granted our wishes, + Happy hearts have we; + True to our fairy queen + Ever we'll be," + +sang the children, and then once more the red curtain hid the tiny +stage. + +"On second thoughts, I guess play-acting is rather a fine thing if it's +well done," Aunt Matilda said, "an' I guess my Arabella did 'bout as +well as any of 'em. I shouldn't wonder if she could be a great actress +if she chose. Not that I'd want her to be one; no _indeed_, but it's +pleasant to think that she could." + +"Oh, certainly," said Uncle Harry. "It would be most delightful if we +could be _sure_ that, at ten minutes' notice, Arabella could become the +world's greatest actress; that by gently beckoning to him, the most +obdurate theatrical manager would bow abjectly before her." + +"Well, I guess so," the prim little woman said, not quite understanding +his meaning, but thinking the speech, as a whole, rather grand. + +The little entertainment had been a success, and Aunt Charlotte received +very warm congratulations for the fine work which her little pupils had +done. + +As they strolled homeward, the guests talked of the numbers which had +most delighted them. + +Uncle Harry, wag that he was, had found Aunt Matilda quite as amusing as +the music, the pretty dance which Nancy had contributed, or the fairy +dialogue. He was expecting every moment that his young wife would gently +upbraid him for his raillery, and he had not long to wait. As they +turned in at their own gateway, she looked up at him. + +"Harry," she said, "you have a merry heart, and I would not for the +world have you more quiet, but sometimes you carry your jokes too far. +Dear, will you tell me why you did not mention that strange woman's +name? You introduced her as Arabella's aunt." + +"My dear, that's who she said she was; she didn't tell me her name, so +how could I tell you?" + +"But you did not tell her _my_ name; you introduced me as your wife." + +"Well, surely you _are_ my wife; as she omitted to state what _her_ +name was, I wouldn't tell her _yours_. Simply evening things up, that's +all." + +"What an idea!" she said, but she could not help laughing at his little +joke. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE RETURN OF PATRICIA + + +Of course they talked and talked of their entertainment, of their fine +audience, of the applause, and the delight of their friends. + +They were on their way to school one morning, Nina, Jeanette, and their +cousin, Lola Blessington. + +"Nancy Ferris danced just _beautifully_," said Lola, "I wonder where she +learned." + +"I don't know," Jeanette said, sullenly. + +She had envied the applause which Nancy's graceful dancing had evoked. + +"Why, Jeanette," exclaimed Nina, "you _do_ know that Nancy learned to +dance in New York." + +"Well, I don't know _who_ taught her, and that's probably what Lola +meant," Jeanette retorted sharply. + +"New York!" said Lola. "Why, I remember a little girl I saw once at the +theatre, who danced so gracefully that I thought she must be a fairy. +She seemed ever so much like Nancy, but she had--" + +"Come here, Nancy," called Jeanette, sharply, "Lola says she saw a girl +once, at a theatre in New York, who danced and looked like you. What do +you think of that?" + +"_Jeanette_!" cried Nina, surprised that her sister should be so eager +to tease Nancy, but Nancy did not seem annoyed. + +She looked straight into Jeanette's flashing eyes, as she said, quietly: + +"Perhaps Lola did see me dance; I was in New York." + +"Oh, I didn't say it was you who danced at the theatre. I said the +little girl was like you, but I remember now her hair was yellow," Lola +said. + +"I wore a wig of long yellow curls," Nancy said, "and I had to dance +whether I wished to or not; Uncle Steve made me. Oh, I was not happy +there. I was never so happy as when I've been with dear Aunt Charlotte, +and Dorothy. Let's talk about something else." + +Jeanette felt a bit ashamed. Nina wished that her sister had not been so +rude, and for a few moments neither could think of anything to say, but +just at that moment Dorothy joined them, and soon they were talking as +gaily as before. + +Then Katie and Reginald came hurrying along the avenue, and a moment +later Mollie Merton and Flossie Barnet, and soon they were all +chattering like a flock of sparrows. + +"Say! Just listen to me a minute," shouted Reginald, "I've got something +great to tell you, but I can't until you'll hark." + +"What is it? What is it?" cried the eager voices. + +"It's just this," he said with much importance: "My mamma called on Aunt +Charlotte yesterday, and while they were talking 'bout our school Aunt +Charlotte said that the big girls would begin to study history this +week, and my brother Bob says it'll be all 'bout cutting folks' heads +off. I guess it'll scare girls to study that. 'Twould scare me, and +_I'm_ a boy!" + +"Why, Reginald Dean!" cried Katie. + +"My middle name's Merton," said the small boy, coolly. + +"Well, Reginald Merton Dean, then," Katie said, "and whatever your name +is, you ought not to tell things like that!" + +"Like what? Like learning 'bout folks choppin' off other folks' heads? +Well, I guess it's so if my big brother says so," Reginald replied. + +The girls did not believe it, but they could not deny it. They knew that +Reginald _thought_ what he said was true, but they believed that, in +some way, the facts had become twisted. + +They were at the cottage door now, and as they entered Reginald +whispered: + +"You just see, Katie Dean! I tell you Bob knows!" + +The early morning lessons were the same as usual, and the girls soon +forgot what Reginald had said, and at recess there were so many games to +be played that there was little time for talking. + +It was after recess that the surprise came. The reading lesson had been +unusually interesting, and instead of twenty minutes, it had occupied a +half-hour. + +When the readers were put aside, Aunt Charlotte said: + +"Commencing to-morrow, we shall devote a half-hour to studying history. +You are all much younger than the pupils in the public schools who begin +to study history, but we shall take it up in an easy, enjoyable way. I +shall read to you from a finely written volume which I own, while you +will try to write, from memory, what I have read." + +"What did I tell you?" whispered Reginald. "_Now_ I guess you'll hear +'bout folks with their heads off!" + +Katie put her hands over her ears, but Reginald's eyes were twinkling +with delight. The girls would have to admit that his scrap of news was +true! + +As they hastened down the long avenue after school, he again asked his +question: + +"Say, girls! What did I say?" + +"You said we'd got to learn horrid things, and Aunt Charlotte didn't say +so," said Mollie. + +"I know she didn't, but Bob did, and you wait," was the quick reply. + +"_I'll_ tell you something that you'd hardly believe, but it's _true_," +said Mollie; "it's somebody that's coming right here to Merrivale to +live." + +"Is it somebody you know?" Dorothy asked. + +Mollie laughed. + +"Somebody we _all_ know," she said. + +"Is she nice? Do we like her?" Nina questioned. + +"I'll tell you who it is, and then you'll know whether you're glad or +not," said Mollie. She had been walking backward, and in front of her +playmates, and thus she could watch their faces. She looked at them an +instant, then she said: + +"It's--_Patricia Lavine_!" + +The little group stood stock still, and it was quite evident that not +one of the party was delighted. + +Nancy was the first to speak. + +"Are you _sure_, Mollie?" she asked. + +"She said so," Mollie replied. "I was running across the lawn to call +for Flossie, when I heard some one call: + +"'Mollie! Mollie! Mollie Merton!' + +"I turned, and there was Patricia running up the walk. You know she was +always in a rush, and she's just the same now. + +"'I can't stop but a minute,' she said, 'but I've just time to tell you +that we've been hunting houses, and we're coming here to live. We've +got a house right next to the big schoolhouse, and that's nice, for I +wouldn't want to go to private school.' + +"Then she ran off, just looking over her shoulder to say: + +"'I've got to hurry, for I've an engagement, but I'll be over to see you +all soon.'" + +"I wish she _wouldn't_," said Reginald, stoutly. + +"Perhaps she's pleasanter than when she lived here before," ventured +Flossie, looking up into the faces of her playmates. + +Dear little girl, the youngest of the group, she was ever ready to say a +kind word for an absent playmate. + +"She _looked_ just the same," said Mollie. + +"If she said she was to live next to the big schoolhouse, that is just +_miles_ from here," Jeanette said, "so she wouldn't be likely to come +over here very often." + +"'Tisn't any farther than where she lived before," said Nina, "and she +came often enough then." + + * * * * * + +Aunt Charlotte had chosen wisely, when she had decided to interest her +young pupils in history, by reading aloud from a volume in which the +facts were set forth in story form, and there was one pupil who listened +more intently than any of the others. + +One glance at Reginald's earnest little face would have convinced any +one that he was wildly interested. + +His round, blue eyes never left Aunt Charlotte's face while she was +reading. The story of Ponce de Leon's search for the fountain of youth +was more exciting than any fairy tale that he had ever heard. He saw no +pathos in the old Spaniard's useless search. The picture which the +history painted for him showed only the little band of swarthy men +following their handsome, white-haired leader through the wild, +unexplored South, their picturesque, gaily colored costumes gleaming in +the sunlight. + +How brilliant the pageant! How brave, how valiant they must have +appeared! Even the gorgeous wild flowers paled with chagrin as the bold, +venturesome Spaniards trampled them underfoot as they marched steadily +onward, hoping yet to find the crystal fountain which should grant to +them eternal youth. + +When Aunt Charlotte ceased reading, she said: "Now, take your pencils, +and write all that you remember of what I have read." + +How their pencils flew! In a short time their papers were ready, and the +little pupils proved that they had been attentive, many of the sketches +giving the story almost word for word. Of course the older girls had +written most accurately, but a few lines which little Flossie Barnet had +written showed her tender, loving heart. + +"I'm sorry for the poor old Spanyard, for a fountane like that wouldn't +be _anywhere_, so I wish he and his brave men had sailed across the sea +and land to hunt for something that he could truly find." + +Some faulty spelling, but no error in the loving, tender heart. The +pathos of the story had touched her. + +Reginald was but a few months older than Flossie, but he was not +sensitive, and only the adventure, the beauty described appealed to +him. He looked at Flossie in surprise when she had finished reading her +little sketch, and wondered that she could see anything pathetic in the +tale. + +Then he rose to read his own effort at story-telling. + +"They tramped and tramped for miles through the trees and swamps, and +I'd like to have worn a red velvet coat and hunt for that fountane, for +if we hadn't found it we'd have had a jolly hunt. I'd like to have worn +a red velvet coat and a big hat with fethers on it, and a pare of boots +with big tops to them. We could have tramped better with those big boots +and all those fine things on." + +A droll idea, truly. No wonder that the girls laughed at the vanity +which Reginald had so innocently betrayed. "Where did you get your +description of his costume?" Aunt Charlotte asked. She could not help +smiling. + +"From a painting in my uncle's hall," said Reginald, promptly, "and when +I told him that I wished that men wore clothes like that now, he just +laughed, and said he thought those huge, long-plumed hats would be an +awful nuisance." + +The older girls were soon to study English history, and they felt very +important indeed. + +"We're bigger than Flossie and Katie and Reginald," said Jeanette, "so +we are to have an extra study." + +"We wouldn't want what you're going to have," Reginald said, "for it's +just horrid. I told you my brother Bob said it was all full of chopping +folks' heads off, and you didn't believe it, Jeanette Earl, but you'll +find out it's so; you see 'f you don't." + +Flossie slipped her hand into Reginald's, as if for protection. + +"We wouldn't like to study it," she said, "and we won't like to hear it, +but we'll have to when they say their lessons." + +Dorothy and Nancy had been obliged to hurry home from school. They were +to drive with Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte, and Mrs. Dainty had told +them to be prompt. + +Flossie and Reginald lingered after the others had gone. He gathered +some blossoming weeds which grew near the cottage, thinking thus to +cheer her, and to turn her mind from the hated English history. + +She took the flowers, and for a time she laughed and talked so brightly +that she seemed her sunny self. + +He was just thinking how happy she looked when suddenly she leaned +toward him, and said earnestly: + +"Do you s'pose Bob was mistaken?" + +Reginald hesitated. He ardently admired Bob, but he also cared for dear +little Flossie, and longed to please her, so after a pause he said: + +"My big brother knows _'most everything_, but just _p'r'aps_ he might +have been mistaken." + +It was not much comfort, but it was better than if Reginald had insisted +that Bob's knowledge was absolute. + +As Mrs. Dainty's carriage bowled along the avenue, the trees seemed +ablaze with autumn splendor, for the leaves that danced in the sunlight +were scarlet and gold, and the sunbeams flickered and shimmered like +merry elves. The light breeze tossed the plumes on Dorothy's hat, and +blew her golden curls about her lovely little face. + +She leaned back in the carriage and laid her hand in Nancy's. Nancy's +fingers were quick to clasp Dorothy's, and for a time they sat listening +to what Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte Grayson were saying. + +Then something made Nancy turn. A little figure was mincing along the +avenue; its shoes had very high heels, its stockings were pink, and its +dress a bright green. A showy hat with many-colored flowers crowned its +head, and as the carriage passed it waved a lace handkerchief, thus +setting her many