initial commit of ebook 6860HEADmain

2 files changed, 5810 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/old/kneth10.txt b/old/kneth10.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ae9edb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/old/kneth10.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5810 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Keineth, by Jane D. Abbott
+
+Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
+copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
+this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
+
+This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
+Gutenberg file.  Please do not remove it.  Do not change or edit the
+header without written permission.
+
+Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
+eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file.  Included is
+important information about your specific rights and restrictions in
+how the file may be used.  You can also find out about how to make a
+donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
+
+
+**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
+
+**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
+
+*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!*****
+
+
+Title: Keineth
+
+Author: Jane D. Abbott
+
+Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6860]
+[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
+[This file was first posted on February 2, 2003]
+
+Edition: 10
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEINETH ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Brandon Sussman, Tom Allen, Charles Franks
+and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+
+
+KEINETH
+
+BY
+
+JANE D. ABBOTT
+
+
+
+
+TO ALL THE LITTLE GIRLS I KNOW THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+CHAPTER
+
+I. KEINETH'S WORLD CHANGES
+
+II. KEINETH DECIDES
+
+III. OVERLOOK
+
+IV. KEINETH WRITES TO HER FATHER
+
+V. PILOT COMES TO OVERLOOK
+
+VI. THE MUSIC THE FAIRIES PUT IN HER FINGERS
+
+VII. ALICE RUNS AWAY
+
+VIII. A PAGE FROM HISTORY
+
+IX. THE CAPTIVE MAIDEN
+
+X. PILOT IN DISGRACE
+
+XI. PILOT WINS A HOME
+
+XII. A LETTER FROM DADDY
+
+XIII. CAMPING
+
+XIV. THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT
+
+XV. NOT ON THE PROGRAM
+
+XVI. AUNT JOSEPHINE
+
+XVII. SCHOOL DAYS
+
+XVIII. CHRISTMAS
+
+XIX. WHEN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WORKED OVERTIME.
+
+XX. SHADOWS
+
+XXI. PILOT GOES AWAY
+
+XXII. KEINBTH'S GIFT
+
+XXIII. SURPRISES
+
+XXIV. MR. PRESIDENT
+
+XXV. THE CASTLE OF DREAMS
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+KEINETH'S WORLD CHANGES
+
+
+Keineth Randolph's world seemed suddenly to be turning upside down!
+
+For the past three days there had been no lessons. Keineth had lessons
+instead of going to school. She had them sometimes with Madame Henri,
+or "Tante" as she called her, and sometimes with her father. If the sun
+was very inviting in the morning, lessons would wait until afternoon;
+or, if, sitting straight and still in the big room her father called
+his study, Keineth found it impossible to think of the book before her,
+Tante would say in her prim voice:
+
+"Dreaming, cherie?" and add, "the books will wait!"
+
+Or, if father was hearing the lessons, he would toss aside the book and
+beckon to Keineth to sit on his knee. Then he would tell a story. It
+would be, perhaps, something about India or they would travel together
+through Norway; or it would be Custer's fight with the Indians or the
+wanderings of the Acadians through the English Colonies in America, as
+portrayed in Longfellow's Evangeline.
+
+But for three days Keineth had had neither lessons nor stories--she had
+not even wanted to go out into the park to walk. For her dear Tante,
+with a very sad face, was packing her trunks and boxes, and Daddy had
+gone out of town.
+
+To-morrow the little woman was going to sail on a Norwegian boat for
+Europe. The trip seemed to Keineth to be particularly unusual because
+Tante and Daddy had talked so much about it and Tante had waited until
+Daddy had gotten her some papers which would take her safely into
+Europe. So much talk and the important papers made it seem as though
+she was going very far away. Perhaps she did not expect to come back to
+America--she stopped so often in her work to kiss Keineth!
+
+Keineth could not remember her own mother, she had died when Keineth
+was three years old; and as far back as she could remember Tante had
+always taken care of her. These three, the golden-haired delicate
+child, the serious-faced Belgian gentlewoman, who had given up a
+position in one of New York's schools to go into John Randolph's
+household, and the father himself, living for his work and his
+daughter, led what might seem to others a very strange life. The man
+had kept his home in the old brick house on Washington Square in lower
+New York even after the other houses in the square around it gradually
+changed from pleasant, neat homes to shabby boarding-houses or rooming
+houses with broken windows and railless steps; to dusty lofts; to
+cellars where Jews kept and sorted over their filthy rags; to dingy
+attic spaces where artists made their studios, turning queer,
+dilapidated corners into what they called their homes. The third story
+of the Randolph house had been let for "light housekeeping apartments";
+Keineth herself had helped tack the little black and gilt sign at the
+door. The tenants used the side door that let into the brick-paved
+alley. Keineth had always felt a great pride in their home--it was
+always neatly painted, their steps shone, and there were no papers
+collected behind their iron gratings. Even across the park she could
+see the bright geraniums blooming in the windows under Madame Henri's
+loving care.
+
+Keineth and Tante had two big sleeping rooms facing the square and
+Daddy had a smaller room in the back. Dora, the colored maid who kept
+the house in order and cooked breakfast and lunch, went away at night.
+The rooms were very large, with high ceilings. The windows were long
+and narrow and hung with heavy, dusty curtains. The furniture was very
+old and very dull and dark, but Keineth loved the great chairs into
+which she could curl herself and read for hours at a time.
+
+There were few children in the square for her to play with. Next door
+was an Italian family with eight girls and boys, and Keineth sometimes
+joined them in the park. Their father kept a fruit stall in the
+basement on one of the streets running off from the square. Francesca,
+one of the girls, sang very sweetly, often standing on the corner of
+the square and singing Italian folk-songs until she had gathered quite
+a crowd around her and had collected considerable money. Keineth loved
+to listen to her. But Daddy had asked Keineth never to go alone outside
+of the square nor out of sight of the windows of their own home, and
+Keineth, all her life, had always wanted to do exactly as her father
+asked her.
+
+The evenings to Keineth were the happiest, for, after his work was
+finished, Daddy always took her out somewhere for dinner. Sometimes
+they would go into queer, small places; rooms lighted by gas-jets,
+where they ate on bare tables from off thick white plates. She would
+sit very quietly listening while her father talked to the people he
+met. It seemed to her that her father knew everybody. Other times they
+would go up town on the bus, Keineth clinging tightly to her father's
+hand all the way, and they would find a corner in a brightly lighted
+hotel dining-room, where the silver and glass sparkled before Keineth's
+eyes, where an orchestra, hidden behind big palms, played wonderful
+music as they ate, where the air was sweet with the fragrance of
+flowers like Joe Massey's stall on the square, and where all the women
+were pretty and wore soft furs over shimmering dresses of lovely
+colors. Sometimes Tante went with them, looking very prim in her
+tailor-made suit of gray woolen cloth and her small gray hat. On these
+picnic dinners, as Daddy called them, Daddy was always in rollicking
+spirits, keeping up such a torrent of nonsense that Keineth was often
+quite exhausted from laughing. Then, when they were back in the old
+house, Daddy would pull his big chair close to the lamp, Tante would
+take her knitting from the basket in which it was always neatly laid,
+and Keineth would sit down at the piano to play for her father "what
+the fairies put in her fingers." This had been a little game between
+them for a long time--ever since her music lessons with Madame Henri
+had begun.
+
+Now--as the child sat balanced on the edge of an old rocker watching
+Tante tenderly and carefully placing her books into a heavy box--she
+felt that this beloved order of things was changing before her eyes.
+For, with Tante gone, who was to take care of her? And heavy on the
+child's heart lay the fear that it might be Aunt Josephine.
+
+Aunt Josephine was her very own aunt, her father's sister, and lived in
+a very pretentious home at the other end of the city, overlooking the
+Hudson River. At a very early age Keineth had guessed that Aunt
+Josephine did not approve of the way her Daddy lived; of the tenants on
+the third floor; of the sign at the door; of Tante and the
+happy-go-lucky lessons; and most of all, her intimacy with the Italian
+children. Twice a year Keineth and her Daddy spent a Sunday with Aunt
+Josephine, and Keineth could always tell by the way Daddy clasped her
+hand and ran down the steps that he was very glad when the day was over
+and they could go home. However, Aunt Josephine was pretty and wore
+lovely clothes like the women in the big hotels uptown and was really
+fond of Daddy, so that Keineth loved her--but she did not want to live
+with her!
+
+"Why do you go away from us?" Keineth asked Madame Henri for the
+hundredth time.
+
+The little woman dropped a book to kiss the child--also for the
+hundredth time.
+
+"I have an old mother, and a sister, and six nephews and nieces over
+there--they need me now, more than you do, cherie!"
+
+Keineth knew that she was very unhappy and refrained from asking her
+more questions. Daddy had read to her of the suffering in Europe as a
+result of the great war, but it seemed hard to picture prim Tante in
+the midst of it--perhaps working in the fields and factories, as Daddy
+said some of the women and children were doing. Tante had read them
+parts of a letter telling of the wounding of her sister's husband at
+the battle front and of his death in an English 'hospital, but that had
+seemed so very far away that Keineth had not thought much about it. Now
+it seemed nearer as she pictured the six little nephews and nieces, the
+poor old grandmother--perhaps all hungry and homeless! Keineth suddenly
+thought how good it was of Tante to leave their comfortable home and
+their jolly dinners and Dora's steaming pancakes to go back to Belgium
+to help!
+
+Then--as if the whole day was not queer and different enough, Keineth
+suddenly heard her father's quick step on the stairway. He had said he
+would not be home until that night! She sprang to the door in time to
+rush into his arms as he came down the hallway. He kissed her, on her
+nose and eyes, as was his way, but when he lifted his face Keineth saw
+that it was very serious, which was not at all like Daddy.
+
+"Run out in the park for a little while, dear. I must talk to Madame
+Henri!"
+
+The sun was shining very brightly on the pavements of the streets. The
+little leaves on the trees were quivering with new life and the birds
+were chirping loudly and busily in the branches, fussing over their
+housekeeping. But Keineth's heart was too heavy to respond! She walked
+around and around the square, staring miserably at the people who
+passed her and always keeping in sight of the long windows where the
+pink geraniums shone in the spring sunlight.
+
+Suddenly her heart dropped to her very toes and she had a great deal of
+trouble keeping the tears back from her eyes, for a very bright yellow
+motor car had stopped at their door, and Keineth knew that it was Aunt
+Josephine!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+KEINETH DECIDES
+
+
+Keineth waited what seemed to her hours; then retraced her steps to the
+house and walked very quietly into the hall. Daddy heard the door close
+behind her and called to her from the study. He was sitting at his
+desk, tapping the pad before him with the point of a pencil Aunt
+Josephine sat on the old horse-hair sofa, looking very excited, and
+Tante, a pile of books still clasped in her arm and a smudge of dust
+across her straight features, stood near the window.
+
+"I think it's high time you used a little sense in the way you bring up
+that child, John. You'll ruin her!"
+
+Keineth's father smiled across at Keineth as much as to say: "Never
+mind, dear," but he listened gravely as his sister went on:
+
+"I think it's the best thing that could happen--Madame Henri going away
+and you called on this trip--"
+
+"Wait a moment, Josephine; Keineth does not know yet--"
+
+"Daddy!" cried the child, running to him.
+
+"Just a moment, dear," he whispered, as he drew her between his knees
+and laid his cheek against her hair.
+
+Aunt Josephine looked very much in earnest. Keineth could not remember
+a time when she had seemed more concerned over hers and Daddy's
+welfare!
+
+"Now I can take Keineth with me until July. Then when I go on that
+yachting cruise she can go to some camp in the mountains--there are
+ever so many good ones. And next fall I can put her into a school.
+She's too old to go on living as you are living."
+
+Now the world had turned upside down! Keineth pressed suddenly close to
+her father. He tightened the clasp of her arm.
+
+"Wait a moment, sister. We have two or three days to talk this over. I
+must get Madame Henri safely started and then Keineth and I will make
+our plans." As he said this he squeezed the child's hand. "You're
+awfully good to offer to take my little girl and I know you'd try your
+best to make her happy." He stepped toward the door. Aunt Josephine
+rose, too.
+
+"Well, you'd better follow my advice," she said crisply. She almost
+always concluded their interviews in this manner when they had to do
+with Daddy's household. This time she stopped on her way to the door to
+place her hands on Keineth's shoulders and let her eyes sweep Keineth's
+little face.
+
+"I'd make an up-to-date child of her, John. She's got her mother's eyes
+but the Randolph features. With a little grooming she'd make a beauty.
+And the first thing I'd do would be to put a decent frock on her!"
+
+Keineth knew that Aunt Josephine meant to be kind but, hurt at her
+criticism, she drew away from her aunt's clasp. As her aunt and father
+went out she looked down wonderingly at the simple blue serge she wore.
+Tante had always had her dresses made at a little shop on lower Fifth
+Avenue and Keineth had always thought them very nice.
+
+Madame Henri, muttering to herself, went out of the room. Keineth stood
+very still until her father came back. He shut the door and went to his
+desk. She ran to him and hid her face on his shoulder.
+
+"Daddy--are you--going away?"
+
+"Yes, child--I must."
+
+"For all summer? For all winter?"
+
+"Yes, dear. I think it may be a year."
+
+"Daddy--" began Keineth, then stopped short to hide her face. Father
+must not see her cry!
+
+"I'll make a little picture for you, dear. This country of ours is like
+a great big house. It's like all the homes all over the United States
+put into one. And it must be tended just as we'd tend our own little
+home--it must be kept in repair. It must be kept clean and have pretty
+spots, just like Madame Henri's geraniums! And it must be guarded, too,
+from those who would break in and steal what belongs in the home--or
+tear it down and make a ruin of it! And it must know its neighbors and
+work with them to keep everything peaceful and tidy about the whole
+street of nations! Don't you remember how I had to argue with Signora
+Ferocci to make her clean up her back alley?"
+
+They both laughed together over the recollection of their efforts to
+persuade their next-door neighbor of the joys of cleanliness!
+
+"Every person, big and small, should do his part toward the
+home-keeping of this big land of ours. And I have been asked to do a
+service. Soldiers can't do it all, my dear--only a very small part of
+it! There are a great many others--men like myself--who are going out
+over the world to work for the Stars and Stripes. And when I have been
+asked to go on a mission for our country that is very important, even
+though it takes me very far and keeps me away a very long time, I am
+sure my loyal little American girl will be the first to bid me go!"
+
+Keineth's eyes were quite dry now and were very bright. She sat up very
+straight. She had entirely forgotten herself.
+
+"Will you wear a uniform, Daddy?"
+
+"Oh, dear me, no--my work is not of that sort, In fact, I must go about
+in the quietest manner possible. I cannot even tell my little girl
+where I am going."
+
+"You mean it's a secret?" the child cried.
+
+"Yes, until I return. I must ask you to tell no one that I have gone
+for the government. We may fail--the newspapers must not know yet.
+Everyone must think I am simply travelling."
+
+Keineth was silent and perplexed. It did not occur to her to ask her
+father why she could not go with him. He had often gone away before and
+she had always stayed in the old house with Tante. But it had never
+been for a whole year!
+
+Suddenly she cried out: "I'll be very brave, but--oh, Daddy!"
+
+He laughed, although he held her very close.
+
+"Do you think, my dear, I would go away until I felt very certain that
+you were going to be happy? I'm not sure how well you'd like it at Aunt
+Josephine's--it would be very different. Still--you'd have that French
+maid of hers for a nurse and go out with her and Fido for his walk and
+ride in the yellow motor and have all kinds of frilled dresses and
+feathered hats--" He was imitating Aunt Josephine's voice in a very
+funny manner that made Keineth laugh.
+
+Keineth thought very quickly of all the things she loved to do that she
+knew Aunt Josephine would not allow her to do, but she did not want to
+speak of them, for it might make her Daddy unhappy. Her father went on,
+more seriously:
+
+"But I have another plan. I will tell you about It and you may choose
+between that and Aunt Josephine's." (Keineth suddenly felt very grown
+up.) "Coming up from Washington I ran into Mr. William Lee, an old
+friend of mine--a man I knew in college. I used to think the world of
+him. I hadn't seen him for fifteen years! He lives in the western part
+of the state. I knew Mrs. Lee, too,--she was a friend of your mother's
+and they were very fond of one another. We talked for a long time over
+old times. He showed me kodak pictures of his children--he has four. Do
+you know what I thought when I looked at them?"
+
+"What, Daddy?"
+
+"That I was cheating my little girl out of a great deal that every
+child has a right to--the pure joy of giving. When I looked at those
+youngsters of his--husky, bare-armed, round-cheeked children, I knew
+they were getting a lot of happiness you'd never know in this little
+corner of ours--the kind of happiness you can only have when you are
+young." Keineth was puzzled. "What do you mean, Daddy?"
+
+"Oh, running, jumping, swimming--tennis--baseball! Why, the knowing
+other children well--even the quarrelling," he stopped, frowning. "I
+had it all when I was little and here I am cheating you. Aunt Josephine
+is right when she says I'm not fair to you--but I don't think you'd get
+it even with her!"
+
+"But I don't know anything about all those things, Daddy."
+
+"That's just it! You can learn, though. I told Mr. Lee that I had to go
+away, and about you, and he asked me if I wouldn't let you go to them
+for the year. They have a summer home on the shore of Lake Erie and
+almost live out-of-doors. I said no at first--it seemed too much to ask
+of them, but he persisted and wouldn't take no for an answer. He is
+coming here to-night to talk it over. I think now--it might be the
+thing to do. Mrs. Lee loved your mother very, very dearly, and I know
+would be very good to you."
+
+He gently lifted her down from off his knee, which meant that he had
+work to do and that Keineth must leave the room. She sought out Tante
+upstairs. The good woman had closed her last box and was dressed ready
+to start on her long trip, although the boat would not leave until the
+next day. She was knitting, so Keineth took a book and sat near the
+window pretending to read. Her eyes wandered off the page and her poor
+little mind was busy at work trying to decide which she would dislike
+the least--living with Aunt Josephine and walking with Fido and the
+French maid and going to a strange camp and a strange school, or going
+off to a strange place and living among strange people and playing
+strange games! She wanted dreadfully to cry, but Tante was so quiet and
+so miserable, and Daddy was so serious that she could not add in any
+way to what seemed to trouble them.
+
+So--although Francesca, the little Italian singer, was skipping rope on
+the pavement below the window, and a robin was calling lustily to its
+mate in a nearby horse-chestnut tree, and a vender was peddling his
+wares down the street in a voice that sounded like a slow-pealing bell,
+poor Keineth felt as if she could never be really happy again! That
+night Daddy and Keineth went uptown for dinner. In one of the hotels
+they met Mr. Lee. Keineth's heart was pounding with dread beneath her
+neat serge dress and she was almost afraid to look at the man. But when
+he took her hand in his and spoke in a kindly voice, she ventured a
+timid glance and saw a big man, taller and heavier than her father,
+with a jolly smile and eyes that laughed from under their shaggy
+eyebrows. Then she felt that she liked him--and the more because he had
+such an affectionate way of laying his hand on her father's shoulder.
+
+While they talked together Mr. Lee watched her very closely. Once he
+said to her father:
+
+"My wife will love the little girl--she is so like her mother!" There
+had been a long silence then, and Keineth had seen the look in her
+father's eyes that meant his thoughts were back in the past. Later Mr.
+Lee had added: "Why, John--you won't know the child after a summer with
+us--those cheeks will all be roses and her little body plump. And how
+the kiddies will love her!"
+
+Keineth had been shown the kodak pictures and had studied them closely.
+The very big girl was Barbara, who was seventeen. The boy was Billy,
+aged fourteen. Peggy was Keineth's age--twelve, and the little one,
+Alice, was eight. They all wore middy blouses in the picture and Peggy
+and Alice were barefooted. Keineth thought, as she looked at their
+laughing faces, that they were very unlike any children she had ever
+seen anywhere.
+
+They took Mr. Lee to their home. Keineth played on the piano for
+them--not her own fairy things, but a simple little piece she had
+learned with much precision from Madame Henri. Then she and Tante went
+upstairs. Daddy had whispered to her as she kissed him good-night:
+
+"You must decide yourself, dear!"
+
+Keineth had thought that when she was quite alone in her bedroom she
+would cry, for then it would disturb no one and she really had a great
+deal to cry about. But Madame Henri lingered a long time by her bed,
+standing close to it with a very white face. Finally she knelt beside
+it and laid her cheek against Keineth's hands. Keineth felt hot tears
+which surprised her, for she did not know that Tante knew how to cry.
+Then Tante began to pray--a queer sort of prayer, all broken: "Oh, God,
+oh, God, keep this little girl safe from the things that hurt! Keep all
+the little ones! Why should they suffer? Where is your mercy?" Then she
+said a great deal in French so fast that Keineth could not understand
+her and finally, sobbing violently, she rushed out of the room, leaving
+Keineth very disturbed. She thought that poor Tante must love her very
+much and she supposed the prayer was for the little children in Europe
+who were starving, as well as for her--Keineth Randolph! Madame Henri's
+good heart so moved her that she jumped out of bed to kneel beside it
+and add what she had forgotten in her concern over herself!
+
+"God bless dear, dear Tante and keep her safe!"
+
+Then, feeling very excited, Keineth went to sleep without crying and
+dreamed of running barefooted with Peggy through fields all white with
+daisies, while in the distance at a fence like the rail fences in
+pictures, stood Aunt Josephine's awful French maid with Fido under her
+arm, screaming at her in French.
+
+So vivid seemed the dream that it awakened Keineth. She listened for a
+moment. She could hear the click of her father's typewriter. She
+pressed the button that lighted her bed lamp, found her slippers and
+stole noiselessly downstairs. Never in her whole life had she disturbed
+her Daddy when he was writing, but now she did not even rap--she pushed
+the door open and ran to him.
+
+"Daddy, Daddy--" she cried as though still pursued by the screaming
+French maid. "Please--I'd rather go to the Lee's!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+OVERLOOK
+
+
+"The next station is Fairview, Keineth--watch out for the kiddies,"
+said Mr. Lee, rising from the car seat.
+
+Keineth had been sitting for a half hour with her nose flattened
+against the car window, not seeing at all the fields and farmhouses
+that flew past her, but trying to picture what Peggy would be like!
+Keineth was very excited and a little tired from the night in the
+sleeper; she was fighting back the thought that she would not see Daddy
+for a long, long time. Daddy had gone with them to the station the
+night before, and had helped her undress in the queer little shelf he
+called a berth and had himself pulled the blankets close around her
+chin and kissed her again and again.
+
+"Little soldier--right face," he whispered--and Keineth knew that he
+meant she should be very brave over it all. Then he had hurried off the
+train, for the conductor was shouting: "All aboard----" and Keineth,
+peeping from under her curtain for a last look, had seen his tall
+figure go down the dimly-lighted platform.
+
+The engine whistled and slowed down. Keineth took up the new bag which
+had been Aunt Josephine's present to her, and followed Mr. Lee to the
+door. Around the corner of his arm she saw a freckled-faced boy running
+close to the car step, and beyond him two little girls.
+
+The taller of the two must, of course, be Peggy! Keineth saw a
+bob-headed, slim child of about her own height, brown as a berry.
+
+"Dad--Dad," they cried, running forward as Mr. Lee stepped down from
+the train almost strangled in Billy's hug. In their joy at seeing their
+father the girls did not notice Keineth, who stood shyly back, wishing
+the ground would open and swallow her up.
+
+But the ground under the station platform was unusually solid! In a
+moment Keineth felt three pairs of eyes upon her as Mr. Lee turned and
+said:
+
+"Here is the little stranger I have brought with me."
+
+"Hello," said Peggy, smiling. Alice smiled, too, but hung back a
+little, and Billy swept a critical glance over Keineth's city-clad
+little figure. Mr. Lee, holding Alice's hand in his, was walking toward
+an automobile in which sat the eldest daughter.
+
+"I'm awfully glad you came," began Peggy as the children followed.
+"It'll be such fun!"
+
+"Is this Keineth?" cried the girl in the automobile, jumping out to
+greet her father. Keineth had pictured Barbara as quite a young
+lady--she had always thought seventeen very old--but Barbara was
+dressed in a blue skirt and a middy blouse like Peggy's and wore her
+hair in a long, thick braid. She had her father's kind eyes and the
+friendliness of their glance warmed poor little Keineth's homesick
+soul. She gave the child a little pat on the shoulder.