bangles tinkling. + +"That _was_ Patricia Lavine," said Nancy; "Mollie Merton said she saw +her just a few days ago." + +"O dear!" said Dorothy, "and it's not nice to say that when Patricia has +just come back here to live, but truly she wasn't pleasant." + +"I don't wonder you said, 'O dear,' for wherever she was, she made +somebody uncomfortable," Nancy said, which was indeed true. + +Patricia was not wholly at fault. She dearly loved anything that was +showy, and her mother, who was a very ignorant woman, was quite as fond +of display. + +She had never taught her little daughter to be kind or courteous, but +instead had laughed at her pert ways, and thought them amusing. + +Patricia hastened along the avenue as fast as her little steeple heels +would permit, and when she saw Flossie and Reginald, she rushed toward +them, assuring them that she _never_ had been so glad to see any one +before. + +Neither Flossie nor Reginald could say that they were quite as pleased, +but Patricia did not wait for them to speak. + +"We've been living in N' York," she said, "but we're going to live here +now, an' we've got a el'gant house right next the schoolhouse. Ma says +it's one of the finest houses in Merrivale, an' I guess--" + +"If it's next to the schoolhouse it's the one where our cook's brother +lives," remarked Reginald. "He lives on the first floor, and the man +that drives the water-cart lives just over him." + +Patricia was annoyed. She had wished them to think that the entire house +had been engaged for her own small family. Her cheeks were flushed, +but she made the best of the situation, and at once commenced to tell of +the beauties of the flat. + +"We lived in a great big hotel in N' York," she said, "but ma says this +flat is handsomer than the one what we had at the hotel. Ma says I can +give a party this winter, if I want to. Of course I'll invite _all_ my +N' York friends, but I shall only ask the girls here that have been nice +to me, and I don't think I shall ask _any_ boys at all." + +She cast a withering glance at Reginald, who whistled softly. Then he +made a naughty reply. + +"P'r'aps the boys wouldn't come if you asked them," he said. + +"Oh, Reginald!" said Flossie. + +"Well, she said a mean thing 'bout not inviting boys, else I wouldn't +have said it. I wouldn't speak like that to you or Dorothy, or any of +the nice girls I know." + +"There were nice boys in N' York," snapped Patricia. "I didn't see a boy +while I was there who wasn't _very_ nice." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +WHAT FLOSSIE DID + + +In the great hall, at the Barnet house, the butler stood puzzling over +the letters which the postman had left. + +He dared not meddle with them, but he paused for a moment to study them +as they lay upon his salver, while he wondered if the handwriting upon +either envelope were in the least familiar. + +The little French maid, peering over the baluster, laughed softly. + +"M'sieur is curious, but he should not delay. The lettairs, it may be, +of importance are, and the madam already waiting is." + +With a soft, yet merry laugh, the maid returned to dress her mistress's +hair, and the burly butler stalked up the stairway, angry that Marie +should have seen him studying the letters, and annoyed by her saucy +laugh. "That girl is always 'round," he muttered. + +It was Saturday morning, and although it was October, it was as warm as +a June day. + +Mrs. Barnet was in the hands of the French maid, and could not be +disturbed while her hair was being dressed. + +Flossie wondered what she could find to play with. + +She wished that Saturday had been a schoolday. + +Usually she found the baby amusing, but Uncle Harry's little daughter +was out for an airing. + +The kitten skurried down the hall and Flossie caught her, and ran off to +the music-room. She managed to clamber up on to the stool with pussy +in her arms, and reached for the music, which she opened. + +"Now that's a _very_ nice song, kitty," she said, "but you needn't sing +it; you can just practise the 'comfrement. Now one, two, three, begin!" + +She held the kitten's paws, and forced them to press the keys. + +"Me-u! Me-u!" squeaked wee pussy. + +"You going to sing and play, too? Why, that's fine," said Flossie, "only +you don't get the tune right." + +"Me-u! Me-u!" wailed the white kitten. + +"Now pussy darling, you're real sweet to _try_, but you don't sing the +tune right; it didn't sound like _that_ when Uncle Harry sang it last +night. We'll sing it together, and maybe you'll learn it. Put your left +paw on _do_, and your right paw on _mi_; now sing." + +What a droll duet it was! Franz Abt's beautiful song was never before +thus rendered. + + "I love thee, dearest, thee alone, + Love thee, and only thee!" + +sang Flossie, while little pussy, regardless of time or sentiment, sang +"me-u! me-_ow_! me-u! _me-u_!" + +[Illustration: "Put your left paw on _do_, and your right paw on _mi_; +now sing."] + +"Our voices don't _har-mer-lize_, pussy, I know they don't. You'll just +have to practise alone. That's what Mollie Merton's mamma said last +night when Uncle Harry and Aunt Vera sang together. She said: 'Oh, how +beautifully their voices _har-mer-lize_.' Now that's just what our +voices _don't_ do, so I'll put you right on to the keys, and you can +practise the _'comfrement_ alone." + +Flossie ran to the window to see if any of her playmates were in +sight, while the kitten, left to amuse herself, walked slowly across the +keyboard, and sat down upon the lower bass notes. + +The French maid paused in the doorway. + +"Ah, it is the petite beast that the bad music makes. I will the feline +terrible remove, before she more mischief does do." + +"Don't take the kitten out, Marie," cried Flossie, "I'm making her +practise her lesson." + +"Eh, bien! In this great mansion where all do so much learning have, +even the petite cat must an education get! What more astounding could +one behold?" + +"I want to make her learn the song Uncle Harry sang last night. Did you +hear him sing, Marie? Wasn't his voice sweet?" + +"Ah, well did I the music hear. The sweet sounds did up the stairway +float, and I did say: 'He is one beau gallant! His voice the rock would +melt! Many hearts he must broken have before he loved Madame Vera who +now his wife is.'" + +"I don't know what you mean, Marie," Flossie said, "but I do know I +_love_ him, and I love to hear him sing." + +"Oh, I could listen the day and the night when he music makes," the maid +replied, and Flossie was satisfied. + +A moment later Mollie, in great excitement, ran over to call for +Flossie. + +"Oh, do you know, Dorothy's mamma told my mamma that there's to be a +great party at the stone house, and all of Dorothy's friends are to be +invited. Now aren't you glad I came over to tell you?" + +"When is it to be? I guess I am glad, Mollie Merton, and so will +everybody be. When is the party to be?" she repeated, her blue eyes +shining, and her little feet restlessly dancing. + +"I don't know just when, but I guess it's pretty soon, and it's to be +different from any party we ever went to. I don't know just _how_ +different; that part is a secret, but we are to know as soon as the +invitations are ready." + +"Oh, we _'most_ can't wait," said Flossie. + +Of course the delightful news travelled, and by Monday morning every +child in town knew that there was to be a grand party at the great stone +house, but no one could find out just what sort of party it was to be. +Even Dorothy could not enlighten them. "It's to be fine," she said, +"and different from any party I ever had, but mamma doesn't wish me to +tell anything about it." + +"Won't she let you tell Nancy?" questioned Katie Dean. + +"Nancy knows _now_!" declared Reginald; "just look at her!" + +Indeed Nancy's dark eyes were merry, and her voice rippled with +laughter, as she said: + +"I _do_ know, and I'm going to keep the secret, but it's the hardest one +I ever tried to keep." + +At recess they walked arm-in-arm, talking of the party instead of +playing games. They were chattering so gaily that they heard no one +approach, and when suddenly Patricia Lavine peeped over the wall, they +were startled, and wondered how she could have appeared without any one +having seen her coming. + +"Why, Patricia! Where'd you come from?" said Mollie. + +"Oh, I was walking along and came over because I heard you talking. +Whose party is it going to be?" she asked. + +"Dorothy is to have the party," said Jeanette, "but why aren't you in +school?" + +"Why aren't _you_?" Patricia asked with a saucy laugh. + +"It's recess time at _our_ school," said Nina. + +"Well, it's recess time at _ours_, too," Patricia replied. + +"But you're a long way from your school," Reginald said. + +"Am I?" queried Patricia, "well, I don't have to go to school every +single day, as _some_ folks do," she retorted. + +"I know 'most all the tables now, and I know a little geog-er-fry, and +'most half of the history, 'cause some of it I learned when I was in N' +York. We had a el'gant school there, and ma says I learned so much that +I needn't go to school every day now." + +Little Flossie looked quite impressed, but the older girls were not so +sure that Patricia had gained so much knowledge. + +No one spoke, and Patricia thought that they were all much surprised at +what she had said. + +"There's to be visitors at our school to-day, and teacher said she was +going to let them ask questions," she continued. + +"Guess you stayed away so as not to tell all you know," said Reginald. +Katie nudged him sharply, but he only twitched away, laughing because +Patricia looked angry. + +The little silver bell tinkled, and they turned to enter the cottage. + +"Good-by," they called to Patricia, who stood at the gate. + +"Good-by," she replied, then looking over her shoulder, she said: + +"I'm glad I don't have to go to private school; it's too stupid." + +"The horrid, rude girl," whispered Nina Earl, but Arabella surprised +them all by saying: + +"I think I'd like that Patricia What's-her-name; she isn't like +everybody else." + +Reginald heard what Arabella said, and in a loud whisper informed her +that he wouldn't go to school if _all_ the girls were like Patricia. + +Arabella would have answered him sharply, but they were entering the +schoolroom, so she was obliged to be silent. + +Later, when they were asked to write upon the little blackboard, +Arabella looked for a chance to tease Reginald. + +"If he does anything that I can laugh at, I'll laugh till he's mad as a +hornet," she whispered. + +It happened that Reginald was the first to go to the board. + +Aunt Charlotte asked for a sentence which should contain but five words, +and yet tell a bit of news. + +Every hand was raised. + +Dorothy intended to write: "Nancy is a true friend," while Nancy thought +that this would be interesting: "Dorothy will have a party," but +Reginald felt sure that he had thought of the smartest sentence, and +his face beamed with delight when he was told that he might write it. + +He glanced toward Arabella as he strutted to the blackboard, and boldly +he wrote: + +"Phido has a new collar." + +It was funny, and Reginald wondered why even Aunt Charlotte looked +amused. Every one knew Fido, and only that morning the little dog had +followed Reginald and Katie half-way to school, the bell on his new +collar tinkling all the way. + +That Reginald should have spelled the name "_Phido_" made them laugh, +but Arabella was not contented with laughing; she fairly shouted. + +"Well, I don't care if you do laugh," he said, his eyes blazing as he +looked at her; "you spell photo, just _p-h-o_, and why can't Fido be +spelt _P-h-i_?" + +When the room was again quiet Aunt Charlotte told Reginald and Arabella +to remain for a few moments after school. + +When the other pupils had gone, Aunt Charlotte turned toward the two who +still kept their seats, and very gently she told Arabella how rude it +was to laugh at another's error, and how equally rude for Reginald to +reply in so saucy a manner. + +"A little girl should be a little lady," she said, "and a small boy +should surely be a little gentleman." + +Then Reginald spoke. + +Looking straight into Arabella's eyes, he said: + +"I guess I'm a gentleman, so I'll 'pol'gize; if I was just a boy I +_wouldn't_, though." Arabella was fully equal to a reply. + +"I'm as much a lady as you are a gentleman, so I'll say I oughtn't to +have laughed, but I _won't_ say I'm sorry." + +It was late afternoon, and Flossie, on the piazza, waved her hand to her +playmates as they ran down the walk to the gate. + +They had played delightful games, they had talked of the fine party +which they would soon enjoy, they had guessed and guessed what sort of +party it was to be, and Dorothy, who knew all about it, had laughed +merrily because their countless guesses were nowhere near right. + +"I wish playmates didn't ever have to go home," said Flossie, as she ran +into the house. + +There was no one in the hall save the baby, who sat in her carriage. The +maid had just brought her in from a long ride, and had left her for a +moment while she chatted with the butler and the cook. Flossie loved the +baby, and she ran to the carriage to kiss the sunny little face that +smiled at her. + +"Oh, you lovely, lovely baby," she cried, "are you glad to see me?" + +For answer the little one cooed sweetly, and snatched at Flossie's +curling hair. + +"Mustn't pull so hard, baby," pleaded Flossie, and just at that moment +the maid returned, and rescued Flossie's ringlets from the little +dimpled hands. + +"You give her to me," said Flossie. + +"I'll sit on this rug and hold her. Uncle Harry said I could take this +baby any time I want to, and I want to now." + +The maid waited for no urging. Here was a chance for a few more moments +of gossip. If Miss Flossie wished to take care of the baby, why not +permit her to? Her Uncle Harry had given his permission, and as it was +his baby, who could object? + +For a few moments Flossie and the baby played upon the great hall rug. +The bright-colored ball which Flossie had taken from her pocket was a +pretty plaything, and the baby crowed with delight. + +The butler and the maids were in the butler's pantry at the rear of the +hall, but while their voices could be plainly heard, Flossie noticed +nothing which they said until the maid spoke of the baby. + +"She ees well, the petite belle, but upon her cheek the, what ees eet +the doctaire did say?" + +"Sure, Marie, 'tis a ould-fashioned rash, an' manny's the toime Oive +seen ut on a babby's face, an' whoile the docthor makes a fuss about +it, it's just nothin' at all, at all," responded Bridget. + +"I'm thinkin' it don't pay to let it go an' not have the doctor see +about it," growled the butler in a deep bass voice. + +"An' ain't they seein' about it wid all their eyes, the ould docthor +a-peekin' at the swate little thing t'rough his goggles, an' puttin' a +wee bit t'ermom'ter into her mouth what for I do' 'no' unless 'tis ter +foind out if it's near toime fer her ter be a-talkin'." + +"He's very ugly, le m'sieur doctaire; if he was fine to behold it would +be well. And what said he of the child? That at home she could not +remain? If they do away take her M'sieur Harry will weep his fine eyes +out." + +"Oh, you little Frenchie!" exclaimed the butler with a jolly laugh, "you +get things mixed. If it's nothing but a rash, as Bridget says, she'll +stay here, but if it's measles she'll be hurried off up-stairs, and--" + +"An' be _quarantained_, Oim tould," interrupted Bridget. + +"Oh, Breejhay, what _ees_ that?" cried the little French maid, and +Flossie waited to hear no more. + +_Quarantined_! Oh, what a big word, and what _did_ it mean? Who was +going to do _that_ to dear Uncle Harry's baby? + +_No_ one! She would not let them! + +Quickly she gathered the wee mite in her arms, wrapped the warm little +cloak around her, and walking softly to the door, slipped out, the baby +nestled close in her arms. + +Across the lawn she trudged, past the summer-house, and on to the little +clump of trees and shrubs which the children called the grove. + +In a little nook between the tall hedge and the shrubbery she sat down, +and took the baby on her lap. Fortunately it had no idea of crying; she +loved Flossie, and she cooed contentedly. + +And now the shadows were long, and the light breeze, growing stronger, +swept in little chilly gusts across the treetops, and searching lower, +tossed the small shrubs as if trying to discover Flossie's hiding-place. + +She drew the baby's cloak closer around it, and bending lower, kissed +it, and whispered lovingly: + +"You're all safe with me, for I won't let that old doctor _quantine_ +you. You're Uncle Harry's own baby, and I won't let anybody hurt you." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +PATRICIA'S PROMISE + + +At the Barnet house all was excitement. Servants were rushing this way +and that, searching for Flossie and the baby. + +Again and again the maid insisted that she had left them in the hall but +a few moments, and the cook and the butler declared that she had spoken +truly, yet it seemed strange that in so short a time the two could have +so completely disappeared. + +In the midst of the excitement Uncle Harry came home, and he looked very +grave when he learned the cause of their alarm. + +Yes, the house and grounds had been thoroughly searched, they told him, +and neither could be found, nor could any one remember having seen them +after the baby had been brought in from her ride. + +And while the other members of the household were searching in every +direction, Uncle Harry secured a lantern, and went out into the shadowy +garden, hoping that he might, in some forgotten corner, find the two +children whom he so dearly loved. + +Around the house, along the driveway toward the stable, down a little +path to where the tall dahlias nodded; across the lawn to the open space +where the new moon spread its sheen, then toward the shrubbery and the +hedge. + +Flossie saw the gleam of the bright lantern through the bushes, and +huddled closer to the little shrubs. She believed that it was the butler +who carried the lantern, and that he had been sent to capture the baby. + +"Hush, hush--sh--sh!" she whispered, patting its shoulder gently. It +had no idea of crying, but she was so afraid that it might, and thus +tell where they were hiding. It happened that the baby was sleepy, and +snug and warm in Flossie's loving arms, it was quite content. + +Nearer, and yet nearer came the light! Now it was going farther from +her,--now returning, and now, oh, she must hold her breath! + +A firm step trampled the underbrush, the lantern was swung high, and the +two runaways were discovered. With a sob Flossie clasped the infant +closer, hiding its face with her own. + +"You sha'n't have this baby!" she cried, "for I won't let you! Nobody +shall touch my Uncle Harry's baby; nobody's going to _quantine_ her. I'm +'fraid out here, but I'll stay to take care of his own baby!" + +"Flossie! Flossie, little girl, who has frightened you? Why are you +hiding out here with the baby?" + +"Go away!" she cried, holding the baby closer, "they've sent you to find +us, but you don't know that they're going to _quantine_ this baby, but +I'll never let them do it." + +"Flossie, Flossie, you're frightened, listen to me." + +He put the lantern down, and seating himself upon the grass, placed his +strong arm around Flossie, drawing the two closer as if to protect them. + +"They _are_ going to _quantine_ this baby!" she cried, "and they sha'n't +cut her head off 'cause there's spots on her face. She's your baby, and +oh, I _love_ you both!" + +The wild note in her voice showed how genuine was her terror. + +"Nobody shall harm baby, I promise you that, dear," said Uncle Harry, +an odd quiver in his voice, "and you were a dear little girl to take +care of her for me, but now I must take you both up to the house, for +every one is hunting for you." + +"But Bridget said they'd have to quantine,"--sobbed Flossie. + +"Bridget was mistaken," he said, "and besides, no one is harmed by being +quarantined. I'll tell you all about that at another time. You are about +chilled through, and as you're not very huge, I guess I'll carry you +both." + +There was no help for it, so Flossie laid her head upon his shoulder, +the baby, sound asleep, still in her arms, and Uncle Harry strode across +the lawn, up to the piazza, and into the hall, where a frightened group +were talking. + +They crowded around him to learn where he had found them, but he raised +his hand to stop the eager questioning. + +Flossie had been badly frightened, and he felt that she must not be +excited. + +Once in her own little room with her mother bending over her, she +listened eagerly while Uncle Harry explained what the maids had meant, +and she sighed happily when she at last realized that the baby was safe +from harm, and that she would remain right under the roof of their +beautiful home. + +When on the following day the old doctor called to see the baby, he +laughed heartily at the story of Flossie's fear, and he declared that +Flossie must have done a very fine thing for the baby. Its little pink +cheeks were fair, and the tiny spots which had so frightened its young +mother had been chased away, so the doctor said, by its long stay out in +the evening air. "Then I _did_ do something nice for that baby," said +Flossie, to which Uncle Harry responded: + +"You were a brave little niece, Flossie," and Flossie was happy. + + * * * * * + +When the postman called on the morning of the next day, he brought an +invitation for the long-dreamed-of party. + +Then the secret was out as to what kind of party it was to be. + +A fancy dress party! A costume carnival! + +Of course the first question that each little friend asked of the other +was: + +"What are you going to wear?" + +"Why, our prettiest party dresses, of course," said Mollie Merton. + +Mollie, who was always very positive, was greatly surprised when Dorothy +overtook them on the way to school, and explained that each little guest +was expected to appear in a costume which should represent some +well-known character in history or story. + +"And mamma says we are not to tell each other what we're going to be," +said Dorothy; "we're to wear long dominoes over our frocks, and we'll +dance and play games, just peeping through eyeholes to see where we're +going." + +"And nobody'll know who anybody is," chimed in Nancy, "for Mrs. Dainty +and Aunt Charlotte will receive, and Dorothy will walk up to greet them, +so neither of us will even know who Dorothy is." + +"What fun!" cried Jeanette, and the little group laughed gaily. "Any +boys besides me invited?" questioned Reginald. + +"Yes, indeed, there are ever so many boys invited," Dorothy said. "My +cousins Russell and Arthur are coming, and three of papa's nephews will +be here. I've never met them, but they're coming for a little visit of +a few days, and I'm to have my party while they're here." + +"If you girls are going to wear those funny long cloaks, of course +they'll hide who you are, but you'll every one of you know us fellows," +said Reginald, who felt that the girls were more favored. + +"Indeed, we won't know you," laughed Dorothy, "for papa insists that you +boys must wear dominoes, too." + +"Hurrah for us, I say!" shouted Reginald; "we'll have as much fun as you +girls will." "And we've two weeks to wait," said Katie Dean, "and all +that time we're not to tell what we're to be." + +"Nor even the color of our dominoes," said Jeanette. + +"I sha'n't tell what I'm to be," Reginald proudly said, "but some of you +girls will just _have_ to tell; girls can't keep a secret." + +"We can keep a secret, Reginald Dean," said Mollie, to which Flossie +chimed in: + +"Yes, indeed we can. I _can't_ tell what I'm to be, because I don't +know; mamma hasn't told me, but I _do_ know what color I'm to wear, and +I won't tell that!" + +Reginald liked to tease. + +"Somebody'll tell something, see 'f they don't!" he said, nodding and +laughing. + + * * * * * + +It was now just a week from the day set +for the party. + +Arabella, hurrying along the avenue, tried to thrust her arms into the +sleeves of her jacket. + +"O dear! I shouldn't think this jacket had any armholes!" she cried +impatiently. + +She had hurried out before Aunt Matilda could stop her, and she was +trying to get her jacket on without pausing to do so. At last her arms +were in her sleeves, and she looked ahead to see if any one was in sight. + +"She'll be awful cross if I'm late," thought Arabella, and she tried to +run even faster. + +There were two reasons for Arabella's haste. The first was that she had +promised to meet Patricia, and the second reason was that it was +Saturday morning, and if she remained at home Aunt Matilda would be sure +to find something for her to do. Of course Aunt Matilda would ask where +she had been, and why she had run out so early, and oh, no end of +questions! + +"It'll be by-'m-bye when Aunt Matilda questions me," whispered Arabella, +adding cheerfully: "and by-'m-bye isn't _now_." + +"Hello!" called Patricia, "you're some late, but not _very_." + +"Why, I'm here as soon as you are," said Arabella. + +"I know that," Patricia replied, "but I thought you'd be over to my +house by this time." + +"Aren't we 'most there?" questioned Arabella. + +"Almost, and not quite," said Patricia, "and anyway I was going to stop +at a store before I go over to my house. Ma gave me some money and I'm +going to spend it for candy. Have you got any to spend?" + +Arabella shook her head. + +"Aunt Matilda won't let me spend money; she has her views about folks +spending money, she says." + +"I wouldn't want her for _my_ aunt," said Patricia. + +"Well, she isn't your aunt," snapped Arabella, and now they had reached +the little candy store, and Patricia, grasping Arabella's hand, walked +boldly in. + +Arabella was greatly impressed, and when Patricia asked her which kind +she would like to have, she managed to just whisper that _any_ kind +would do. + +At Arabella's home Aunt Matilda reigned supreme, and it was said that no +one, not even Mr. Corryville, dared spend any money, unless Aunt +Matilda approved, but that might not be true. + +Arabella thought it very grand that Patricia had enough money to buy +whatever she wished, and her surprise increased when she chose a +half-pound of two different kinds, ordering the clerk to put them in +separate papers. + +"You can have that bundle, and I'll have this," said Patricia, as they +left the store, "and now we'll go over to my house, it's that one next +to the school." + +Arabella looked toward the house at which Patricia pointed. It did not +look at all like the homes of her other friends. Patricia rang the bell, +and they heard the lock slip, then they commenced to mount the stairs. +The building was four stories high, and Patricia lived on the top floor. + +"We like the top floor because it's so airy," she said. + +Arabella said nothing, but when they were seated cosily in the corners +of an old sofa, each with her package of candy, Arabella was glad that +she had come. + +A few moments later Patricia's mother entered. She was showily dressed, +and her many pieces of jewelry made Arabella stare. She did not know +that those glittering rings and bangles were worth very little money. + +"Now, Patricia, you know I don't like to have you buy so much candy," +whined Mrs. Lavine. + +"I haven't _much_ candy," replied Patricia, "that Arabella's got belongs +to her." + +Arabella looked quickly at Patricia. Was not that a sort of fib? +Patricia had not _said_ that Arabella had bought her package of candy, +but she had certainly intended her mother to think so. + +Mrs. Lavine took a book from the table, and sat down by the window to +read. + +Soon Patricia became restless. + +"Let's go out again," she said, and in a few moments they were running +down the stairs, and out into the street. + +"I've got a little more money, and we'll have some ice cream," said +Patricia. + +Arabella wondered where she got her money, but dared not ask her, and +while she was thinking about it Patricia spoke. + +"I asked you over to my house because I think I'd like you for my best +friend," she said, "and because I've got something to tell you." + +Arabella stared at her through her glasses, but she said nothing. + +"You're sort of old-fashioned," Patricia continued, "but I guess we can +play together nicely, and you needn't be provoked at what I said, for +we're going to have a secret the very first thing, and I'll tell it to +you when we're having our ice cream." + +They entered a tiny store which the sign stated was an "Ice Cream +Parlor." There was room for but three little tables, but Arabella +thought it quite grand, for the wall-paper was covered with gaudy +flowers, and the ice cream was very pink. + +They took tiny sips that the treat might last longer, and Arabella +watched Patricia, and