+
+"We're just awfully glad you're here," she said, taking Keineth's bag.
+Then, to her father: "We didn't think Genevieve would run! She's been
+acting awful--but we just made her crawl up here to meet you."
+
+"Genevieve's the name of the automobile," giggled Peggy as the smaller
+girls cuddled into the back seat. Billy rode on the running board and
+Barbara took the steering wheel.
+
+"Mother's fine," Barbara was saying while, at the same time, Billy was
+pouring into his father's ear a great deal of information concerning
+his wireless. Peggy in breathless, excited words was pointing out to
+the bewildered Keineth the sights of Fairview.
+
+Genevieve, with many puffs and snorts and queer noises from under her
+bonnet, crawled gallantly along the smooth road, up a hill, turned in
+between two stone posts and stopped. Down the steps ran a woman who
+seemed to Keineth only a little older than Barbara, She kissed Mr. Lee,
+then, pushing the eager children aside, turned to Keineth.
+
+"Here she is, mother," called out Peggy, drawing Keineth forward.
+
+Mrs. Lee took Keineth in her arms and held her very close for a moment.
+When she released her she put her hand under Keineth's chin to lift her
+face.
+
+"It's like seeing your mother again," she laughed, although there was a
+queer little catch in her voice.
+
+"You'll be Peggy's twin," she added, starting up the steps. "Bring in
+their bags, Billy. Barb--let's give Dad a nice hot cup of coffee!
+Peggy, you make Keineth perfectly at home."
+
+Keineth took off her hat and coat. Very willingly Peggy took her in
+charge.
+
+"I'll show you the garden," she said.
+
+"Let's go down to the beach!" cried Alice, following.
+
+"Do you want to see my wireless set?" invited Billy.
+
+"Billy thinks that's the only interesting thing about Overlook!"
+
+"Wait a moment, children," suggested Mrs. Lee to them, "one thing at a
+time! Keineth is tired, perhaps. Take her upstairs, Peggy, and let her
+slip on a blouse and your old serge bloomers--then go outside and
+play!"
+
+Overlook really wasn't like a house at all--Keineth had never seen
+anything quite like it. There was one big living-room with a veranda
+running around it and with big doors opening from three sides upon the
+veranda so that the room itself was just like out-of-doors. One end of
+the veranda was enclosed in glass and used as a dining-room. Flowers in
+boxes were on the sills of the windows and over them the sun streamed
+through chintz-curtained windows. Upstairs were two rooms over the
+living-rooms, and opening from these were screened sleeping porches,
+with rows of little cots. Peggy explained that the rooms were used as
+dressing-rooms and that each one of the family had a little chest of
+drawers for their own clothes and that mother had brought the oak one
+in the corner out from town for Keineth's use.
+
+"But where do you sleep when it rains?" cried Keineth.
+
+"Oh, out there," laughed Peggy; "you see, the roof slants down so far
+that it keeps out the rain. That's your cot--between Barb's and mine."
+
+Keineth caught a glimpse of a great blue stretch of water glistening in
+the bright sunlight a quarter of a mile away.
+
+"Oh--is that the lake?" she exclaimed, eagerly.
+
+"Yes--we'll go down to the beach in a little while. Can you swim?
+Mother will teach you--she taught each one of us. I'm going to try for
+the life-saving medal this year! We have sport contests at the club in
+August. Can you play tennis?" Keineth said no. Peggy's manner became
+just a little patronizing. "Oh, it's easy to learn, though it'll take
+you quite awhile to serve a good ball, but you can practice with Alice.
+Can you play golf?"
+
+"My Daddy can."
+
+"Well, you can walk around the links with Billy and me. Barbara plays a
+dandy game--she can beat Dad all to pieces. Let's go down now and see
+the garden."
+
+Beyond the neatly-kept lawn with its bricked walks bordered with
+nasturtium beds was the stretch of garden in which the children had
+their individual beds. Peggy explained to Keineth that Billy this year
+had planted his bed to radishes and onions; that she had put in her
+seed in a pattern of her own designing which, when she separated the
+weeds from the flowers would look like a splendid combination of a new
+moon and the Big Dipper. Barbara and Alice had planted asters and
+snapdragon because mother liked them for the house. Back of the flower
+beds was a patch of young corn, and behind that the vegetable garden
+which supplied the table. At one side of the garden was the barn where
+poor Genevieve was now resting her rickety bones, and next to that was
+a shed.
+
+Billy was busy at work repairing the door of the shed. As the girls
+came in sight he waved to them. They started on a run.
+
+"Let's give Ken a ride on Gypsy," he called out. He dropped his hammer,
+disappeared in the barn and came out leading a shaggy pony.
+
+At the sound of the nickname carelessly bestowed upon her Keineth drew
+in her breath quickly. Right at that moment she wanted more than
+anything else in the world that these children should not think she was
+a bit different from them! Already her plain serge dress had been hung
+away and she was in a blouse and bloomers like Peggy's!
+
+"I don't know," began Peggy doubtfully.
+
+"Oh, please, let me have a ride," broke in Keineth in a voice she tried
+to make as careless as Billy's own.
+
+"We always ride Gypsy bareback--climb up here on these boxes!"
+
+Keineth stepped upon the boxes, Billy wheeled the pony around and
+Keineth bravely swung one leg over the pony's back, taking the halter
+in her hand as she did so. Billy gave the pony a sound slap on the
+shoulder and off they flew!
+
+Never in her life had Keineth been on a horse's back, but she had
+caught the challenge in Billy's laughing eyes and her soul flamed with
+daring. She clenched her teeth tightly and, because she was in mortal
+terror of slipping off from the pony, she gripped her knees with all
+her might against his shaggy sides. In a funny little gallop--very like
+a rocking horse--he circled the house, while from the shed Billy and
+Peggy shouted to her encouragingly.
+
+Keineth's first ride would have ended triumphantly if she had not laid
+her hand ever so lightly on a certain spot in Gypsy's neck! For Gypsy,
+having reached an age when he was of no further use in their business,
+had been bought a year before from a circus company by Mr. Lee and
+taken to Overlook, and at the time of the purchase no one had explained
+to Mr. Lee that Gypsy's training had included quietly throwing the
+clown from her back in a way which had always won screams of laughter
+from the spectators and that the little act came at the moment when the
+clown touched a certain spot on her neck! All the young Lees had ridden
+Gypsy but had not happened to discover this little trick. But Keineth,
+just as she had safely passed the kitchen door and was galloping toward
+the shed, suddenly felt herself flying over Gypsy's head! Her fall was
+broken by a pile of sand which had been hauled up from the beach for
+the garden. Keineth was more startled than hurt, though she felt a
+little stunned and lay for a moment very still.
+
+"Oh, are you hurt?" cried Peggy, running quickly to her with Billy at
+her heels.
+
+"Oh, I s'pose she'll cry and bring mother out!" Keineth heard Billy say
+behind Peggy's back.
+
+Keineth's cheeks were very red. She stood up quickly and, though for a
+moment everything danced before her eyes, she managed to laugh and
+speak in a queer voice she scarcely recognized as her own.
+
+"'Course I'm not hurt! A little fall like that!" she brushed the sand
+from her blouse.
+
+"Peggy," cried Billy, joyfully, "she's a real scout!" and Keineth knew
+then that she was one of them.
+
+Even Peggy's tone was different. "Let's ask mother if we can't go down
+to the beach before lunch!" she called out over her shoulder, starting
+houseward on a run.
+
+That night a very tired little girl crept into her cot between
+Barbara's and Peggy's. Alice was already asleep on the other side of
+Peggy. Barbara was still on the veranda talking with her mother and
+father. A soft land breeze, all sweet with garden smells, fanned their
+faces as the girls lay there. What a day it had been to Keineth--she
+had played in the sand, waded in the warm shallows of the lake, raced
+with Peggy and Alice through the fields all white with daisies and had
+gathered great bunches of the pretty flowers! She thought, as she lay
+there watching the little stars peeping under the edge of the roof,
+that she had never been so happy in her life! She loved Overlook and
+all the Lees--and Peggy, best of all.
+
+In whispers, reaching out from their cots to clasp hands, she and Peggy
+opened their hearts to one another. She told Peggy all about poor, nice
+Tante and about the old house and Francesca Ferocci and Aunt Josephine
+and Fido and the French maid, and the tenants on the third floor and
+her Daddy--who'd gone away on a secret. Peggy, very sleepily pictured
+what they'd do on the morrow and the day after and the day after that.
+Later, when Mrs. Lee went her rounds, as she always did, tucking a
+cover under each loved chin, she found Keineth's fair curls very close
+to Peggy's round bobbed head and their hands still clasping.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+KEINETH WRITES TO HER FATHER
+
+
+My dear, dear, dearest Daddy,
+
+I have decided to write down all my thoughts and send them to you just
+like the diry Tante used to keep in her brown book that had the lock on
+it, then she would lose the key and ring her hands and think Dinah had
+taken it, then she would find it under her burow cover where she had
+hidden it all the time. I am trying to be a good soldier. It was very
+hard at first, I could not keep myself from thinking all the time of
+you and Tante and our happy home where it must be all dark and dusty
+now like it was after we had been in the mountains with Aunt Josephine,
+only worse. I do love it here, but it is not a bit like anything I have
+ever seen at home or riding with Aunt Josephine. It is like a house and
+like we were living right out doors, for there are so many windows and
+we sleep in a big room just with a roof. I sleep right next to Peggy;
+we always talk before we go to sleep, which is lots of fun, only Peggy
+never listens until I finish. I say good-night to a big bright star
+becose I pretend that star is shining down where you are writing
+somewhere and maybe will tell you that your little girl is saying
+goodnight. Way off toward the end of the sky there is a funny little
+star that is very hard to see, and I say goodnight to that for Tante
+becose she is so far away, too, Barbara helped me find on the map where
+she had gone and Mr. Lee said poor thing. I do wish I knew if she was
+unhappy.
+
+We live downstairs in a great big room and eat there and everything, it
+seems just as if flowers grew right in it, for there are boxes of them
+at the windows and on the veranda, and Aunt Nellie puts big bunches of
+them all around the room and Peggy has a bird that lives in a white
+cage in the window and sings all the time, I guess becose the sun
+shines on him. The furniture is not gold at all like Aunt Josephine's
+and it is not big like we have at home and there are only one or two
+rugs and the floor shines; Aunt Nellie does not fuss when we children
+move things around and we have lots of fun. There is a big fireplace
+made of rocks Billy says they pulled up from the beach. One time Mr.
+Lee lighted some big logs in it and we all sat round and told terrible
+storys of pirates and things we made up most, but Billy could think of
+the worst and Mr. Lee and Aunt Nellie sat with us and told some just
+like they were children, too. Sometimes Aunt Nellie seems just like a
+girl, she is so jolly, she is not a bit like Aunt Josephine, though I
+am sure Aunt Josephine is a very nice lady and I don't mean that I
+don't love her, only Aunt Nellie kisses me as if she liked too and does
+not just peck my cheek. Last week she brought me home some lovly middy
+bloses like Peggy wears, and I play in bloomers all day and put on a
+white skirt for supper; Mr. Lee says Peggy and I look like twins.
+Auntie brought me a bathing suit, too, and a tennis raket Peggy says is
+better than hers. She folded away all my hair ribbons, she said we
+would not bother with them in the country. Barbara wears middy bloses,
+too, but she cannot wear bloomers becose she is too old though she does
+not look old or grownup. She is going away to school in the fall and
+Auntie and she are getting her close ready. Alice is just a little girl
+and is some fun, although she crys real often Peggy says she is
+spoiled. Auntie says she will outgrow that and that Peggy cryed just as
+much when she was like Alice is. I wish I could see you becose I would
+like to ask you many questions about when I was a little girl. I am
+sure if I had a little sister like Alice I would try and be more polite
+than Peggy is, but Peggy says that families are all like that. Billy is
+awful. I do not think I like him very much. He says the queerest words
+and acts rude and rough. Tante would not like his manners at all. I am
+ashamed becose I do not like him becose Auntie loves him dearly and she
+only laughs when I think she will punish him; he does not read books
+and his English is bad like Dinah's and he teses Peggy and Alice and
+eats very fast and talks with food in his mouth. I shall try to like
+him.