waited to hear what she had to tell. + +At last Patricia lost patience. + +"Why don't you ask what the secret is?" she asked. + +"Why don't you tell it if it's worth telling?" Arabella asked, coolly. + +"I _guess_ it's worth telling," said Patricia. "Say, you'll be at +Dorothy Dainty's party, won't you?" + +"Of course I'll be there; my costume is 'most done." + +"What's it going to be?" + +"Why, don't you remember we are not to tell any one what we are to wear; +not even the color of our dominoes?" Arabella asked in surprise. + +"Well, we didn't promise not to tell," said Patricia, "and, anyway, I'm +going to tell you. Ma has made me a Spanish dress, all spangles, and red +ribbons, and gold tinsel, and my domino that will cover it for the first +of the evening will be bright yellow! I've told you, Arabella +Corryville, because now you'll know which I am, as soon as you see me, +and you'll be just mean if you don't tell me now what you're going to +wear." Arabella hesitated. + +"Dorothy wouldn't like to have us tell," she said. + +"Well, we needn't tell her we told, and what about _me_? Here I've +treated you to candy and ice cream, and told you all about my costume. +If you were half-nice, you'd think you _ought_ to tell me about yours." + +Patricia's voice sounded grieved, and Arabella wavered. + +Ought she to tell? She knew she ought not, but Patricia urged again. + +"And I was going to say we could each wear a blue ribbon on the third +buttonhole of our dominoes, so we'd know each other the minute we got +there. And, say," she continued, "have you ever been all over the stone +house?" + +"Not in every room," said Arabella. "Have you been in the +observatory?" + +"The _what_?" asked Arabella. + +Patricia was sure that she had made a mistake. + +"The room where the flowers are?" she said. + +"Oh, the _conservatory_, you mean," Arabella said, grandly. "No, I +haven't been in there, but I've seen the flowers from the doorway, and +they're lovely." + +"Well, they're twice as lovely when you're right in the room with them. +I _know_, because I've been in there!" said Patricia. + +"_When_?" queried Arabella. + +"The last time I was there," Patricia replied, "and _now_ I'll tell you +something; there's something in that room that I know about, and not +another girl knows it but me. I won't tell you what it is now, but at +the party I'll do better than _tell_ you; I'll _show_ you. We'll go out +into the hall when nobody is looking at us, and we'll go into the +what-you-call-it,--" + +"The conservatory," prompted Arabella. + +"The conservatory," repeated Patricia, "and then you'll see _what_ +you'll see! I _promise_ to surprise you." + +"Don't you tell if I tell you," said Arabella. + +"No, '_ndeed_," Patricia agreed. + +"Well, Aunt Matilda said she wouldn't let me wear anything _flighty_, so +she's made me a dress like a Puritan, and my domino is tan color." + +Arabella's curiosity forced her to tell all that Patricia longed to +know, because she was simply wild to visit the conservatory, and find +out what it was that Patricia could show. + +With vows of secrecy they parted, Patricia walking slowly homeward; +Arabella running all the way. + +"Aunt Matilda'll say something, I guess, when she sees me," she +whispered as she ran, "First thing she'll ask where I've been, and oh, I +never thought to take those horrid pills! The bottle is in my pocket, +and I've eaten candy and ice cream! It's lucky she don't know _that_; if +she did she'd say, 'I shouldn't wonder if that child had fits before +morning!' She don't know it, and p'r'aps I won't have the fits." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE PARTY + + +Lights blazed from every window of the stone house, the great garden +was brilliantly lighted, even the twinkling stars overhead seemed +brighter than usual, as if they knew of the party, and were laughing as +they watched the little guests arriving. + +Lightly they stepped from their carriages, and flew up the steps as if +their feet had wings. + +What was their surprise to see the manservant, at the door as usual, to +be sure, but in a fine old suit of livery that made him look like an +English serving-man of many, many years ago. + +Yes, there was the maid in the hall in a cute Watteau costume, a tiny +lace cap on her head, and a kerchief over her flowered gown. She +presented her salver, and each little guest laid a card upon it, with +the name of the character which she represented. These were merely to +be kept as souvenirs, that later Dorothy might look them over, and see +what a variety of noted personages had called to do her honor. + +They were not to be announced, for while the names of the girls' +costumes would not tell _which_ girl wore it, the characters that the +boys took would of course be male personages. + +So the little guests tripped through the great hall, and into the long +drawing-room, where another surprise awaited them. + +There stood handsome Mr. Dainty in royal robes, as a king, his beautiful +wife in velvet and ermine as his queen, and gentle Aunt Charlotte as +lady-in-waiting. + +How quaint the little figures looked in their long, cloak-like dominoes +of red, blue, pink, green, white, lilac, and indeed every known color +and tint. + +As they each extended a little hand, they peeped at host and hostess +through the eyeholes in their dominoes, and if they were recognized, +they did not know it. + +Now and then a ripple of stifled laughter told how greatly they enjoyed +their disguise. + +When all had been greeted, Mrs. Dainty raised her sceptre, and when the +little figures were all attention she spoke. + +"Dear little subjects, we are happy to have you with us, and for a short +time we wish you to wear the long dominoes which keep us guessing who +you are. And now we will listen to some music, and while you listen you +shall enjoy a wealth of royal bonbons." + +At a signal from the queen the little Watteau maid entered, followed by +five other maids in similar costumes, each bearing trays of candies. + +At the same moment sweet strains of music sounded through the room, +coming from behind a group of palms and flowering plants. + +The bonbons were delicious, and the merry music set little feet tapping +beneath the long cloaks. + +Two figures sat very close together. One wore a bright yellow cloak, the +other domino was a quiet tan color. They were Arabella and Patricia, and +while they sat eating their bonbons, they talked softly, that no one +might hear them. A little figure in a long red cloak leaned against the +wall, listening to the music, and at the same time watching the two who +talked together. + +It was Reginald who watched them, and his eyes twinkled as he whispered: + "I just _know_ that those two are girls, and they've gone and told +each other who they are. _I'd_ like to know who they are, too, and I +guess I'll walk over there." + +He made his way across the room, and soon was standing just behind them. + +The musicians were playing a sprightly polka. A triangle marked the +measures, and Reginald's red shoe tapped the floor beneath his long red +cloak. + +The two who sat upon the divan were talking in what they thought to be a +very low tone, but when suddenly the music ceased, Patricia's voice +could be plainly heard. + +"Why, Arabella!" she said, and then, surprised at hearing her own voice, +she said no more. + +Reginald laughed softly, and Patricia turned to look at him, but of +course could not guess who the red-cloaked figure might be. Oh, it was +fun to be hiding behind the gay-colored dominoes! It was almost like +hide-and-seek. + +And now the beautiful queen was speaking. + +"We will have a pretty march now," she said. "My king and I will lead, +my lady-in-waiting will follow me, while you, my merry subjects, shall +form, two by two, and march to grandest music. After the march, the +dominoes shall be cast aside, and then--" she paused, then laughing +gaily she concluded, "_then_ I shall know who my guests are." + +The trumpet's blare told all to be ready! The king and queen came down +from their red velvet throne, the stately lady-in-waiting followed, and +then the bright-hued figures, two by two, marched like a moving rainbow +after the tall figures who led. Around the great drawing-room in +graceful figures the gorgeous little procession moved. How bright their +colors appeared, the light shimmering upon a pink cloak beside a blue +one, a green cloak walking with a yellow one, a scarlet one with a +white, a buff one with bright cherry-hued domino! + +But the greatest excitement came when, after the march, the colored +cloaks were cast aside, and the laughing playmates were revealed. + +"Did you know me?" + +"Did you guess who I was?" + +"Did you know you were talking to me?" + +These were the questions which they asked each other, and the gracious +king and queen looked down upon their merry courtiers, and admired +their brilliant costumes. + +And what a variety there was! First of all, Dorothy, as an elf in gauze +and spangles, was a lovely sprite to look upon. + +Near her stood Nancy, dressed as a shepherdess. Dorothy's cousin, +Russell Dalton, made a charming page, while his sister, Aline, was a +flower girl. Reginald strutted about in an early Spanish costume, and he +had chosen his own dress. + +"I can't look old enough for Ponce de Leon," he had said, "but I want a +suit like the one he wears in the painting that hangs in the hall." + +His wish had been granted, and he looked like a tiny cavalier about to +sally forth in search of fortune, or undiscovered countries. + +Mollie Merton made a pretty Red-riding-hood, while, as usual, close +beside her, stood Flossie Barnet as Little Bo-Peep. + +"Anybody'd know I'm Bo-peep, because I've this crook in my hand," said +Flossie, "but look at Nina and Jeanette; what are they?" + +"We're Spring and Summer," Jeanette answered with a laugh at Flossie's +little puzzled face, "I am a rose, and she's a crocus," she continued, +"and have you seen Katie Dean yet? She's a lovely butterfly. There she +is now." + +They all turned to look at Katie as she came toward them. She was indeed +a dainty butterfly. Her frock of yellow gauze matched her wings, which +were edged with gold, and as she ran toward them, she looked as if she +might fly if she wished. + +Arabella looked very demure as a little Puritan, and really, Patricia's +showy Spanish costume was becoming. There were many more guests, and +all were in beautiful costumes. The room was alive with color, and when, +later, they danced to merry music, it seemed, indeed, a joyous carnival. + +The games came next, and how they played! And of all the games they +found one very old one to be the most delightful. Some one asked if they +might play it, and thus it happened that the king announced that the +next would be "A Journey to Nubia." + +The maids entered, and quickly placed two rows of chairs, back to back, +down the centre of the room, placing _one less_ chair than there were +children. + +When the music sounded they were to march around and around the rows of +chairs, but when the music should stop abruptly, they must rush to get +a seat. The one child who would be left standing must pay a forfeit. + +A stirring march was played, and the children walked around the chairs, +and every time that they came to the end of the line they paused, +believing that the music would cease, but the musicians played on and +on. The laughing children marched gaily, when, in the middle of a lively +strain, the music stopped, and they rushed for seats. + +It was Nancy who found no chair, and she knew that she must pay a +forfeit. + +"What shall I do?" she asked, and Russell, who liked Nancy, asked if he +might set the task for her. + +He was given permission, and turning to her he said: "I'll ask +something, Nancy, that I know you can do. I'll beg you to dance for +us." + +"Oh, you need not beg," Nancy said sweetly, "if they will play a waltz, +I'll gladly dance for you." + +Softly they played a bewitching melody, and Nancy, running out to an +open space, danced till those who watched her were wild with delight. +And when the dance was finished they crowded around her, crying in +wonder: + +"Oh, Nancy, how can you do it so gracefully?" + +"You wouldn't wonder if you only knew how long I studied, and how many +hours I practised," she said. + +"I couldn't dance like that if I practised for ten years," said Russell. + +"I don't believe he could," laughed his sister Aline, "his talent is +surely not for dancing, for only the other day he told me that at +dancing-school, just as sure as he tried not to step on his partner's +toes, he always trod on his own." + +"It's just what I do," agreed Russell, joining in the laughter that +greeted Aline's words. + +Again and again they marched around the double row of chairs, and each +time the one caught standing was made to pay a forfeit, to the delight +of all the others. + +For the next game they clasped hands and formed a great ring. Dorothy, +in the centre, extended her arms as she sang this verse: + + "As around you gaily dance, + I must see if, just by chance, + In your ring which has no end, + You do hold my dearest friend. + Yes, my truest friend I see, + Nancy, dearest, come to me." + +Nancy ran into the circle, and the others, clasping hands, danced around +them singing gaily: + + "See the happy, merry two, + One with brown eyes, one with blue, + One is dark and one is fair, + Which of us will join them there?" + +It was Nancy's turn now to choose a friend from the ring, and she at +once chose Flossie. + +Flossie was the youngest of the little guests, and she was delighted to +be so soon chosen. + +Unnoticed by the children, several new arrivals had entered the room. +They were a few of Mrs. Dainty's nearest neighbors who had been invited +to come in during the evening and see the merrymaking. + +As Flossie stood in the centre of the ring with Dorothy and Nancy, she +looked toward the playmates who circled around them, and was about to +choose Mollie, when she spied Uncle Harry, and she laughed with delight. +He was dressed as an English squire of an early century. Quickly she +whispered to Dorothy. + +"May I, oh, _may_ I?" she asked. + +"Yes, oh, _do_," laughed Dorothy. + +"I choose you, Uncle Harry," she cried, "oh, come quick." + +Never too dignified to have a bit of fun, and always ready to please the +children, he hurried forward and entered the ring. + +"As if I'd lose a moment in joining three such charming young ladies," +he said, while the laughing children danced yet faster around the merry +four. + +How handsome he looked as he stood among his little friends. A brave, +athletic young man he was, with a heart full of love for the children, +who returned his affection with interest. + +"Now, Uncle Harry, it's your turn to sing," said Flossie. "Do you know +the verse you ought to sing?" + +"I don't believe I do know the one which belongs in this game, but I'll +sing one of my own," he said with a laugh. + + "You are so charming, all in a ring, + Hardly I know of which siren to sing, + Yet if I _must_ choose, then it shall be + Mollie, bright Mollie to come unto me." + +His was a fine voice, and he sang his improvised verse to the music of +one of his favorite songs, "Beautiful Dreamer." + +"Oh, I wish you had to sing ever so many verses," Jeanette said +impulsively, and he bowed to her earnestly spoken compliment. + +They had paused for a moment to rest, and for a time their hands were +unclasped. Patricia thought that this was just her chance. She touched +Arabella's arm. + +"Come," she whispered, and Arabella followed. + +It happened that no one noticed that the two had left their playmates, +and soon they were flying around in a circle, singing their verses, and +choosing as before. + +The conservatory was brightly lighted, and the perfume of the flowers +was rich and heavy. The fountain plashed in its shallow basin, and it +seemed like a glimpse of fairyland. Patricia looked about to see if any +one had followed them, but no one was near. + +"Now this is what I'm going to show you," she said. "You see that one +lovely fountain?" Oh, yes, Arabella saw that. + +"Well, there's _two_ fountains, and _I_ know where the other one is. +I'll let you try to find it first, and if you can't find it, I'll show +it to you." + +"How do _you_ know where it is?" questioned Arabella. + +Patricia looked very important. + +"I know, because I _do_ know," she said. + +Arabella looked into this corner, and peeped into that, and between them +they managed to tip over some small pots of valuable plants, but the +music and laughter in the drawing-room prevented any sounds in the +conservatory from being heard. At last Arabella was disgusted. + +"I don't believe there's two fountains," she said. + +"Then I'll _show_ you," said Patricia, "and I'll tell you how I know. +Just see here," and she pointed to the jet of water which flew high in +air, letting fall a veil of mist and spray. + +"That's where the butler turns the water on to set the fountain playing. +I was in here once when I saw him turn that little thing round, and I +saw the water fly right up in a minute." + +Arabella watched Patricia closely. + +"But where's the _other_ fountain?" she asked impatiently. + +"Oh, you'll see in a second. Come over here," Patricia said, laughing +softly. + +[Illustration: "There! that's another fountain."] + +"There!" she said, pointing to a pipe that ran along the floor beneath a +shelf filled with flowering plants; "that's _another_ fountain, and I +should think they'd have both playing when they have a party." + +"That's _not_ a fountain!" said Arabella. + +"Well, I guess I know, and so will you in a second, for I'm going to set +it going. See here!" + +"Fizz-z-sss!" + +A cloud of steam filled the little conservatory, and the two frightened +girls screamed with terror, believing that nothing less than an +explosion had happened. The servants rushed in and quickly turned off +the steam, while Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte, who had hastened to the +rescue, tried to quiet the fear of the mischief-makers. + +Not a word was said of the beautiful plants which were now completely +ruined, and Mrs. Dainty's kindness made Patricia feel ashamed. + +"I'm sorry," she whispered, and no one had ever before heard her say +that. Arabella was fairly hysterical, laughing and crying at the same +time, but Aunt Charlotte at last succeeded in calming her, and when the +little banquet was announced, they joined the other children, and were +as happy as any of the merry party that marched out to the great +dining-room. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +TWO SLEIGHRIDES + + +In the centre of the table was a huge round cake encrusted with +gorgeous frosting in the forms of beautiful flowers. Around its sides +were festoons of buds and blossoms, while here and there a sugar +butterfly was poised as if ready for flight. + +There were flowers beside every plate, there were ices in wonderful +shapes, there were bonbons and nuts in abundance, while great silver +baskets were heaped with luscious fruits. + +What a treat it was! How they laughed and talked as they enjoyed the +feast! How bright the lights, how sweet the scent of the lovely flowers +with which every room was decorated! + +From the drawing-room the tender music floated in. Oh, it was like a +dream of fairyland! + +Nina Earl watched Patricia closely. + +"I guess you never saw a finer party than _this_," she said. + +Patricia stared for a moment, then she said just what one might have +expected. + +"This _is_ a lovely party, and I never saw a grander one except one I +went to when I was in N' York, where they had a cake as big as this +whole table, and--" + +"Then the table to hold such a cake as that must have been pretty big to +get inside of any room!" laughed Reginald. + +"Well, you didn't see it, so you can't know how grand it looked," +Patricia replied, and as that was quite true, Reginald had nothing to +say. + +Lola Blessington sat beside Nancy, and many of the older guests watched +the two as they talked together, and thought how charming they were, +and how very unlike. + +Lola's blue eyes were merry, and her sea-nymph's costume was very +becoming, while Nancy's fine dark eyes and graceful figure never looked +prettier than in her lovely shepherdess frock. + +At Nancy's right sat Dorothy, and her beautiful little face showed the +joy that was in her heart. She was always happiest when giving pleasure +to others. + +And when at last the feast had been enjoyed, more merry games had been +played, and tripping feet had danced to lively measures, then the great +hall clock hands pointed to the hour, and the guests remembered that it +was quite time to be thinking of home. + +A surprise awaited the merrymakers, for when good-nights had been said, +and they stepped out into the crisp air, they shouted with delight, for +lo, while they had been in the warm, flower-scented rooms, a snowstorm +had been covering the steps, the gardens, the avenue with a white velvet +carpet! + +"Hurrah!" shouted Reginald, "this is the first snowstorm, and there'll +be fun every day as long as it lasts." + +Long icicles hung like diamond pendants from roof and balcony, and still +the snow-flakes like downy feathers were falling lazily, as if they knew +not whether to pause, or to continue to descend. + +And when the last carriage had rolled down the driveway Dorothy turned, +and clasping Nancy's hands, she said: + +"Oh, there never was such a perfect party! We'll always remember it." + +"Always," said Nancy. + +There were two thoughts, two pictures in her mind. She was thinking of +Dorothy's first party, when, as a little outcast, she had climbed up +into the branches of a tree which overhung the great garden, that thus +she might peep at the lovely children in their beautiful frocks; now, as +Dorothy's friend and playmate, she had enjoyed this fancy dress party, +in a costume as charming as that of any guest. + +She was happy now, and how dearly she loved Dorothy, how grateful she +was for her home and friends! + +For days they talked of nothing but the party, and Aunt Charlotte found +it a little difficult to keep them from whispering about it during +school hours. + +Three little guests who had intended to come, had, at the last moment, +been obliged to remain at home. They were Mr. Dainty's nephews, and +they had been much disappointed in losing a charming visit in which a +fine party was to have been included. + +Patricia, with her usual lack of sweetness, told Arabella that she did +not believe that those three boys had ever _thought_ of coming. + +"Well, anyway, _we_ were there, and we had a fine time, but say,--there +_weren't_ two fountains after all!" said Arabella. + +"Why, what a thing to say, when I showed you the second one, only it +didn't work right," Patricia replied. "The way I turned it made steam, +so if I'd only just turned it the _other_ way it would have been water." + +"How do you know it would?" Arabella asked in a teasing voice. + +"How do you know it _wouldn't_?" Patricia replied, and Arabella chose +to make no reply. + +After the little happening in the conservatory on the evening of the +party, Aunt Matilda spoke plainly to Arabella about her choice of +playmates. + +"I don't approve of that Lavine girl," she had said. + +"You don't know her," ventured Arabella. + +"I don't need to," was the curt reply. "A girl that can't go to a party +without meddling with things, and getting into mischief, is not the girl +that I care to have you with, and there's no reason why you should go to +the other end of the town to find a playmate; there are enough pleasant +girls in your own school." + +Aunt Matilda's words were true, but with Arabella's contrary nature, the +fact that her aunt did not approve of Patricia, made her the most +desirable of all her playmates. + +She at once decided to spend the next Saturday with Patricia. She did +not dare to ask Patricia to call for her, because Aunt Matilda, if +exasperated, might send her home, and Patricia would never overlook +that. She had just decided to invite herself to visit Patricia when +something happened which delighted her. + +It was after school, and they were talking of the coming Saturday, and +how it should be spent. + +"We've not seen you driving your pony for a long time," said Katie Dean. + +"We are going out with Romeo on Saturday," Dorothy said. + +"There's a lovely road where the great icicles hang from the trees like +fringe, and the groom says it's the finest road for sleighing in +Merrivale." + +Patricia had not been to school, and had walked over to meet the pupils +of the little private class. + +"I suppose Nancy's going with you," Patricia said. + +"Of course she will," said Katie, "don't you just know that Dorothy +wouldn't care for the ride if Nancy weren't with her?" + +Katie laughed as she said it, the others joining in the merriment, for +it was well known that while Dorothy cared very truly for all her +friends, Nancy was the dearest. Patricia knew how handsome Romeo looked +in his fine harness, and the trim little sleigh with its soft fur robes +made a nice setting for Dorothy and Nancy as they spun over the +glistening road. She determined to say something which would impress +all who listened. + +"I'll invite you to a sleighride with _me_, Arabella," she said, "will +you go?" + +"Yes, _indeed_," said Arabella, "what time shall I be ready?" + +"You be over at my house 'bout two, and we'll go as soon as we want to," +she said. + +Nina looked at Jeanette, and when Patricia had left them she spoke the +thought that was in her mind. + +"I didn't know Patricia Lavine had a horse and sleigh. Has any one ever +seen her driving?" she asked. + +"Don't b'lieve she has," said Reginald. + +Patricia had offended him that afternoon by calling him a _little_ boy. + +"You mustn't say that," said Katie, who, being a year older than her +cousin Reginald, felt obliged to reprove him when things that he said +were just a little too naughty. + +"You just tell me, Katie Dean, do _you_ b'lieve she has?" he asked, but +Katie was talking to Mollie, and she chose to let him think that she had +not heard his question. + +The day set for the two sleighrides was clear and crisp. + +Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte were entertaining each other with +exchanging memories of Mrs. Dainty's school-days when with her +classmates she had been as popular as Dorothy now was, and Aunt +Charlotte had found it a task to keep them under good discipline without +quelling their high spirits. + +The fire in the grate flamed higher and crackled merrily, and in the +glow the two ladies were enjoying tea, small cakes, and bonbons. + +"You may go for a short sleighride, if you wish," Mrs. Dainty said, "if +you and Nancy will dress very warmly for the trip. Aunt Charlotte and I +have decided to remain here cosily by the fire." + +"But Romeo hasn't been out for days, and I don't mind the cold. It'll be +just gay out in the crisp air," Dorothy said. + +"Then surely you may go if it is to be so very gay," said Mrs. Dainty, +laughing, "but remember what I said about wearing warm wraps and furs." + +Dorothy promised, and soon, with the groom riding behind them, they were +off over the road. + +Romeo was as delighted as they, and sped along as if shod with wings, +his mane and tail floating gracefully as he almost flew along. + +Dorothy and Nancy, nestled in a white fur robe, felt only the frosty +touch of the sharp wind upon their cheeks, and they laughed and talked +as if it had been a summer day. + +On the dry bushes by the roadside great flocks of tiny sparrows hopped +from twig to twig, chattering and twittering as they pecked at the +little dried berries. A great crow flew out from a bit of woodland, +making a noisy protest that any one should drive over the quiet road, +and thus disturb his musings. + +The icicles were glittering in the sunlight, and the crust sparkled as +if powdered with diamond dust, while the rough bark of the trees still +held a coating of frost which the sunlight had not been warm enough to +melt. + +"We'll tell them how beautiful it looked when we get home," said +Dorothy, her eyes bright with delight. + +"It will take two of us to even _half_ tell it," laughed Nancy. + +And while Dorothy and Nancy were gliding rapidly over the frosty +highway, Arabella was standing at Patricia's door, ringing the bell, and +wondering why no one replied. Then some one came around the corner. + +"Hello!" she cried. "Ma's gone to spend the afternoon with a friend, and +I've just been out to see about our sleigh, so nobody heard you ring. +The sleigh'll be here in just a minute; you come up with me and help me +bring down some shawls." + +Without stopping to question, Arabella followed her up the three flights +of stairs, and such an array of shawls as Patricia brought out! + +"These sofa cushions I'll throw downstairs, and we can pick them up +afterwards," she said. + +Over the baluster she flung cushion after cushion, until Arabella's +curiosity forced her to question. + +"What ever _are_ you going to do with all those cushions?" she asked. + +Patricia looked very wise. + +"Oh, you'll see," she said, and when she had reached the lower hall she +peeped out. + +"Here it is!" she said. + +Arabella looked. + +"Why, that's an old _pung_!" she said + +"Well, who said it wasn't?" Patricia replied sharply; "but it isn't an +_old_ one _now_, because it has just been painted yellow. It's our +grocer's, and the boy that drives it is going to let us ride in it this +afternoon." Arabella hesitated. She knew that Aunt Matilda did not +wish her to be with Patricia at all, and she also felt that to ride in a +yellow pung, lettered, "Fine Groceries, Butter, Cheese, and Eggs," was +surely not aristocratic, and yet, what _fun_ it would be! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE PUNG RIDE + + +The grocer's boy had delivered all of his parcels except two large +paper bags which he had pushed over near the dasher. Patricia began to +bring out the cushions, and the boy tossed them in upon the straw which +lay upon the floor of the pung. Then Patricia and Arabella climbed in, +the boy cracked his whip, the horse sprang forward with a surprising +jolt, then settled down to a comical amble. + +How cold it was! Arabella had wondered at the number of shawls which +Patricia had taken. Now she was very glad to wrap two around her, while +Patricia wore the other two. + +"G'lang!" shouted the boy, and again the horse gave an amazing hop which +sent the pung forward with a lurch, and rolled the two girls over upon +the straw. Patricia thought it a joke, but Arabella, never very +good-tempered, was actually angry. "O dear!" she cried, "I think it's +just horrid to be shaken up so. Well, I don't think you're very nice to +laugh about it, Patricia. I wouldn't like to take any one out to a +sleighride, and have 'em banged around,--oh, o-o!" + +It was a "thank-you-ma'am" in the middle of the road that caused +Arabella's angry speech to end in a little shriek. + +It was useless for Patricia to try to hide her merriment. She could not +help laughing. She rarely felt sorry for any one's discomfort, and +really Arabella did look funny. + +In the shake-up, her hat had been pushed over to one side of her head, +but she did not know that, and her old-fashioned little face looked +smaller than usual, because of the two heavy shawls which were crowded +so high that she appeared to have no neck at all. Small as her face +was, it could show a great deal of rage, and as she drew her shawls +tighter around her, and glared at Patricia, she looked odd enough to +make any one laugh. + +"You look as if you'd like to spit like a cat," laughed Patricia, and +just at that moment the boy who was driving turned to ask which way he +should go. + +"I got ter take them bags over ter the big old house what's painted the +color er this pung, an' stands between a old barn an' a carriage shed. +Know where 'tis?" he asked. + +"Indeed, I don't," declared Patricia. + +"Wal, I was goin' ter say that I kin git there by two different roads, +an' I'd go the way ye'd like best ter go ef ye knew which that was," he +said. "I only know I want the ride, and this road is stupid and poky. +Go the way that has the most houses on it," Patricia answered, and the +boy turned into another avenue, and soon they were passing houses +enough, such as they were! + +Small houses that were dingy, and held one family, and larger ones that +must have held three tribes at least, judging by the number of washings +which hung upon the dilapidated piazzas. + +"G'lang!" shouted the boy, but the nag had heard that too often to be +impressed, and he only wagged one ear in response, but took not a step +quicker. + +Arabella was cold and provoked that she had come. Patricia was excited, +and felt that she was having a frolic, and even Arabella's glum face +could not quiet her; indeed, the more she looked at her, the more +inclined was she to laugh. Arabella felt aggrieved. + +"The idea of laughing at _me_," she thought, "when I should think I +might laugh at her for inviting me to ride in a sleigh that is only a +_pung_!" + +Then something happened which made Arabella forget that she was provoked +with Patricia, because she suddenly became so vexed with some one else. + +A short, stubby boy with a mass of hay-colored hair, ran out from a yard +that they were passing. + +"Ho! Look at the girlth a-havin' a ride out! Look at the horthe! My, +thee hith bonthe thtick out! Gueth they feed him on thawdutht an' +shavingth, don't they, Mandy?" + +"Oh, look at 'em! Look at 'em! Them's some er the _private_ school; +don't they look _grand_ ridin' in Bill Tillson's grocery wagin?" +shouted Mandy. + +"I wonder if that horthe would jump if I fired a thnowball?" + +"Don't ye do it!" shouted the driver. + +"Better not, Chub!" cried Mandy, thinking that perhaps the fun had gone +far enough. + +The fact that he had been told not to made Chub long to do it. + +"Here's the place," said the driver, and, grasping one of the bags, he +jumped from the team and ran into the house with the parcel. The reins +lay loosely upon the horse's back. + +Chub, who had kept pace with the team, now paused to choose the most +interesting bit of mischief. Should he make a grab at the loose-lying +reins, and by jerking them surprise the horse, or would he be more +frisky if the half-dozen snowballs which he had been making were all +hurled at him at once? + +Before he could decide, the boy came out of the house, and jumping into +the pung, gathered up the reins, and attempted to turn the team towards +home. Chub thought if he were to have any fun, he must get it quickly. + +"_Heighoh_! You Jumpin' Ginger!" he shouted, at the same time letting +fly the six snowballs. The frightened nag reared, and turning sharply +about, tipped the pung, completely emptying it of passengers and +freight. + +"That'th a _thpill_! Girlth an' _onionth_! Girlth an' _onionth_!" +shouted Chub, but Mandy, who was older, knew quite enough to be +frightened, that is, frightened for her own safety. If the little girls +were hurt, would some one blame her or Chub? The driver had stopped +the thoroughly terrified horse, the pung was not injured, so he thought +he might see if the children were harmed. + +Mandy had helped Arabella to her feet, and picked up her shawls, which +had fallen off. She was more frightened than hurt, but her feelings were +injured. Patricia, brushing the snow from her cloak, spoke her thoughts +very plainly. + +"Chub's a perfectly horrid boy," she said, "and we _might_ have broken +our necks." + +"Ye _didn't_, though," said Mandy. + +"And I shouldn't wonder if Ma had him put in the big lock-up," she said, +"for scaring our horse, and tipping us out on the road. We may get +_reumonia_ for being thrown into the snow." + +"Ye can't 'rest Chub; he ain't nothin' but a big baby," said Mandy, +"an' what's _reumonia_, anyway?" + +Patricia would not reply. The driver helped them to pick up the +cushions, but the bag of onions, which he had forgotten to take to the +big house, he left where they lay in the road. They were too widely +scattered to be gathered up. + +Chub found a huge one, and commenced to eat it as eagerly as if it had +been a luscious bit of fruit. + +"Thith ith _fine_," he said as he took a big bite from the onion. + +"That Chub's a regular little pig," Patricia said, as they rode off, but +her words were not heard by Mandy or Chub, for the youthful driver was +shouting a loud warning to Chub to throw no more snowballs for fear of a +sound thrashing followed by arrest, while Chub, afraid to throw the +snowballs, hurled after the pung the worst names that he could think +of. + +"That horthe ith thlow ath a old moolly cow! It'th an old thlow-poke! +What a thkinny nag! That horthe eath nothin' but newthpaper and +thtring!" he yelled. + +"That Chub is just a horrid-looking child," said Patricia, "an' he's the +Jimmy boy's brother, but nobody'd ever think it." + +"Who's the Jimmy boy?" Arabella asked. + +"Why, don't you know the boy that we see sometimes at Dorothy Dainty's +house?" + +Arabella shook her head. + +"I mean the one that wears a cap with a gold band on it, and a coat with +brass buttons, and tries to walk like a man when Mr. Dainty sends him +out with parcels," explained Patricia. + +"Oh, I know," said Arabella, "but _he's_ real _nice_ looking, and +Dorothy says her father thinks he's smart. I shouldn't think he could be +brother to that little pig or that Mandy girl." + +"Well, he is, and one thing Dorothy said one day I couldn't understand. +She said that one reason why her father was so kind to Jimmy is because +Jimmy helped to get Nancy Ferris home one time when she was stolen from +them. Did you ever hear 'bout that? I don't see how just a boy could do +that, do you?" + +No, Arabella did not see, nor had she heard the story, but she had seen +Jimmy, and she wondered that he belonged to such a family as that which +produced Mandy and Chub. + +"Ye're 'most home," declared the driver, "an' soon's I've landed ye +I'll hev ter scoot." + +"But you'll have to take Arabella home; she lives 'way over the other +side of the town," insisted Patricia. + +"Oh, no, no, he _won't_!" said Arabella. "I'd rather walk all the way +than have Aunt Matilda know that I've been sleighing." + +"Why, how funny!" and Patricia stared in surprise. + +"It's funnier now than it would be when Aunt Matilda found it out." + +"Why?" Patricia asked. + +"Because," said Arabella, "whenever I've been out, and she thinks I've +taken cold, she boils some old herb tea, and makes me drink it hot, and +I have to be bundled in blankets, and she makes such a fuss that I wish +I hadn't gone anywhere at all." "I guess you'd better not tell her," +Patricia advised, to which Arabella replied: + +"I just don't intend to." + +And while Dorothy and Nancy were standing before a blazing fire in the +sitting-room at the stone house, recounting the beauties of the sky, the +branches fringed with glittering icicles, the squirrels that raced +across the hard crust of snow, and indeed, every lovely bit of road or +forest which they had seen, Arabella, shivering as she hurried along, +saw the bright lights, and rushed past the great gate, across the avenue +and in at her own driveway. She hoped that every one would be talking +when she entered. She intended to join in the conversation, and she +thought if she could manage to talk very, _very_ fast, Aunt Matilda +might not ask where she had been. But she did. Arabella had removed +her hat and cloak, and trying very hard to stop shivering, she pushed +aside the portière, and stood in the glow of the shaded lamp. + +"Warmer weather to-morrow, the paper says, and I guess we shall all be +glad to have it," Aunt Matilda was saying. + +"It w-would be f-fine to h-h-have it w-w-warmer," said Arabella, her +teeth chattering so that she thought every one must hear them rattle. + +Over her paper Aunt Matilda's bright eyes peered at the little girl who +shivered in spite of her effort to stand very still. + +"Where have you been, Arabella? You're chilled through. I say, where +have you been?" + +"I've just taken quite a long walk," Arabella replied. "If you've +taken a long walk as late as this in the afternoon, you've come some +distance. Have you been spending this whole afternoon at that Lavine +girl's house?" + +"No'm," said Arabella, "I haven't been in her house _any_ of the +afternoon; I've been out-of-doors." + +Aunt Matilda threw up her hands in amazement, as if a number of hours in +the open air ought to have actually killed Arabella, whereas, she really +was alive, but exceedingly chilly. + +Then the very thing happened which Arabella had told Patricia would +happen. + +Aunt Matilda had her old-fashioned notions regarding the care of +children, and Arabella was sent to bed, packed in blankets, after having +drank a pint bowl full of the worst-tasting herb tea which Aunt Matilda +had ever brewed. She had thought that she might drink half of it, and +then throw the rest away, but as if guessing her intention, Aunt Matilda +stood close beside her to be sure that not a drop was wasted. + +"It's no use to make such an outrageous face, Arabella," she remarked, +"for the worse it tastes the more good it's _sure_ to do." + +"But I'd 'most rather have a cold than take that stuff," wailed +Arabella. + +"That's the time you don't have your choice," was the dry reply. + +And indeed she did not, for besides taking the despised herb tea, she +awoke the next morning with a heavy cold that kept her away from school +for the whole of the next week. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN UNEXPECTED TRIP + + +The next Saturday proved to be warm and sunny, and Mrs. Dainty had +taken an early train for the city, intending to spend the day in +shopping. + +It had been necessary that Dorothy should go with her, because there was +a new cloak to be "tried on." Mrs. Dainty had wished to have Mrs. +Grayson with her, but both had thought that Nancy would be lonely. + +"If I were to spend the day in the stores, Nancy, I would take you with +me, because you always enjoy shopping," Aunt Charlotte said, "but I am +to visit a friend who is ill, and that would be very dull for you, and +if you go with Dorothy, you will think that the hours drag if you sit +waiting while her cloak is being fitted." + +"Oh, but I shall not mind being at home _this_ time," Nancy said, +cheerfully; "I shall play with Flossie and Mollie all the forenoon,--" + +"And the maid will serve your lunch at _my_ house at one," Dorothy said. + +"And I'll ask them both to come over to the cottage to play with me this +afternoon," Nancy continued, "and before we're done playing you'll +return." + +And the forenoon was quite as pleasant as she had thought it would be. +She had gone over to Mollie's, and found Flossie already there, and they +had played tag and hide-and-seek just as if it had been a summer day. +The sunlight was warm, the breeze soft and sweet, and every bit of snow +had vanished. It was like springtime, and they played without ceasing +until the hour for lunch. + +"Well come over to the cottage together this afternoon," called Mollie, +as Nancy hurried away towards the stone house. + +She knew that lunch was always served promptly as the hands upon the +dining-room clock pointed to the hour of one. + +She was rather afraid of the burly butler, because he stood so very +erect, and never, _never_ smiled even when the jokes told at the table +were very funny. But the maid's eyes often twinkled, and Nancy hoped +that it would be the maid who would serve her. + +She was surprised to find that lunching alone in the great dining-room +was not very cheerful after all, and after a hasty meal, she slipped +from her chair, refusing to taste any more of the dainties which the +maid offered her. + +"You've not had much lunch, Miss Nancy," the girl said, "you might take +an orange, and eat it away from the table if you like." + +Nancy took the big orange, and after much coaxing, pushed it into her +pocket, and soon forgot that she had it. It was only quarter-past one. +She looked again at the clock. Yes, that was just what it said; +quarter-past one, and Mollie and Flossie were still at lunch. She +remembered that they rarely came out to play in the afternoon before +half-past two. She wondered where she would rather spend the time. At +the cottage she could play with the kitten, get out the new game that +Mrs. Dainty had given her, or read her newest book, but Dorothy's books +were up in the playroom of the stone house, and she was always free to +read them. No, she would not stay indoors. She would go out and be ready +to greet her playmates as soon as she saw them running down the avenue. + She put on her cloak and hat, and walked slowly through the hall, thus +using up as much time as possible. The house stood high, and from the +doorway she could see the avenue. There was no one yet in sight. + +She strolled down the driveway, intending to wait at the great gate for +her playmates to appear. + +The gates were wide open, and as Nancy looked out, some one rushed past +her. The plainly dressed young woman turned to look at the little girl. + +"Oh, Nancy!" she cried, and "Why, Sue!" cried Nancy. + +"D'ye live in that el'gant place Nancy? Why, it looks like er palace!" + +"Mrs. Dainty lives there, and I'm there 'most all the time playing with +Dorothy. I live in that dear little stone cottage with Aunt Charlotte," +Nancy said, "but Sue, how happened you to be here? Aren't you working +for the doctor?" + +"Nancy, I come _purpose_ ter see yer," said the girl, bending to look +into Nancy's face; "I wondered if you'd remember me." + +"Oh, how _could_ I forget you, Sue? It was you who used to be kind to me +when Uncle Steve was cross, and when I was sick you sent my little note +to Aunt Charlotte so that she and Mrs. Dainty came for me." + +"I done what I could for yer, Nancy, an' now I've come ter ax yer ter do +somethin' that I'm 'fraid ye won't want ter do." + +Eagerly Nancy looked up into Sue's honest face. + +"I'd do _anything_ for you, Sue, because you were good to me when no +one else was kind. You were working for Uncle Steve, and you were as +afraid of him as I was, but you helped me, and you knew he'd be angry if +he found it out." + +"Ye're a kind little thing; ye'd do it quick fer me, but it ain't fer me +I'm askin'," Sue replied. + +"Is it for the doctor who helped me to get well? I'd do something just +as quick for him. Uncle Steve was going to _make_ me dance when I was +sick, but the big doctor said I shouldn't, and Uncle Steve didn't dare." + +As she spoke Nancy's clear brown eyes looked up into Sue's blue ones, +and Sue's cheek flushed. She looked down at the sidewalk. + +"It ain't fer the doctor," she said; "he's gone ter Europe, but he's +payin' my wages whilst he's gone, an' I'm stayin' with a woman what I +worked fer before. Nancy, it's yer aunt I'm with, an' it's her that made +me come!" + +Nancy started back in terror. With frightened eyes she stared a moment +at the girl, then turned to run. + +"Oh, Nancy, Nancy! Come here!" cried Sue. "Ye don't understand." + +Nancy paused, but she did not take a step nearer. + +Sue hastened towards her, and Nancy seemed about to run again. + +"Don't run away, Nancy," pleaded the girl, "I know what ye think; ye +think yer Uncle Steve's after yer, but ye can be sure he ain't. Yer +Uncle Steve's dead, an' I do'no's ye need try ter be very sorry." + +Nancy came back to where Sue was standing. "Is it _true_?" she asked. + +"Honest an' true," said Sue, "an' all yer aunt wants me ter git yer fer +is because she's sick, an' she wants ter see yer. Oh, if yer could see +her, Nancy, ye'd hate ter say 'no.' She keeps askin' fer yer all day, +an' when I told her I'd find yer, an' ask yer ter come an' jest let her +look at yer, she looked brighter'n she had fer days." + +"But I'm afraid to go to the city to see her," said Nancy. + +"She ain't in the city. She's in a town only a little ways from here. Ye +could go with me in just no time, an' ye'd do her so much good." + +"Why?" + +Nancy asked the question in wonder. It seemed strange that her aunt, who +had never loved her, should now long to see her. + +"She's got something she wants ter give yer, an' she's got something +she wants ter say, an' she says she can't rest till she sees ye. It's +her worryin' that won't let her git well. Ef she could see ye fer a +little talk, an' tell ye what she wants ter tell, I guess she'd git well +right off. Seems ef ye'd _ought_ ter come with me, ef it'll do so much +good." + +Nancy's eyes were full of tears, and her sensitive lips quivered. + +"Oh, I _wish_ I knew what to do!" she cried, clasping her hands together +very tightly. + +"Why, ask 'em ter let ye go," said Sue; "they'd let ye ef they knew yer +Uncle Steve wasn't there, an' yer aunt was jest pinin' ter see yer." + +"I'm '_most_ sure they would if they _knew_, but everybody's away. If +only Aunt Charlotte or Mrs. Dainty were here, I'd ask them." + +"Can't ye write a note, an' leave it at the cottage where yer Aunt +Charlotte'll find it as soon's she gits home? Ye kin tell her I took yer +ter yer aunt what's sick, an' ef ye tell her 'bout yer Uncle Steve, she +won't worry." + +Nancy hesitated. + +"An' I hate ter hurry yer," Sue urged, "but I'll _hev_ ter be gittin' +back ter yer aunt, so I must go with yer, er else leave ye here, an' +tell her I couldn't coax ye ter come." + +[Illustration: "I'll go if you'll promise to bring me back."] + +"Oh, don't tell her _that_. If she's wanting so much to see me, I guess +I _ought_ to go," Nancy said, but her voice trembled. Even although Sue +had assured her that Uncle Steve was not living, the old fear of _any_ +member of his family made her hesitate. + +"I'm so glad ter see ye agin, Nancy," coaxed Sue, "an' ye'd ought ter +feel reel safe with _me_." + +"I'll go," Nancy said, "if you'll _promise_ to _bring_ me _back_!" + +"Why, of course I will," said Sue, and after a moment's hesitating, +Nancy ran over to the cottage, wrote a hasty note, which she left upon +the table, and then, with her heart beating fast, and her lashes still +wet with tears, she walked swiftly down the avenue with Sue. + +Sue was delighted to be with Nancy again, and she had no idea that she +was doing anything which could possibly cause Nancy's friends any +uneasiness. + +She had intended to call at the house, and ask permission to take Nancy +to her aunt. + +Having met Nancy at the gate, she had learned that there was no one at +home, but she had urged Nancy to leave a note at the cottage telling +where she had gone, and with whom, and she felt that that made the whole +affair open and honest. Nancy's loving little heart was less light. She +thought that it must be right to go with Sue, and if her aunt was so +_very_ sick, why surely she ought not to delay going to her, but if only +dear Aunt Charlotte had been at home she could have _asked_ her; could +have just asked her. + +Sue talked all the way, but Nancy said little, and when they had nearly +reached the depot she looked back, and as she looked, wondered if, even +then, she ought to run back to the cottage. Then the thought of her aunt +calling constantly for her caused her once more to think that it must +be right for her to go. + +There were not many minutes in which to think about it, for when Sue had +bought their tickets, the whistle of a locomotive was heard coming +around a bend of the road, and almost before Nancy knew it they were +seated in the car, and spinning over the rails towards the little town +where her aunt was now living. + +It was all like a dream. She saw the tall trees, the broad fields now +brown, yet bare of snow, because the warm sun had melted it, the church +spires of other villages standing out clearly against the blue sky, but +they blurred and became indistinct, because she could not keep back the +tears. She was not really crying, but as fast as the tears were forced +back, others would come, and she turned from the window to hear what Sue +was saying. "I say it's only three stations more, an' then we'll be +there, an' when ye see how much good it'll do yer aunt, ye'll be glad ye +come," she said. + +Nancy's eyes brightened. If it was to do so much good, then she had done +right. It must be that she really ought to be on her way towards the +little house, and Sue had promised to return with her. + +And now the train, which had been flying along, slackened its speed, and +a frowzy-haired brakeman thrust his head into the car doorway, shouting +something, Nancy could not tell what. + +"Here we are," said Sue, as she rose to her feet. + +Nancy slipped from the seat, and together they left the car and stepped +out upon the platform. "I didn't ask ye ef ye wanted ter bring +anything with yer?" said Sue. "Ye could hev packed a little bag with +anything ye'd want while ye was here." + +"Why, what should I want to bring in a bag?" Nancy asked in surprise. + +"I didn't know but you'd want a apron, a night-gown, or something," Sue +replied. + +Nancy stood still in the middle of the road, and stared at Sue. + +"A _night-dress_! Why, aren't you coming back with me to-night?" + +"Why, Nancy, don't stop there. I thought I told ye that yer aunt wanted +yer ter visit her." + +"You said she wanted to look at me, and that she had something to give +me, and something to tell me, but that wouldn't take long, and I ought +to go home to-night." + +"But there's no train home ter-night, Nancy. This is a little town, an' +there's only two er three trains a day. Ye _must_ hev told in yer letter +that ye was goin' ter _visit_ yer aunt, didn't yer?" + +"I don't know whether I _said_ visit or not, but truly I didn't think +you meant to stay over night," Nancy replied. + +"Wal, I guess ye said so, an' here's the street. It's only a lane, an' +that little bit of a house where the cat sits on the step is the one +where yer aunt lives. It's kind er cosy, ain't it?" + +Nancy did not notice Sue's question. She was looking at the little +house, the tiny fruit-trees in the yard, and the white cat that sat upon +the upper step, washing its face in the sun. + +The place looked very poor and small after the Dainty mansion and the +trim stone cottage. But small though it was, it looked far better than +the old house in the city where Steve Ferris had taken her, when he had +stolen her from her home and friends. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE NECKLACE + + +Nancy could not help making friends with the white cat, and it purred +with delight at being noticed. Sue slipped a key into the lock, and +opened the door. They entered the tiny hall, and the white cat followed +them, as they walked towards a little room at the rear. + +"Is that you, Sue? Did ye see her? Did she come?" called a thin, tired +voice. + +Sue opened the door of the sitting-room and Nancy ran in, all sympathy +now for the aunt who was really ill. + +Mrs. Ferris lay upon an old carpet-covered lounge, and she raised +herself upon her elbow to look at Nancy as she stood before her. + +"Set down on that little stool, Nancy," she said, "so I kin look at ye +better. My! But ye look well an' strong 'side er what ye did when I +last seen ye, whilst I've grown sick an' tired. But seein' ye'll do me +good, an' ter-morrer I'll talk with ye. They's some things I _must_ say, +but I'll rest ter-night, an' tell ye ter-morrer." + +Nancy looked the fear that she felt, and Mrs. Ferris hastened to +reassure her. + +"Ye're safe here, Nancy," she said. "There ain't nobody here ter harm +ye. Like 'nough Sue remembered ter tell ye 'bout yer Uncle Steve." + +Nancy nodded, and was about to speak when Mrs. Ferris continued: + +"I don't want ter speak hard 'bout him now, an' I don't hev ter. Ye was +with us long 'nough ter know what yer Uncle Steve was like, but I will +tell ye one thing: we didn't hev no luck after ye left us. Steve kept ye +dancin' at the theatre, an' they paid well fer dancin', too. Then ye was +sick, an' them two ladies come an' took yer home. After that we went +from one place ter another, Steve workin' when he felt like it, an' not +workin' when he _didn't_ feel like it, which was most er the time. Since +he's went, I've worked hard at sewin', an' with a few boarders I've +managed ter save 'nough ter buy this little house. It didn't cost much. +It's in a out-er-the-way place, an' they's only four rooms in it, but ef +I kin git well agin I'll earn 'nough ter git along." + +She lay back against the pillow as if telling the story had tired her. + +The clock upon the little mantel ticked loudly, and the white cat +blinked at it a moment, then sprang up into Nancy's lap. She clasped her +arms around it, and bending, laid her cheek against its head. + +Mrs. Ferris opened her eyes, and lay watching Nancy, as she caressed +the cat. + +"I like ter see ye here," she said, "an' ter-morrer I'll tell ye why I +sent fer ye." + +The kitchen door opened, and the scent of brewing tea came in with Sue +as she entered with a little tray which she placed upon a chair near +Mrs. Ferris. + +"There's yer tea an' toast," she said, "an' ye kin help yerself while me +an' Nancy has some in the kitchen." + +And while Nancy sat beside Sue, and tried very hard to like the coarse +food offered her, her friends at the great stone house found it +impossible to taste the tempting dishes which graced their table. + +Mr. Dainty was away from home on important business, and Mrs. Dainty had +asked Aunt Charlotte to come to the house with Nancy, and stay with her +until he should return. + +So when Mrs. Dainty's shopping was finished, and Aunt Charlotte had +left the house of her friend, they had met at the station, and had found +seats in the first car of the train. Their carriage was waiting for them +when they arrived at Merrivale, and all the way up the avenue Dorothy +talked