+
+There are no sidewalks at Mr. Lee's house; they have pebble paths with
+flowers here instead of sidewalks and a dirt road; it is just like the
+real country and there are daisies in the fields, Peggy says they do
+not call them lots. The grass is greener than in the Square at home.
+All the children have gardens. Peggy says I may have half of her's and
+I have a hoe and rake all my own. Billy Is going to sell his
+vegertables becose he wants to buy a new sending set for his wireless.
+I like the pony, though I do not like to ride it after the first time
+when I fell off, though it did not hurt me at all and I was not even
+frightened.
+
+To-morrow we are going into the lake for a swim, although I will have
+to learn, but Peggy says that it is easy only I must stay away from
+Billy or he will duck me. I shall try and not be afraid becose I am
+sure you would be ashamed of me if I acted frightened. It will be fun
+to put on my new bathing suit. Auntie taught Barbara and Peggy to swim.
+Peggy is going to try and win the medal this year, and Barbara says she
+will becose she swims so well.
+
+I will try and remember to write to Aunt Josephine like I promised I
+would becose she is my aunt, but I will not know what to tell her
+becose there is not anything in Overlook that is like what she has and
+she might not like what I tell her and scold us. I am sure she would be
+angry if I told her that once a week Auntie lets us girls cook the
+supper and we cook just what we please and surprise them, and Barbara
+puts down on a paper everything we use and how much it costs, and after
+supper she gives it to Mr. Lee and we talk about it. Tomorrow is our
+night. Oh I wish you were here, Daddy, it is such fun only it is very
+lonely without a father. I try to do all the things that Peggy does,
+though I can't do them as well, but I will tell you in this diry how I
+improve as I intend to do. I have not any book to keep my thoughts in,
+but I will send them to you whenever I write them. Please excuse my
+spelling for I am sure no one should have to look in a dickshunary when
+they are writing thoughts. Tante never did. I love you and I am sending
+a million kisses with this letter.
+
+Your little soldier daugghter, Keineth Randolph.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Dear Mr. President of the United States:
+
+Please send the letter I put in the envelope to my father. He is
+working for the Stars and Stripes somewhere, he said he could not tell
+me where becose it was a secret. He is a soldier, but he is one of
+those that do not wear any uniform. I am sure you will know where he is
+becose you are the President of our Country. I would like to know, too,
+very much where he is becose it is lonesome without him, for my father
+is the only family I have. But my father said I must be a little
+soldier. You know he just means me to do my duty and to like Overlook
+and everybody and to do what they do, but it makes me feel better to
+pretend that I am a soldier like he is and like all your soldiers.
+Thank you if you send my letter to my father and much love.
+
+Yours truly, Keineth Randolph.
+
+P. S.--Aunt Josephine says postscripts are not good form, but I forgot
+to say that my father's name is John Randolph, of Washington Square,
+New York. This was the letter over which Keineth, curled in a chair at
+the writing-desk, had labored for a long time, finishing it at last to
+her satisfaction. Slipping it into an envelope with the letter she had
+written to her father she sealed it hastily, anxious to have it
+addressed and mailed before Peggy and Billy returned from the golf
+club.
+
+Over on the window seat Barbara sat sewing, watching Keineth with
+amused eyes; for Keineth had been writing with the dictionary open at
+her elbow and had stopped very often to consult it as to the spelling
+of a word.
+
+"Very different from Peggy," thought Barbara.
+
+Aware after a little that Keineth's face wore a perplexed frown, she
+said to her:
+
+"Can I help you, Ken?"
+
+"If you'll just tell me how to address a letter to the President,
+please."
+
+"The President! What President?"
+
+"The President of the United States."
+
+"Good gracious--" Barbara, dropping her sewing, stared at Keineth in
+amazement. "I thought--no wonder you're using a dictionary! I am sure I
+would, too! But--" Keineth broke in hastily. "You see I have been
+writing a sort of diary, about everything I think and do, to send to my
+father, but I don't know where he is because he has gone away on a
+mission for our country and it has to be kept a secret, but I
+thought--" Her voice broke a little and she held the letter tightly in
+her hands.
+
+Barbara, feeling how close the tears were to Keineth's bright eyes,
+crossed quickly to her side.
+
+"Oh, I see!" she said briskly. "What a splendid idea! Of course the
+President will know where he is and will send it to him. Let me
+think--we learned all that in school and had to address make-believe
+letters to him--" Taking a sheet of paper she wrote in large letters:
+
+   Honorable Woodrow Wilson,
+   White House,
+   Washington, D. C.
+
+"It looks too simple for the President--it ought to have more
+flourishes to it and titles and things, shouldn't it, Ken? You copy it
+and we'll walk straight down to the post office and mail it so that it
+will go on to-night's train." Tears were far from Keineth's eyes as she
+walked by Barbara's side down the white road between the fields of
+daisies and buttercups. The little cloud of loneliness that had for a
+brief time threatened her sky had disappeared and she was again a
+light-hearted little girl, eagerly awaiting the happy things that each
+new day at Overlook seemed to bring to her.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+PILOT COMES TO OVERLOOK
+
+
+"This is the third time in a week that Billy's been late for dinner,"
+said Mrs. Lee, looking from Billy's empty place at the table to his
+father's face.
+
+Mr. Lee was serving the steaming chicken and biscuits that Nora had
+placed on the table.
+
+"He asked me if he could go to the fair at Middletown! He wanted his
+next week's allowance."
+
+"William," and Mrs. Lee's gentle voice was stern, "you do spoil that
+boy dreadfully!"
+
+"He's with Jim Archer!" Peggy put in. She knew that her mother did not
+like Jim Archer.
+
+"Billy's with him a lot," added Barbara.
+
+"He teases us girls all the time, too, Mother! He put June bugs in my
+bed last night!" cried Alice.
+
+"Billy is certainly in all wrong just now," answered Mr. Lee with a
+twinkle in his eyes.
+
+"But _do_ you think these fairs are quite the places for boys like
+Billy and Jim Archer--alone?" asked Mrs. Lee with a troubled look. "He
+should have been home long ago! They must have ridden their wheels!"
+
+"Don't worry, little mother! Billy will come home tired and hungry and
+none the worse for the fair! Why, when I was a boy I never missed a
+fair anywhere around and always walked, too! _They_ used to be real
+fairs--nothing like them these days!"
+
+The children knew that when their father began his "when I was a boy,"
+it could mean a story if there was a little coaxing!
+
+"Oh, tell us a story!" Alice cried.
+
+"Please do!" added Keineth. It would make them all forget to feel cross
+toward Billy!
+
+So, chuckling a little under his breath, Mr. Lee began:
+
+"Down in our village old Cy Addington had a calf he'd entered in the
+County Fair. He'd set his heart on that calf's winning a prize--all the
+other farmers had told him it would. It was black as jet with just a
+little white mark on its fore quarter. He tended that calf like a baby
+and spent hours at a time getting it all in shape for the Fair. Well,
+the night before the Fair opened two boys--bad boys they were--stole
+that calf out of its shed, took it off in some woods where they had a
+lantern and a can of paint hidden under a log. What do you think they
+did? Painted the animal white--snow white--every bit of him! Then they
+took him to the graveyard and tied him to a tombstone!"
+
+"Oh, Daddy, how dreadful!" cried Alice.
+
+"Then what happened?" demanded Keineth and Peggy in one voice.
+
+"Well, a lot of things happened, and they happened fast! Miss Cymantha
+Jones, a nervous spinster, was walking home from Widow Markham's
+house--rather late, but she'd been caring for the widow through a sick
+spell. And Miss Cymantha saw that calf jumping around among the
+tombstones and thought it was a ghost! She let out such screams that it
+brought Charley, the old sexton, running to the door in his night
+shirt, and he saw the calf, and Miss Cymantha scuttling down the road
+screaming and holding her skirts high so's she could run faster, and I
+guess he thought it was the resurrection itself, for what did he do but
+ring the bell and the folks all thought it was a fire and came rushing
+out in all kinds of clothes! Then Cy Addington found his precious calf
+and the neighbors had an indignation meeting right then and there and
+the ones who had the most clothes on started out to find the offenders
+and some of the others went in to quiet Miss Cymantha, and a few others
+put the sexton to bed and locked him in so that he couldn't give any
+more alarms!"
+
+"But what happened to the boys?"
+
+"Oh, when the crowd was the most excited they just climbed over a
+woodshed into the house and by the time the volunteers were lined up to
+go to find them they were sound asleep!"
+
+"Who were they, Father? Were they boys you knew?" asked Peggy.
+
+Mr. Lee laughed down the length of the table and Peggy caught the
+answering smile in her mother's eyes.
+
+"Oh, I know--I know! It was you, Daddy," she cried, running from her
+chair to kiss the back of his head.
+
+"Come, dear, sit down! William, if you were that sort of a boy what can
+we expect of Billy? Hark--isn't that his whistle?" She stepped eagerly
+to the door, the girls close behind her.
+
+"He's all right--he always whistles when he's happy!"
+
+"It is he!" cried Mrs. Lee, going down the steps. "And what in the
+world is he bringing with him!"
+
+For Billy, covered with dust, guiding his bicycle with one hand, was
+walking leisurely up the road leading with an air of pride edged
+slightly by a disturbing doubt, a dirty, weary-eyed dog!
+
+"A dog--of all things!" cried Barbara,
+
+"_Where'd_ you get it?" demanded Peggy eagerly.
+
+The family stood on the bottom step and eyed Billy's treasure. The dog
+seemed to have no doubt as to his welcome, for in his desire to greet
+his adopted family he strained at the slender leash with which Billy
+held him.
+
+"Whose dog is it, Billy," asked Mrs. Lee.
+
+"I bought him for a dollar!" Billy glanced questioningly at his mother.
+He had heard her declare ever so often that she would not allow a
+long-haired dog in the house! And this new pet had a very long, shaggy,
+dirty hide! Peggy was on her knees with both arms around the dog's
+neck.
+
+"Just see him shake hands!" Alice was crying.
+
+But the quiet of Mrs. Lee's manner disturbed Billy. "I think you'd
+better come into the house and see if Nora has saved you any supper.
+After you have finished we will hear about the dog."
+
+"Let me hold him, please, Billy!" begged Peggy. Keineth stood a little
+apart. She was not yet sure that she wanted a closer acquaintance with
+the newcomer. She had known few dogs; her father had always warned her
+to leave the stray dogs that she met on the street quite alone--and she
+had detested Aunt Josephine's silky poodle! But this poor scrap was
+wagging his stubby tail and looking at her in a coaxing manner that
+said plainly, "Let's be friends!"
+
+Within the house Billy was cramming down biscuits and chicken gravy
+with an enjoyment that covered the concern he felt at his mother's
+attitude. When he could speak for the food in his mouth he told her of
+the crowds at the fair. But with the last mouthful of custard pie
+bolted he went straight to the point: "Can I keep him, Mother?"
+
+She rose and, with Billy following, went out upon the veranda. At sight
+of his new master the dog broke away from Peggy and leaped upon him,
+his big paws on Billy's shoulders.
+
+"Can't I keep him, Mummy?" he asked, pleadingly, looking from his
+mother to his father.
+
+"Mummy, this is such a lovely dog--" implored Alice, the June bugs
+forgotten.
+
+"And we'll take care of him," added Peggy.
+
+Billy put one arm around the dog's neck.
+
+"I guess when you hear the story 'bout him you'll let him stay," he
+said solemnly.
+
+"Tell us, son," Mr. Lee joined in for the first time.
+
+So Billy stood before them to plead for his dog.
+
+"Jim and I got to the Fair, 'nd he told me to wait outside and he'd
+scout around and see if he couldn't find his uncle who had a show
+inside, 'cause Jim thought maybe his uncle could get us in for nothing
+and we'd have more money to spend. It was awful hot and I went over and
+sat under the trees across the road and watched the people come. All of
+a sudden I heard a dog cry, and over near one of the other trees was a
+man that looked like a tramp trying to make a dog go ahead and kicking
+him awful 'cause the dog wouldn't go! The dog would cry and then the
+man'd kick him again and swear awful. Well, I was mad--I gave that
+whistle that Rex used to know and the dog sort of listened, then I
+whistled harder and the dog made a jump and broke his string and ran
+like a flash right to me just's if he knew I was a friend! The man came
+after him, swearing harder than ever. But I just took the dog and stood
+right up and I said to him: 'You don't know how to treat a dog!' I
+thought maybe he'd hit me, he looked so mad, but I went on talking real
+fast. I said, 'He's a lot like a dog I know--what'll you sell him for?'