of the gift which she had bought for Nancy, and of Nancy's +delight when she should see it. + +But no Nancy ran out to greet them, nor was she in sight when they +entered the hall. + +In sudden terror Dorothy had thrown herself down into a cushioned chair, +and no words of comfort could stop her sobbing or stay her hot tears. +That Nancy was stolen, never to return, she earnestly believed, and +although Mrs. Dainty tried to quiet her, and to assure her that her +playmate would doubtless soon be found, she only shook her head, and +cried at the thought that her Nancy was not with her. + +The maid was sent to the cottage to see if any accident had befallen her +which kept her there, while the butler, in the interest which he felt, +forgot his dignity and begged permission to call at the homes of her +little friends to learn if she were there. + +He soon returned with the news that Mollie and Flossie had played with +her all the forenoon, and had promised to go over to the cottage after +lunch; that they did so, but they found no one to play with, and after +waiting for some time, they ran unable to understand why Nancy had not +been waiting to greet them. + +Then the maid entered. + +"If ye please, Mrs. Grayson, I found this paper on yer table. I do'no' +what it is, fer I'd not be readin' what wa'n't writ ter me, but +wonderin' if it was writ by Miss Nancy, I've brought it ter ye." + +Dorothy sat with wide eyes and pale cheeks, her slender fingers tightly +clasping the arms of the chair. Could the note be from Nancy? Would it +tell where she was? + +Mrs. Dainty leaned over Aunt Charlotte's chair, and together they read +the hastily pencilled note. + + "Dear Aunt Charlotte:--I guess you remember Sue, I've forgotten what + her other name is, but she's the girl that worked for Uncle Steve, + and was so good to me when I was sick. She called to-day, and says + my aunt is sick and thinks she _must_ see me, and you needn't think + I'm stolen, because Uncle Steve is dead, so he couldn't steal me + again. + + "My aunt doesn't live in the city. Sue meant to ask you if I could + go, but you were away, and she said I ought to go so I did. I'll be + right home as soon as my aunt has told me what Sue says she's _got_ + to tell. + + "Lovingly, + + "NANCY." + +"The dear child has not told us _where_ her aunt lives, only that she is +_not_ in the city. What are we to do?" + +Aunt Charlotte's face was pale as she asked the question, and the hand +which held the note shook so that the bit of paper rustled like a leaf +as it lay against her silk gown. + +"We can do nothing to-night," Mrs. Dainty replied, "but to-morrow at +daybreak the search must commence. I try to find comfort in the fact +that the girl, Sue, seemed to be honest, and certainly she was +straightforward if she intended to ask us if she might take Nancy to her +aunt, and to insist that she write a note explaining her absence." + +"I am sure that the girl's intentions are honest, but I am _not_ so sure +of the woman who sent her to get Nancy. Steve Ferris is dead, but while +it was he who once stole Nancy, it was his wife who helped him to keep +her. I am frightened, and I can not believe that she has sent for her +only for the pleasure of seeing her." + +Mrs. Dainty turned quickly to see if Dorothy had heard what Aunt +Charlotte had said, but Dorothy was questioning the maid to learn when +she had last seen Nancy. Aunt Charlotte's words, which surely would have +frightened her, had passed unnoticed. It was late before any member of +the household could think of sleeping, and when at last Dorothy lay +dreaming of Nancy, her long lashes were wet with tears. + +Mrs. Dainty had tried to comfort and cheer her by telling her that +_this_ time they knew with whom Nancy was staying, and that Sue, who had +once before helped them to find her, would, doubtless, bring her back. + +Dorothy had listened patiently, but when Mrs. Dainty kissed her and said +"good night," Dorothy threw her arms about her neck. + +"Oh, mamma, I know we have Nancy's note," she said, "and Sue _was_ good +to her once, but how do we know what her aunt will do? What if she means +to make her dance at a theatre, just as her Uncle Steve did?" And Mrs. +Dainty could find no words with which to comfort her, because her own +heart was filled with that very thought which made Dorothy so unhappy. + +And when the bright sunlight streamed in through the windows of the +stone house it found every one wide awake and full of excitement, eager +to be doing something towards finding Nancy, but in doubt as to what to +do first. + +It was Mrs. Dainty's calmness that stilled their excitement, her cool +head that directed their efforts, her firm will which chose to guide, +rather than command. + +And while every effort was being made to find Nancy, and to learn if she +were safe, Nancy lay upon an old bed in the little house in the country +lane, and slept soundly, after having cried herself to sleep the night +before. She awoke with a start when a stray sunbeam came in through +the tiny window and touched her cheek. + +For a moment she stared at the glint of light which danced upon the +wall, then a puzzled look came into her brown eyes, and she rubbed them +as if in that way she might better see, and understand her strange +surroundings. + +Then suddenly she remembered all about it. Why she was in so shabby a +room, and why she was there at all. Ah, yes, Sue had brought her, and +she had thought that she should return that night. + +Now the morning had come, and with it the hope that before night she +would be again in her own home, and with those who were dear to her. + +She listened. There was not a sound of any one stirring, nor was there +any slight noises out-of-doors which told of busy people up and about at +early morning. She had forgotten that they were not on a public highway. +In the little lane there was continual quiet whether at dawn or at high +noon, so that one might have thought the whole town asleep, or at least +napping. + +And shabby as the bed was upon which Nancy lay, it was far more +comfortable than the old lounge which Sue had chosen to occupy. + +She had tried to honor Nancy as her guest, and so had given her the best +resting-place which the cottage afforded. + +Nancy wondered if Sue were yet awake. + +"Sue!" she whispered. "Yes," whispered Sue in reply. + +"Isn't it time to get up now?" + +"Not yet," said Sue, "fer Mis' Ferris don't hev her breakfast till 'bout +ten, an' it ain't pleasant ter wander 'round a cold house when there +ain't no reason fer it, an' she don't want wood burned fer a fire until +I use it ter git breakfast with. Ye might try ter git ter sleep agin; +they's nothin' else ter do." + +One glance around the dingy chamber would have told any one that much +could be done before a ten-o'clock breakfast, but Mrs. Ferris wished the +house to be quiet during the early hours of the morning. + +And in spite of the fact that she was very wide awake, Nancy did go to +sleep. + +At first she amused herself by staring at the odd-shaped scrolls and +blossoms upon the paper. There were blue and yellow flowers with bright +green leaves, supported upon latticework of a queer shade of brown. + +Nancy thought the vines looked as if they were crawling, and that the +yellow blossoms were shaped like huge bugs. The longer she looked at it +the more it seemed as if those vines did really move upon the wall. +While she watched them she dropped to sleep and dreamed that she was +trying to dance, but could not do the graceful steps which she so well +knew, because those vines had come down from the wall, and were tangled +about her feet. + +When she again awoke the sun was shining brightly, and she could hear +the rattling of dishes down in the little kitchen. + +She sprang up, and hurriedly dressed, wondering why Sue had not called +her. There was frost upon the window-pane, and she shivered. Each +garment which she put on seemed colder than the one before. + +She searched the room for a button-hook, and finding none, ran down to +the kitchen. + +"Thought I wouldn't call ye till we got a bit warmed up," said Sue. + +"What's that? No. I ain't seen no button-hook in this place, but ye jest +set on that chair an' I'll fasten yer boots fer ye." + +She took a huge, crooked hair-pin from her hair, and buttoned Nancy's +boots with wonderful speed, when the tool which she worked with was +considered. + +And what a breakfast that was, which Nancy ate from a blue-edged +pie-plate that was badly crackled. + +A small piece of very tough ham, an egg fried for ten minutes, until it +looked and tasted like leather, a boiled potato the color of lead, and +a biscuit of about the same hue. + +"I don't s'pose ye're used ter drinkin' tea, but I guess I'll give ye +some ter wash yer bread down. That biscuit's kinder dry," and she +offered Nancy a cup of drink, which, from its flavor, might have been +tea--or anything else. + +The little kitchen was dingy, and the food not at all like the +appetizing fare which she usually enjoyed, but she was hungry, and Sue +felt flattered that Nancy ate the breakfast which she had served. + +And after breakfast how the hours dragged! + +Nancy was anxious to be starting for home, yet she could do nothing to +hasten the time when she could go. Sue was busy with the ordinary work +of the morning, and Mrs. Ferris had told her to tell Nancy that she +would talk with her after dinner. That she felt too ill to see her +until afternoon. + +"'Tain't no use ter fret, Nancy," said Sue, "she ain't good fer much +till after dinner, but I guess shell talk with ye then fast 'nough." + +"But I'm wild to get back to the cottage," wailed Nancy. + +"Ye couldn't git there ter-day, fer this is Sunday, and we don't hev but +two trains that stop here Sundays. One leaves here at half-past seven in +the morning, an' the other stops here at half-past nine at night, but +that one goes ter the city, an' that would be going right away from +Merrivale." + +Nancy made no reply, but turned to look from the window. + +"To-morrow will be Monday, and I _must_ get back to school," she +thought. + +It was late in the afternoon when Mrs. Ferris called Nancy to listen to +what she had to say. + +"I kin talk ter ye now," she said, "an' first I'll ask ye ef ye remember +the old house in Merrivale where ye used ter live before Mis' Dainty +give ye a home?" + +"I guess I _do_," said Nancy. + +"Wal, 'twa'n't much of er livin' ye had, an' the woman what took keer of +ye was only yer _stepmother_. Did ye know that?" + +"Some of the children told me," Nancy replied. + +"Wal, did any one ever tell ye 'bout yer _own_ mother?" + +Nancy stared in round-eyed surprise. + +"Why, if she was my _stepmother_, of course I must have had an own +mother once, but I never thought of it." + +"She was a beauty, an' ye'll look like her when ye're a young lady. Her +hair was dark an' curly, an' her figger was graceful. Her big dark eyes +was melting, an' she could dance, oh, how she could dance!" + +"My mamma danced?" questioned Nancy. + +"She danced like a fairy. She was a stage dancer; there's where ye got +yer nimble toes, but she died when ye wasn't a year old, an' yer father +married that other woman who wa'n't nobody at all. Yer own ma was called +'Ma'm'selle Nannette' on the play-bills, an' she was a good woman, a +sweet woman as ever lived." + +"I wish I'd known her," Nancy said, her eyes filled with tears at the +thought of the beautiful young mother whom she had never known. + +"An' one thing I sent fer yer fer was this," and Mrs. Ferris took a +small box from beneath her shawl. "What's in this box belonged ter yer +own ma, an' how Steve got hold of it I don't know. I found it 'mong his +things, an' when I see yer ma's name on to it, I knew he'd no right ter +hev it. I took an' hid it, an' Steve tore 'round like mad a-tellin' that +he'd been robbed, but he didn't say anything ter the perlice, 'cause he +knew it didn't b'long ter him in the first place." + +She opened the box and held up a slender gold necklace set with tiny +brilliants. + +[Illustration: Nancy clasped her hands together, and gasped, +"Oh!--O--O!"] + +Nancy clasped her hands together, and gasped, "Oh-o-o," in admiration. + +"There's the name on the clasp," said Mrs. Ferris. + +"When I found it I wondered why he hadn't sold it when he was hard up, +which was often 'nough, goodness knows, but after I hid it, he said he'd +kept holdin' on to it fer the time when he'd need the money more, but I +think he was _'fraid_ ter sell it. Knowin' 'twa'n't his'n, he thought he +_might_ git 'cused er hevin' stolen it." + +Nancy took the pretty necklace, and held it so that it sparkled like +dewdrops. + +It was truly a charming bit of jewelry, not costly, but tasteful, and +just what one might think would have shone resplendent upon the white +throat of the beautiful Nannette. + +"It's yours by good rights," Mrs. Ferris said, "an' I ain't like Steve +was; I don't want nothin' that don't b'long ter me. + +"Now I've given that ter ye, I feel some better. I've felt like a thief +ever since I found it, an' knew who it b'longed ter. They's a note in +the little box, an' when ye've puzzled over the flourishes done in fancy +ink, ye kin read that that necklace was presented ter Ma'm'selle +Nannette by, I forgot who, fer her beautiful dancin'." + +Nancy looked as if she listened in a dream. + +"An' one thing more I want ter tell ye. I never approved er Steve's +stealin' ye. I told him 'twa'n't right, but he wouldn't listen, an' I +couldn't help ye. I was as 'fraid er him as ye was, an' he was so +headstrong, I had ter let him do as he wanted ter. I'm tired now, and +ye'd better run out ter the kitchen with Sue. I know I'll feel better +now I've freed my mind." + +Nancy hurried to Sue to tell the wonderful story, and to show the +necklace. + +"And here's her name on the large flat side of the clasp," she said. + +Sue's eyes sparkled with delight. + +"And I didn't like to ask her how soon I could go home, just when she'd +given the pretty thing to me, but, Sue," she continued, "don't you think +she means _surely_ to let me go as early as to-morrow?" + +"I do'no' what she means ter do, that is, not _exactly_, but p'raps ye +won't hev ter ask her. Maybe she'll tell ye 'thout any teasin'." + +Those who would like to see Dorothy and her many friends again, and to +learn what became of Nancy, may meet them all again in "Dorothy Dainty +in the Country." + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13753 *** |