+Because I'd sort o' decided he'd stolen him and might be glad to get
+rid of him, you see! And the man said, 'How much'll you give?' and I
+told him I'd give a dollar, and he reached out for the string and said,
+'That ain't enough,' and I said, 'That's all I've got,' and just that
+minute a policeman came along towards us and he said quick, 'He's
+yours,' and I gave him my dollar and you ought to have seen him beat
+it!"
+
+Upon the rest of the story Billy touched lightly--how, his dollar gone,
+he had had no money with-which to buy his way into the fair; how Jim,
+returning from an unsuccessful search for the uncle and finding Billy
+and the dog under the tree, had, disgusted by Billy's extravagance,
+left him there, bidding him wait! But later Jim had relented and had
+treated Billy to an ice-cream cone from the tent near the gate. Then
+Jim had started for home and Billy had walked the five miles between
+Middletown and Overlook, pushing the bicycle and leading the tired dog.
+
+"And I never saw the Fair at all," he finished, breathless from his
+story.
+
+"Well, Mother--don't you think Billy deserves the dog?" said Mr. Lee
+when Billy had finished. And Keineth whispered, "Goody, goody!"
+
+Mrs. Lee laughed. "I will say that he may stay here on trial--while
+we're in the country. But, oh, dear--I had hoped we'd never have
+another dog--and of all things, a long-haired dog!"
+
+"Jim Archer said he was an Airedale," broke in Billy, proudly stroking
+the dirty head. "Pretty cheap for a dollar, I think!"
+
+"Let's name him," cried Alice eagerly. "I think you'd better bathe him
+first," chuckled Mr. Lee. Then, turning to his wife, "You know I think
+it is a valuable dog! The fellow must have stolen him!"
+
+In triumph Billy and Peggy led the newcomer towards the pump for his
+bath, while Keineth went in search of soap and a sponge. Over the bath
+they discussed names and, as it looked as though they could not agree,
+they decided that, because Keineth was a visitor, she should select the
+name.
+
+And after a little thought she called him Pilot.
+
+"Pilot Lee," said Peggy, squeezing a spongeful of water over the dog's
+head.
+
+An hour later a very tired boy was sleeping soundly, while on the floor
+beside his cot lay the dog--his warm muzzle faithfully snuggled against
+Billy's dusty shoe.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE MUSIC THE FAIRIES PUT IN HER FINGERS
+
+
+On the shaded corner of the wide veranda Mrs. Lee sat making
+buttonholes in a blouse for Billy, humming as she worked. Occasionally
+she patted the crisp cloth in her hand as though she loved this task of
+stitching for her youngsters. About her quiet reigned; broken now and
+then by Peggy's bird in its cage and the far-off sound of the gasoline
+mower on the golf course.
+
+Suddenly Barbara came around the corner of the house, like a rose, in
+her fresh pink gingham. In her hand she swung a putter.
+
+"Off for the golf links, dear?" Mrs. Lee asked, glancing with pride
+over the straight, slim figure of the girl.
+
+"Yes, Mother, Carol Day and I play off our match this afternoon. If I
+beat her I'll win those candlesticks--"
+
+"They will look very pretty on your dresser," smiled Mrs. Lee. "I know
+what you mean, Mother--that I'm just playing for the candlesticks alone
+and I'm not at all, for when I do win one I sort of hate taking a
+prize. But I would like to beat Carol because she does play such a good
+game!"
+
+"That's the spirit, Bab. Where are the little girls?"
+
+"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Mother," Barbara, balancing
+herself on the arm of a chair, tapped her toe with the putter. "Peggy
+and Alice have gone off to Molly Sawyer's and they've left Keineth
+home. I don't think they're treating her a bit nicely!"
+
+"Why didn't she go with them?"
+
+"I don't think Peggy asked her to go. She and Molly were going to play
+tennis on the Sawyer courts with Joan Crate, a girl that's out here
+from town, and Keineth felt left out. Peggy told her she couldn't play
+well enough to play with them and that it spoiled a game playing with
+beginners, anyway!"
+
+Mrs. Lee stitched in silence. Barbara went on:
+
+"And I heard Billy the other day teasing her about her father. He
+laughed at her when she said her father was a soldier, only the kind
+that didn't wear a uniform, and he told her there weren't any soldiers
+like that! I think you ought to speak to the children, Mother."
+
+"Never mind, Bab, those things will straighten themselves. Peggy must
+be more considerate and patient and I will tell Billy something about
+Keineth's father--Billy will be interested. We may some day have reason
+to be very proud of knowing him, for he may become a very great man,
+besides doing an immense good for this country of ours. Run along,
+dear, to your game and good luck to you!"
+
+Barbara kissed the top of her head and hurried away. Mrs. Lee sat on
+alone, her hands idly clasped over the blouse in her lap. It was her
+way to puzzle out these little problems quietly.
+
+Suddenly across the June stillness came the sound of exquisite music;
+clear, thrilling notes, unreal--fairylike! Almost hesitatingly Mrs. Lee
+turned as though she expected to see a fairy sprite in gauzy robes
+approaching her from the shadows of the house! She rose and crept
+toward the window. No sprite was there--only Keineth sitting before the
+piano, her small hands softly touching the keys as though by magic she
+drew the melody from them. Across her fair head fell a slanting bar of
+sunlight. To this her eyes were raised in rapt contentment.
+
+From the window Mrs. Lee watched and listened. There seemed to be no
+beginning or end to the melody--it ran on and on, now plaintive, like a
+small voice crying--now full of laughter with a happy note like that of
+a bird.
+
+"Child--" Mrs. Lee stepped through the long window into the room.
+Keineth turned quickly.
+
+"I didn't know--anyone was here," she said, shyly.
+
+But Mrs. Lee scarcely heard her. She had clasped her arms about the
+small form and was holding it very close.
+
+"I was just playing--what the fairies put in my fingers," Keineth
+explained from the depths of Mrs. Lee's embrace.
+
+"They are fairy fingers indeed," laughed Mrs. Lee. "Let us sit down
+here together and you must tell me all about it. Who taught you to play
+like that, child?"
+
+"No one--like that. Madame Henri always gave me lessons. They were very
+stupid and I hated having to practice. But every evening, when we'd sit
+together, I'd play to Daddy the music that came into my fingers.
+Sometimes he'd stand by the piano until I was finished and then he'd
+kiss my fingers and say 'fairy fingers', only Tante used to snore so
+loudly, poor thing."
+
+"And you love music?"
+
+"Oh--most of anything in the world. Sometimes Daddy would take me to
+the big opera house to hear music and it seemed, when I heard it, as
+though I was floating right away. Then we'd go home and I'd make up
+more music and tell them a story on the piano and sometimes Daddy could
+guess the story almost. Tante used to shake her head and Daddy would
+say, 'Leave her alone--she knows more than we do.' I don't know what he
+meant, but some day I shall study hard and try to be a great musician.
+Daddy said-I should-only he said I must wait until my body grew as
+strong as my spirit."
+
+"Keineth, my dear, do you know what a precious trust has been given
+you? God gives to some of His children great gifts--they are in trust
+for Him! You must care for it and guard it and keep it and see that it
+is bestowed generously upon many! Music is one of the most precious
+things in this world--and to create it is a great power!"
+
+Keineth, with puzzled eyes, tried to understand. Mrs. Lee patted her
+hand.
+
+"How your mother would have loved to hear what these fingers can do!
+She had a nature that was like a song in its sweetness. But your father
+is right; before all else you must build up this little body of yours!"
+
+"What did he mean, Aunt Nellie?"
+
+"He wants you to run and play games and grow strong. And you must not
+be discouraged and unhappy if you can't keep up just yet with Peggy and
+Billy and the others. Remember, while they've been racing their legs
+off you've been doing other things. If Peggy _can_ beat you at tennis,
+you just ask her to play one of her pieces for you! Poor Peg, her
+fingers are all thumbs! Everything evens up in this funny world,
+child."
+
+"You're so wonderful, Aunt Nellie! I did fed as if Peggy didn't like me
+because I couldn't do things as well as she can, but if she'll help me
+learn to swim real well and beat Billy just once at tennis, I'll help
+her with her music!"
+
+"A fine idea, Keineth! And then sometimes, when Peggy perhaps wants to
+do something that you don't care about, I will help you write down the
+music you play. Some day we will surprise them all--you and I will have
+a secret!"
+
+Keineth clapped her hands eagerly. "Oh, I have wished I could! It'll be
+such fun! I'll send it to my father! You _are_ wonderful, Aunt Nellie."
+The child threw her arms about Mrs. Lee's neck in a burst of joy.
+
+"Remember, now! No discouraged heart because you can't get a ball over
+the net or stand on your head in the water!"
+
+That evening an east wind blowing up with a fine, driving rain, gave an
+excuse for a fire in the big fireplace. And as they sat around it;
+Alice on the arm of her mother's chair, Barbara close to her father, a
+little silent, because Carol Day _had_ beaten her; Peggy and Keineth on
+the floor side by side, and Billy and his dog sprawled near the door,
+Mrs. Lee told the children the story of the little boy who went each
+day to his attic room to play on the old piano there; how one day, the
+sound of the music reaching the ears of people below, they crept one by
+one to the dark stairway to listen. Then in wonder they brought others
+and even more. These foolish folk thought it was a spirit who came to
+the attic room and made the music, but finally one of them crept closer
+and opened the door and found the little boy!
+
+"I know, Mother," cried Barbara, "it was Mozart!"
+
+"Yes, it was Mozart, who, when he grew older, made music that will last
+as long as this world. Keineth, will you play for us, dear?"
+
+Keineth, with a very red face, walked bravely to the piano. But her
+heart was happy and her fingers tingled with the music she felt. With
+the firelight dancing across the darkened room it seemed like the old
+library at home and as if Daddy must be sitting close to her with
+Madame Henri nodding in her chair near the window!
+
+They were silent when she had finished. Barbara sighed-as though the
+music had made her sad; Billy said something under his breath that
+sounded like "Gee!" and Mrs. Lee patted Peggy's hand. She had found
+time for a little talk with Peggy about Keineth.
+
+"Oh, I think you're wonderful!" Peggy cried now to Keineth, running to
+her and linking her hand in Keineth's arm. "I wish I could play one bit
+as well as that----"
+
+After the children had gone to bed Mr. and Mrs. Lee sat for a long time
+in the room lighted only by the flames of the fire. Somehow the music
+seemed to linger about them.
+
+"Isn't this world funny, William--" Mrs. Lee stared into the blaze. "If
+that child had not lived that funny, lonely life in that big house with
+no one but the queer governess, that gift of hers might never have
+developed! I wonder what the future may have in store for her?"
+
+"Above all--let us hope--health and happiness!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ALICE RUNS AWAY
+
+
+"I've got something to show you all," Billy announced at the luncheon
+table. He wore the satisfied air of one who has accomplished something
+long desired.
+
+"What've you got?" Peggy answered promptly.
+
+"Guess!" Billy fixed his attention upon his plate in a tantalizing way.
+
+"Oh, I know--it's a new sending set! I guessed first!"
+
+"You didn't guess, either! I'll bet you saw Joe Gary bring it!"
+
+"What is a sending set?" asked Keineth.
+
+"I'll show you afterwards," Billy answered, with a kindness meant to
+crush Peggy.
+
+Mr. Lee broke in: "But I thought you had to save three dollars more
+before you could buy one--"
+
+Billy flushed. "Well, this ain't exactly mine--yet, Dad! Joe Gary made
+it and he's going to make another and he says I can use this one until
+I want to buy it or at least for a while. I have that dollar I was
+saving and my onions and radishes."
+
+"Good gracious!" Barbara laughed, "I suppose we'll live on onions and
+radishes three times a day."
+
+Mr. Lee turned to Billy. "Don't you think, son, it might be better to
+wait until you have the money to pay Joe? And a little more practice?"
+
+"Billy's always spending money on all those foolish things," Barbara
+put in. "He doesn't seem to want to save and help you!"
+
+"Well, say, don't you think those things are foolish! You read all
+sorts of things how wireless messages save people--"
+
+"On sinking ships, yes!"
+
+"Well, lots of other ways, too!" Billy's face blazed with wrath. "I'll
+just show you some time!"
+
+"Molly Sawyer's brother knows a boy who is a wireless operator in the
+Canadian Army and sends messages from trees!"
+
+"And if I have a little more practice I can try the troop exams next
+winter and get a certificate!"
+
+"Billy," broke in his mother, "run over to Mrs. Clark's and tell Alice
+to come home at once. Nora rang the bell for her but she did not hear."
+
+"Why, Mother," said Peggy, suddenly alarmed, "Janet Clark was with us
+this morning!"
+
+Janet Clark was Alice's closest playmate. The two families lived in
+adjoining houses. Mrs. Lee had returned to the house at noon and Nora
+had told her that she had last seen Alice running through the gate
+between the two gardens.
+
+It was only a worried moment before Billy came home to say that Alice
+had not been there that morning! It was not like Alice to be long away
+from home. Mrs. Lee, hiding her concern, directed the children to scour
+the neighborhood.
+
+Not until they had come back from the club and beach and neighboring
+houses and reported no sign of her did the mother and father openly
+express alarm. The children saw a look come into their mother's face
+that it had never worn before! Like a shock its agony pierced into each
+child's heart! Very white, Billy rushed off to enlist the services of
+his boy friends for a thorough search of the beach. Barbara, with her
+father, started in the motor for Middletown. "I will stay here near the
+telephone," Mrs. Lee had said in answer to her husband's quick,
+concerned look.
+
+Peggy came running down the stairs.
+
+"Her bathing suit is gone, Mammy, and her pink apron--"
+
+"And her penny bank is broken!" Keineth held out in her hands the
+pieces of the china pig which had held Alice's collection of pennies.
+"It's all broken!" and, miserably, Keineth looked down at the
+fragments.
+
+"We will find her," said Mrs. Lee, bravely, putting an arm about each
+child. "You girlies must stay with me and help me."
+
+From Middletown Mr. Lee telephoned that they had found a clue. A child
+answering Alice's description had stopped at a small candy store and
+had purchased a selection of lolly-pops. She had paid for them in
+pennies. Someone in the store had seen her climb upon a trolley car
+bound for the city. Mr. Lee and Barbara were going on to the city.
+
+But at dusk they returned with no further news. In the crowd at the
+city station no one had seen the child! And Billy and his boy friends
+had found no trace upon the beach!
+
+"The police are working," the children heard their father say. Then
+Mrs. Lee suddenly sank limp against his arm and he led her away.
+
+"Courage--courage!" they heard him whispering.
+
+Nora laid a tempting meal upon the table and carried it away, for no
+one could eat a mouthful. Peggy had run to her room, where Keineth
+found her-her face buried deep in her pillow.
+
+"Oh," she sobbed, "I've been so mean to Allie lots of times and maybe
+she's dead somewhere and I can't ever tell her--"
+
+Keineth could offer small comfort, but the two locked their arms tight
+about one another and listened as though in the gathering darkness they
+might hear Alice's dear voice.
+
+Mr. Lee had rushed off again to the city after a whispered word to
+Barbara to stay close to her mother. Billy, his heart breaking, his
+eyes burning with the tears which his boyish pride would not allow him
+to show, and feeling the bitterness of his youth and his uselessness,
+slowly mounted the stairs to the corner of the attic which was his own
+particular den. The nickel of his beloved wireless apparatus gleamed at
+him through the darkness. Like a flash a hope sprang into his heart!
+Snatching up the phone he placed it upon his head, then ticked off his
+message, with call after call, in every direction!
+
+Now and then someone picked up his words--an unsatisfactory answer
+would come back. However, finding relief in doing something, Billy
+repeated his calls; listening intently for any answer.
+
+Just as to his mind vividly came the picture of Alice's hurt face,
+when, that very morning, he had roughly taken from her his old stamp
+book, his own call came through the air. Every nerve in his body
+tingled a response! It was Freddie Murdock--they had often talked back
+and forth across the lake from where, on the Canadian shore, Freddie
+Murdock's father had a cottage. And the words that Freddie was sending
+to him by the waves of the air were: "Sister found--all right!"
+
+Shouting the good news Billy rushed three steps at a time down the
+stairs straight into his mother's arms! She clung to him, burying the
+boy's face, down which the tears were streaming, close to her heart.
+
+And while they clung together, crying and half laughing, Barbara
+reached her father on the telephone to tell him how Alice had been
+found!
+
+Two hours later Genevieve brought the little truant home. Mrs. Lee
+carried her off for a warm bath and bed, while Nora, her eyes very red
+with weeping, fixed her a bowl of hot milk toast.
+
+"I coaxed the story from her," Mr. Lee told his wife and Barbara later;
+"that child wanted to see Midway Beach! Do you remember how hard she
+begged to go with the Clarks when they went over and how unreasonable
+she thought we were in refusing? Well, she just made up her mind to go
+alone. She took her bathing suit and her pennies. She walked from here
+to Middletown, took the trolley there for the city. On the trolley she
+saw a party of picnickers headed for Midway Beach and she just walked
+along with them. It was very simple. She watched the merry-go-rounds
+and spent all her pennies! When it began to grow dark she laid down on
+the beach and fell asleep. They found her there, later, after young
+Murdock had given the alarm of a child lost! She didn't seem to be
+frightened until they handed her over to a policeman to take her back
+to the city; then the seriousness of her runaway must have come to her.
+I do not think you will have to worry that she will do it again."
+
+Up in her cot Alice lay wide awake. Beside her Peggy and Keineth,
+exhausted by their anxiety, were breathing heavily. Below Alice could
+hear voices that she knew were her father's and mother's. She wished
+awfully that her mother would come to her! With a child's instinct she
+had read on her mother's face the suffering she had caused. Suddenly
+she felt terribly alone--perhaps none of them would love her now or
+want her back. She had been so very, very naughty. She clutched the
+blanket with frightened fingers.
+
+The voices ceased below and in a moment Alice saw her mother's face
+bending over her. With a little cry she threw her arms about the dear
+neck.
+
+"Oh, Mammy, Mammy," she cried, in a passion of sobs, "say you love
+me--say you want me back! I don't ever, ever, ever want to go away
+alone! I thought it would be fun--I didn't think I was so naughty. Hold
+me close, Mammy----" exhausted, she hid her face.
+
+"Oh, my dear--my baby," the mother breathed in comfort and forgiveness,
+and the loving arms did not relax their hold until the child was fast
+asleep.
+
+"I think, Billy," said Mr. Lee, the next morning, "the family will
+present to you with their compliments the finest sending set we can
+find!"
+
+"And aren't they useful?" Billy cried in just triumph.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+A PAGE FROM HISTORY
+
+
+For several days a peaceful quiet reigned at Overlook. Little Alice
+dogged her mother's footsteps, as though she could not bear one
+moment's separation; Barbara spent the greater part of her time at the
+golf club, coming home each day glowing with enthusiasm over the game
+and fired with a hope of winning the women's championship title. Billy
+had no thought for anything but the new sending set which his father
+had ordered for him and which Joe Gary was helping him to install.
+Keineth, under Peggy's tutorage, was faithfully practicing at tennis,
+spending much time volleying balls back and forth across the net and
+trying to understand the technic of the game. Then each afternoon came
+a delicious dip into the lake, when Mrs. Lee would patiently instruct
+Keineth in swimming. They were gloriously happy days--seeming very
+care-free after the hours of agonizing concern over Alice; days that
+brought new color into the young faces and an added glow into the
+bright eyes.
+
+"Does Keineth know how we spend the Fourth of July?" Billy asked one
+evening.
+
+"I hate firecrackers!" Keineth shuddered. "We always went away over the
+Fourth to a little place out on Long Island."
+
+"We just have balloons and Roman candles in the evening because they
+are not dangerous," Peggy explained.
+
+"And then on the Fourth we always make our visit to Grandma Sparks."
+
+"Who is she?" asked Keineth. She had never heard them speak of Grandma
+Sparks.
+
+"Father calls her a page out of history."
+
+"Every man that had ever lived in her family has served his country--"
+
+"She isn't really our grandmother. Just a dear friend."
+
+Barbara explained further: "She has the most interesting little old
+home about two miles from here. Part of it is over one hundred years
+old! She lives there all alone. And her house is filled with the most
+wonderful furniture--queer chairs and great big beds with posts that go
+to the ceiling and one has to step on little stepladders to get into
+them, only no one ever does because she lives there all alone. She has
+some plates that Lafayette ate from and a cup that George Washington
+drank out of--"
+
+"And the funniest toys--a doll that belonged to her grandmother and is
+made of wood and painted, with a queer silk dress, all ruffles! She
+always lets me play with it."
+
+"And her great-great-grandmother, when she was a little girl, held an
+arch with some other children, at Trenton, for Washington to pass
+through when he went by horse to New York for his first inauguration.
+They all wore white and the arch was covered with roses. Grandma Sparks
+loves to tell of it and how Washington patted her great-great-grandmother
+on the head! If you ask her to tell you the story she will be very
+happy, Keineth."
+
+"I like her guns best--" cried Billy. "She's got all kinds of guns and
+things they used way back in the Revolution!"
+
+"And she has a roomful of books and letters from great people that her
+ancestors collected. Why, Father says that she would be very rich if
+she'd sell the papers she has, but she will not part with a thing!
+Mother says she just lives in the past and she'd rather starve than to
+take money for one of her relics!"
+
+"I'd rather have the money, you bet," muttered Billy.
+
+"I wouldn't--I think it must be wonderful to have a letter that was
+really written and signed by President Lincoln himself," Barbara
+declared.
+
+"I'm awfully glad we're going there," said Keineth eagerly.
+
+"Let's ask her to tell us about how her brother dug his way out of
+Andersonville Prison! She'll show us the broken knife, Ken!"
+
+"Why, Billy, she's told us that story dozens of times--let's ask for a
+new one!" To Keineth: "After she gives us gingerbread and milk and
+little tarts she tells us a story while we all sit under the apple
+tree!"
+
+"And say, she can make the best tarts!" interrupted Billy. "Oh, I wish
+the Fourth would hurry and come!" echoed Keineth. It did come--a
+glorious sunny morning! Billy's bugle wakened them at a very early
+hour. Before breakfast the children, with Mr. and Mrs. Lee, circled
+about the flag pole on the lawn, and, while Billy slowly pulled the
+Stars and Stripes to the top, in chorus they repeated the oath of
+allegiance to their flag. Keineth--her eyes turned upward, suddenly
+felt a rush of loneliness for her father. A little prayer formed on her
+lips to the flag she was honoring. "Please take care of him wherever he
+is!"
+
+At noon, in Genevieve, they started merrily off for Grandma Sparks! In
+her mind Keineth had drawn a picture of a stately Colonial house, with
+great pillars, such as she had sometimes seen while driving with Aunt
+Josephine. Great was her surprise when Billy turned into a grass-grown
+driveway which led past a broken-down gate and stopped at the door of
+a weather-gray house; its walls almost concealed by the vines growing
+from ground to gable and even rambling over the patched roof. At the
+door of the house stood a noble apple tree, spreading its branches in
+loving protection over the old stone steps which led to the threshold.
+
+Through the small-paned window Grandma Sparks had been watching for
+them. She came out quickly; a tiny figure in a dress as gray and
+weather-beaten as the house itself, a cap covering her white head. Her
+hands were stretched out in eager welcome and her smile seemed to
+embrace them all at once.
+
+"Well--well--well," was all she could say.
+
+Keineth felt suddenly as though this quaint little lady had indeed
+stepped out of one of her own dusty old books--she could not be a part,
+possibly, of their busy world! And while the others talked she
+examined, with unconcealed interest, the queer heavy furniture, the
+colored prints on the walls and the old spinnet in the corner. Billy
+was already taking down the guns and Alice sat rocking the doll.
+
+Keineth was shown the picture of the great-great-grandmother who had
+held the arch and was told the story; she saw the plates and the cup
+and the broken knife. They unfolded the flags that had been in the
+family for generations and reread the letters that Mrs. Sparks kept in
+a heavy mahogany box. One of them--most treasured of all--had been
+written to her mother in praise of her brother's bravery on the
+battlefield under action, and was signed "A. Lincoln."
+
+"My greatest grief in life," the little old lady said, holding the
+letter close to her heart, "is that I have no son who may for his
+generation serve his country, if they need him!"
+
+Afterwards Barbara told Keineth that Mrs. Sparks had once had a little
+boy who had been born a cripple and died when he was twelve years old.
+
+While Barbara and Peggy were busy spreading a picnic--table under the
+apple tree, Keineth told Grandma Sparks of her own father and how he
+had gone away to serve his country, too; but that it was a secret and
+no one knew he was a soldier because he wore no uniform.
+
+"The truest hearts aren't always under a uniform, my dear," and the old
+lady patted Keineth's hand. "The service that is done quietly and with
+no beating of drums is the hardest service to do!" After the
+picnic--and the picnic _had_ included the gingerbread and tarts and
+patties that Barbara had described and which the dear old lady had
+spent hours in preparing--they grouped themselves under the apple tree;
+Grandma in the old rocker Billy had brought from the house.
+
+"Not about Andersonville, please," begged Peggy. "Why, I know that by
+heart! A new one!"
+
+"Something about the war," Billy urged.
+
+Barbara interrupted, shuddering. "No--no! I can't bear to think there
+is a war right now--"
+
+"Child--I had thought that never again in my lifetime would this world
+know a war! We have much to learn, yet--we are not ready for a lasting
+peace. But it will come!"
+
+"That's what my father says--we must all learn to live like families in
+a nice street," added Keineth gravely.
+
+"Oh, well--if the girls can't stand a story about the war, tell us
+something about the early settlers! I like adventure--if I'd lived in
+those days you bet I'd have discovered something!" "I remember," mused
+the old lady, "a story my father used to tell! We have the papers about
+it somewhere. Let me think--it was about a trading post on the Ohio and
+a captive maiden brought there by the Indians!"
+
+Billy threw his cap in the air.
+
+"Indians! Hooray!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE CAPTIVE MAIDEN
+
+
+Grandma Sparks folded her hands contentedly in her lap and fastened her
+eyes upon the distant tree-tops.
+
+"Years and years ago, when this land was a vast forest, a band of
+Canadian and French soldiers and traders made their way through the
+wilderness to the banks of the Ohio where they built a small fort and
+started a trading post. The land was rich about them and they were soon
+carrying on a prosperous trade with the Indians who came to the fort.
+Though these Indians were friendly the soldiers had made the fort as
+strong as possible, for they knew that no one could tell at what moment
+they might be attacked! Sometimes weeks and months would pass when no
+Indian would come their way; then some of the traders would journey
+back along the trail with their wealth, leaving the others at the fort
+to guard it.
+
+"In their number was a soldier who had once escaped from England; had
+gone into France and from there to Canada, all because he had made the
+King angry! Everyone in England thought he was dead. After years of
+lonely wandering he had joined the little band of adventurers when they
+started for the West--as they called it in those days! He was a queer
+man, for he seldom talked to his fellows, but they knew he was brave
+and would give up his life for any one of them! They called him
+Robert--no one knew his other name, nor ever asked.
+
+"It was the custom at the trading post to treat the Indians with great
+politeness. Sometimes great chiefs came to the fort and then the
+soldiers and traders acted as though they were entertaining the King of
+England.
+
+"One early morning a sentry called out to his fellows that Indians were
+approaching. The soldiers quickly made all preparations for their
+reception. The commanding officer went forward with some of his men to
+meet them. The Indian band was led by a chief--a, great, tall fellow
+with a kingly bearing, and behind him another Indian carried in his
+arms the limp form of a white girl.
+
+"Briefly the chief explained that the girl was hurt; that they, the
+white men, must care for her! Where they had found her--what horrible
+things might have happened before they made her captive no one could
+know, for an Indian never tells and the white men knew better than to
+ask! The girl was carried into shelter and laid upon a rough wooden
+bed. It was Robert, the outlaw, who helped unwind the covers that bound
+her.
+
+"In astonishment the soldiers beheld the face of a beautiful
+girl--waxen white in her unconsciousness. Silently the Indians let the
+white medicine-man care for their captive. She had been so terribly
+hurt that for days she lay as though dead! While the soldiers
+entertained the Indians, the medicine-man and Robert worked night and
+day to save the young life.
+
+"Having finished trading with the white men the Indians prepared to
+return to their village, which, they told the white men, was far away
+toward the setting sun. The girl was too ill to be moved; so, with a
+few words, the Indian Chief told the officer of the fort that soon they
+would return for the girl--whom he claimed as his squaw--and that if
+ill befell her, or, on their return, she was gone--a dozen scalps he
+would take in turn! The officer could do no more than promise that the
+Indian's captive would be well guarded.
+
+"And every white man of them knew that as surely as the sun sets the
+Indian would return for the girl whom he claimed as his squaw, and that
+if she was not there for him to take, twelve of them would pay with
+their lives!
+
+"The weeks went on and the girl grew well and strong, but, because of
+her horrible accident, could remember nothing of her past. She was like
+an angel to the rough traders and soldiers; going about among them in
+the simple robe they had fashioned for her of skins and sacking, with
+her fair hair lying over her shoulders and her eyes as blue as the very
+sky. And because she could not tell them her name they called her
+Angele.
+
+"One day a message was brought to their fort telling of war in the
+Colonies--that the English were fighting the French and that all Canada
+would be swept with flame and blood! Almost to a man they said they
+would go back to fight. One among them did not speak--it was Robert!
+Though he had fled from England never to return, he could not lift his
+hand against her. And someone must stay with Angele!
+
+"By the camp fire they talked it over. It was decided that four of them
+would remain at the fort until the chieftain came to claim his captive.
+One of these would be Robert; the other three would be chosen by lot.
+
+"So while the others went home along the trail over which they had
+come, the four guarded the little fort for Angele's sake. Three of them
+gave little thought to that time when the Indian chief would come for
+the girl--to them, it simply meant that their guard would be ended and
+that they, too, might return--but Robert went about with a heavy heart,
+for, as the days passed, it seemed to him more and more impossible to
+give the girl into a life of bondage! Under the stars he vowed that
+before he would do that he would run his knife deep into her heart, and
+pay with his own life.
+
+"Angele's contentment was terribly shattered one evening when, at
+sundown, three Indians came to the fort. At the sight of them she
+uttered a terrible scream and fled into hiding. They said they had been
+wandering over the country and had come to the fort quite by chance and
+only sought a friendly shelter for the night, but the sight of their
+brown bodies and dark faces had shocked the girl's mind in such a way
+as to bring back the memory of everything that had happened to her and
+hers at the hands of these red men. Robert found her crouched in a
+corner weeping in terror. To him she told her story; how the little
+band of people, once happy families in the land of Acadia, roaming in
+search of a home, had been surprised by an attack of Indians; how
+before her very eyes every soul of them had been killed and she alone
+had been spared because the chief wanted her for his squaw! They had
+carried her away with them; for days they had travelled through strange
+forests, for hours at a time she was scarcely conscious. Then,
+attempting escape, she had received the blow from a tomahawk that had
+hurt her so cruelly. It was a terrible story. Robert listened to the
+end and then, taking her two hands and holding them close to his heart,
+told her solemnly that never would she be given again to the Indians!
+
+"But he did not tell her of his vow, for suddenly he knew that life
+would be very, very happy if he could escape from the fort with her and
+go back to the Colonies!
+
+"The three Indians, before departing, had told of an entire tribe they
+had overtaken only a little way off, decked out as if for a great
+ceremony and led by a chieftain! Robert well knew who they were. If
+they were to escape it must be before the dawn of another day!
+
+"That night--quietly, that Angele might not be frightened--the men
+talked together over the fire. Robert unfolded a plan. The others must
+start eastward immediately along the river trail. Then as soon as the
+moon had gone down, he and Angele would go in the bark canoe the men
+had built--paddle as far eastward as they could, then make for the
+shelter of the forests.
+
+"The others were eager to escape--for they knew now that the man Robert
+would never give up the girl, and they loved their own scalps! They
+hastily gathered together what they wanted to take with them and stole
+from the fort. During their idle days they had dug an underground
+passage from the fort to the river; through this they escaped quickly
+to the trail.
+
+"Robert wakened Angele and told her of his plan. She said not a word,
+but by the fire in her eyes Robert knew what escape meant to her. Then,
+gently, he asked her if--when they had found safety in the Colonies--
+she would go with him to a priest to be married, and for answer she
+turned and kissed him upon his hand.
+
+"While Robert loaded the canoe which he found at the river bank near
+the opening of the rough tunnel, Angele joyfully made her few
+preparations for the long journey.
+
+"Before leaving the fort Robert gave to Angele a small knife, telling
+her that if they were captured she must use it quickly to end her own
+life! He then carefully barred every possible entrance, knowing that
+though the Indians could beat these down or fire the entire place, it
+would mean some delay in their pursuit and give them a little start
+toward safety.
+
+"Just as the moon disappeared and a heavy darkness enveloped them they
+pushed away from shore. But as they started down the river a horrible
+whoop split the air! Angele pressed her hands tight to her mouth to
+still her scream of terror. With a mighty stroke Robert paddled for
+midstream. But just as he did so an arrow shot past Angele and buried
+itself in the soft part of his leg!
+
+"The three Indians who had come and gone in such friendly fashion were
+not of the far-off tribe they claimed to be, but had been sent on ahead
+by the chieftain to see how things were at the fort. They had gone back
+and told their story and the chieftain, expecting that some escape
+might be attempted, had planned to surprise the fort in the night.
+
+"His flesh stinging with the wound of the arrow, Robert lifted his
+musket and fired quickly. Years before, in his own country, he had been
+honored by his King for his good marksmanship, but it was God who
+guided that aim through the darkness, for it shot straight into the
+very heart of the chieftain! While, in confusion, the Indians gathered
+about their fallen chief, Robert, with Angele fainting at his feet, was
+soon lost in the kindly darkness of the river--paddling eastward!"
+
+"Oh, were they saved?" cried Peggy, drawing a long breath.
+
+"Yes. Days afterward they reached a fort where they found a priest who
+married them. And they lived happy, useful lives in a settlement in
+Pennsylvania. Some records of the fort where the priest married them
+tell the whole story--they're right in the house," and Grandma nodded
+her head proudly toward the open door.
+
+"Didn't I tell you she was like a page out of history?" Barbara asked
+Keineth as they drove homeward.
+
+"You just feel as if you were an American History book, beginning with
+the discovery of America," laughed Peggy.
+
+"If I was a history book I'd leave out dates and the Cabots--I never
+can get 'em straight," Billy chimed.
+
+"There must be lots and lots of stories about brave men that were never
+put in books," Keineth added thoughtfully.
+
+Peggy yawned widely. "Well, I'm glad I'm not that poor captive maiden
+and just plain Peggy Lee of Overlook!"
+
+"And I'm gladder still that mother is sure to have ice cream for
+dinner!"
+
+This, of course, from Billy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+PILOT IN DISGRACE
+
+
+"Anyone might think that this was Friday the thirteenth," growled
+Billy. "I broke my fishing rod and I've lost my knife and Jim Archer
+stepped on a nail and can't go on a hike this afternoon--"
+
+Billy's curious talk never failed to interest Keineth. She knew that it
+was not Friday and it was not the thirteenth and wondered what Billy
+ever meant! But she never asked him; something in the scornful
+superiority with which Billy treated all girls made Keineth very shy
+with him. She wished they might be better friends, for she felt very
+sure that it would be great fun to share with him the exciting
+adventures Billy seemed always to find! Vaguely she wondered what she
+could do that might put her on an equal footing with this
+freckled-faced lad who was, after all, only two years older than she
+was!
+
+"Jim stepped on the nail yesterday--what's that got to do with to-day!"
+Peggy answered teasingly, "Well, we were going to hike to-day," Billy
+explained, too doleful to indulge in retort. "And all the other fellows
+are doing something else."
+
+"Billy--Billy," called Alice from around the corner. "Just see what I
+found!" She ran toward them, holding in her hand a dirty, ragged piece
+of leather.
+
+"Where'd you find that?" demanded Billy, taking it from her.
+"It's--why, jiminy crickets--it's one of my best shoes!"
+
+Billy meant that it had been!
+
+"Pilot!" the children cried, looking at one another.
+
+"That's what mother used to scold about Rex doing," Peggy recalled.
+
+"Why couldn't he eat my old ones!" groaned Billy, throwing the leather
+off into some bushes. He felt troubled--he remembered that he had left
+the shoes out on the floor of his dressing room. It was all his fault,
+but Pilot would be blamed!
+
+"What can we do?" asked Keineth, sensing a tragedy.
+
+"I don't care anything about the shoes," answered Billy, "'cause I'd
+just as soon wear these old ones as not--what d' I care about shoes?
+But mother'll say that we can't keep the dog!"
+
+"He's only on trial--" Peggy broke in sadly.
+
+"If you girls could keep it a secret we'd give Pilot another chance--"
+
+"Alice is sure to tell! She can't keep anything!"
+
+"I can keep a secret! You just try me!"
+
+"Well, then," Billy lowered his voice mysteriously, "not a word! You
+just cross your hearts that you won't tell a word! We'll give Pilot
+another chance!"
+
+Solemnly the three girls crossed their hearts. Billy went off then in
+search of some amusement of his liking, leaving them with the burden of
+the secret.
+
+It weighed upon them through the day. And the more heavily when at noon
+time the cook from Clark's tapped upon the kitchen door and reported
+with great indignation that "jes' while her back was turned a minute
+that there dog had stolen her leg she was about to be carvin' and had
+gone off with it like he was possessed."
+
+"Your leg--well, now!" cried Nora, all sympathy. "Faith--not my _own_
+leg, but a leg of lamb!" wept the other, "and what the mistress will be
+a sayin' I don't know!"
+
+"Where is that dog?" Mrs. Lee had sternly asked of the children. No one
+knew. Keineth and Peggy exchanged troubled glances and then fixed
+frowning eyes upon Alice.
+
+"It really is very foolish in us to keep him," Mrs. Lee went on.
+"Probably this is just the beginning of the annoyances he will cause!"
+
+"He tramples down the flowers terribly," Barbara complained.
+
+Mr. Lee caught the anxious look in Billy's eyes.
+
+"Well, well, Mother, perhaps Billy will keep a closer watch on his dog
+after this!"
+
+Billy promised with suspicious readiness. "Mr. Sawyer says Pilot's a
+valuable dog," he told them. "And we ought not to give a valuable dog
+away, anyway!"
+
+"We'll see," Mrs. Lee concluded.
+
+But that evening Pilot sealed his own doom!
+
+For, as the children were playing croquet near the veranda, he came
+running across the lawn and triumphantly dropped at Billy's feet a
+beautiful gold fish, quite dead!
+
+"Oh--oh--oh!" screamed Alice.
+
+"It's from Sawyer's pond!" cried Peggy on her knees.
+
+"The poor little thing." Keineth lifted it. "It's dead!"
+
+"It's their new Japanese gold fish," added Barbara, who, with Mrs. Lee,
+had come down the steps from the veranda. "You'll have to pay for this,
+Billy!"
+
+"I think this is the last straw," said Mrs. Lee sternly, turning to her
+husband.
+
+"Oh, Mammy, he couldn't help it--they swim round and he thinks they are
+playing!" Peggy implored.
+
+Pilot, standing back, his tail wagging slowly, regarded them with
+wondering, disappointed eyes. He had felt so very proud of his fish and
+now his family seemed to look upon him with displeasure.
+
+"And I can tell the secret now," cried Alice, "we weren't going to
+tell--he ate one of Billy's _best_ shoes!"
+
+"You just wait!" cried Billy. Peggy turned a terrible face upon Alice.
+"We'll never, never, never tell anything to the tell-baby again!" she
+hissed. "Will we, Ken?"
+
+"I guess I knew it first," Alice whimpered.
+
+"It was my fault--I left them out, Mother! And I'd just as soon wear my
+old shoes!" Billy turned pleadingly to his mother.
+
+"I am sure you would," she smiled, "but nevertheless I must be firm
+about this dog. He is a nuisance and will be an expense. By the time we
+have paid the Clarks for their lamb and the Sawyers for their goldfish
+and bought you a pair of shoes the damages against Pilot will have run
+up to a nice little sum!"
+
+"But, Mother, you can take it out of my allowance!"
+
+"That will not guard against other things of this same sort happening.
+No, my son, I do not like to make you unhappy, but we must get rid of
+the dog. Please say no more about it. Day after to-morrow we'll send
+him into the city with the vegetable man."
+
+Mrs. Lee turned back to the veranda. When she spoke with that tone in
+her voice the children never answered. Peggy, linking her arm in
+Keineth's, turned an angry shoulder upon Alice. Billy blinked his eyes
+very fast to clear them of the tears that had gathered in spite of
+himself, threw his arm about the dog's neck and led him away to some
+hiding place where, secure from intrusion, he could pour out his
+rebellious heart to his pet.
+
+"There's no use staying angry at Alice!" Keineth protested in a low
+tone to Peggy as they walked away. She felt sorry for the little girl
+standing at a little distance irresolutely swinging a croquet mallet.
+"It was her secret, anyway and Aunt Nellie would have found out about
+the shoe some time. Perhaps we were wrong not to tell her at first."
+
+"You always stand up for everybody," Peggy complained, dropping
+Keineth's arm in vexation. But Peggy's sunny nature could not long
+carry a grudge of any kind. She had made a solemn vow, too, that she
+would never be unkind to Alice again! And there _would_ be just time
+before dark to play one more game of croquet!
+
+"Will you play, Allie? You can have red and play last," she cried.
+"Come on, Ken!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+PILOT WINS A HOME
+
+
+"What a horrid day!" with a wide yawn Peggy threw the stocking she was
+darning into the basket. "I wish mother wouldn't make me wear
+stockings--then I wouldn't have any holes!"
+
+"I wish the sun would shine," Alice chimed, disconsolately.
+
+"If mother were here, she would say that we must make our own
+sunshine," Barbara laughed. She was folding carefully the white
+undergarment she had finished making for her college "trousseau"--as
+her father called it.
+
+"Well, it seems as if everything goes wrong all at once," Peggy refused
+to be cheered. The children knew she was thinking of Pilot. Pilot's
+disgrace and sentence hung like a gloomy cloud over their hearts.
+
+"Who'd believe you could think so much of a dog?" Keineth frowned as
+she pondered the thought. "I used to think Aunt Josephine was so silly
+over Fido. I am sure Fido was never as nice as our Pilot, but I suppose
+Aunt Josephine thinks he's much nicer. Once he swallowed a paper of
+needles from Aunt Josephine's work basket and she almost fainted, and
+Celeste had to call a doctor for her and another for the dog and they
+sent the dog to a hospital. Then Aunt Josephine blamed Celeste and told
+her she must leave at once and Celeste had hysterics, for you see she'd
+been with my aunt since she was very young and they had to send for the
+doctor again for Celeste."
+
+"Oh, how funny!" laughed Peggy, though Keineth's face was very serious.
+
+"Then Aunt Josephine felt sorry and forgave Celeste and they called up
+the next day from the hospital to say that Fido was very well and that
+needles seemed to agree with him. But Aunt Josephine worried for weeks
+and weeks over him."
+
+"Pilot would know better than to eat needles," Alice broke in
+scornfully.
+
+"Yes--he likes shoes and goldfish," Barbara finished. "Where's Billy?"
+
+From the mother to the smallest of them they felt sorry for Billy. For,
+though Billy had said not a word concerning the fate of his pet, the
+hurt look in his eyes betrayed the sorrow he felt. No one knew where he
+was--he had disappeared quietly after breakfast. And Pilot was with
+him.
+
+"No tennis or golf to-day," grieved Barbara, going to the window.
+
+"Anyway we can swim," cried Peggy.
+
+"In the rain?" asked Keineth, astonished.
+
+"Why, of course, silly! Wouldn't we get wet, anyway?"
+
+Keineth's face colored. Peggy went on with a toss of her head: "And I
+simply must practice swimming under water to-day--the contest isn't
+very far off. You can't expect me to help you out to the rock, Ken,
+you'll have to play in shallow water!"
+
+Keineth's soul smarted under this humiliation. The rock was the goal
+around which their fun centred. It was twenty yards out from shore and
+its broad, flat surface gave room for six of them to stand upon it at
+one time. As around it the water was five feet deep, it was necessary
+for one of the children to help Keineth reach it. Then, while the
+others practiced all the feats known to the fish world, Keineth always
+stood carefully in its centre, head and shoulders above the water's
+surface and watched them with interest and admiration, tinged with
+envy.
+
+To conceal the tremble in her voice Keineth had now to swallow very
+quickly. "All right, Peggy," was all she answered and Peggy never knew
+how deeply her careless words had hurt her.
+
+Keineth _had_ grown discouraged with her swimming. Somehow it was so
+easy when some one was with her, but she could never seem to muster the
+courage to dive off into the water the way the others did. And Daddy
+would be so disappointed!
+
+Mrs. Lee had given her careful instruction in the stroke--perhaps if
+she was alone, away from Billy's roguish glance and the terror of his
+catching her ankle under water, she might feel more confidence.
+
+This thought still lingered in her mind when, in the afternoon, they
+went to the beach. Billy was already in the water; the faithful Pilot
+was digging on the beach for dog treasures. Because of the drizzling
+rain Mrs. Lee had not come down.
+
+While Barbara and Peggy were racing under water Keineth found it very
+easy to slip away. She chose a spot where a bend of the shore concealed
+her. She stood knee-deep in the water, going through the movements of
+the arm stroke, with a careful one, two, three. She put her small teeth
+tightly together--she _would_ have confidence, she _would_ go out
+deeper, throw herself calmly into the water in Peggy-fashion and swim
+off, one, two, three! She _would_ remember to breathe easily and keep
+her arms under the surface of the water!
+
+There was an indomitable will in the child. She _did_ throw herself in,
+and, counting one, two, three, forgot her usual gasp of fright;
+suddenly it seemed natural and as if she had always done it! She felt a
+delicious joy in the ease with which her stroke carried her ahead
+through the water. She wished Billy might see her now! Then, exhausted
+by her effort, triumphant and happy, she reached for a footing on the
+bottom. Her toe could not find it! With a cry of terror she threw her
+arms wildly upward, involuntarily seeking for some hold! Then she
+slipped, slipped down, fathoms and fathoms it seemed--a dreadful
+choking gripped her, like tight arms upon her chest! She tried to call,
+but the water only made a fearful gurgle in her throat! She wanted her
+father--_he'd_ stop that terrible pain in her chest and take that grip
+from her throat!
+
+Suddenly she felt very, very tired and as if she would sleep when the
+pain was gone. Her body lifted slowly; her hand, flung upward, gripped
+something soft but firm in her clutch--the water splashed about her!
+She thought it was her father! He was pulling her away, then she seemed
+to go to sleep.
+
+When consciousness returned, Keineth found herself lying upon the beach
+wrapped in Barbara's raincoat. Peggy was crying and Barbara, her face
+very white, was rubbing her hand. On her other side knelt Billy, the
+rain dripping from his bare arms, his face flushed as though from
+violent exercise. Behind him stood Pete, the man of all work in the
+community, who had been drawing gravel from the beach.
+
+"Darling!" cried Barbara. "Oh, are you all right?"
+
+Keineth slowly looked all around. _Had_ it been some dream,
+then--wasn't her Daddy there at all? Barbara had slipped an arm under
+her head and was folding it higher. It helped her breathe.
+
+"What was it?" Keineth managed to whisper. "I'd never, never, never
+have forgiven myself," Barbara was crying now.
+
+"You almost drowned," Peggy explained. Now that the danger was over she
+began to enjoy the excitement.
+
+"And Pilot saved you!" Billy cried.
+
+"We had just missed you and Billy had started up the shore when we
+heard your cry!"
+
+"And it didn't take that dog two seconds to get out to you! Just say he
+isn't human!"
+
+"I thought it was Daddy," Keineth whispered.
+
+"What, dear?" Barbara had not caught the words. "You must keep very
+quiet, Ken. And Billy's had his first aid case!"
+
+Pete clapped Billy on the shoulder. "Wal, I jes' calculate now that it
+was them gim-cracks Billy here put you through, missy, that brung you
+to!"
+
+"I always wondered if I could do it," Billy said with pardonable pride,
+"and, say, that'll mean a medal from the troop!"
+
+Alice had run home to tell Mrs. Lee of the accident. Together they had
+hurried down to the beach. With Pete's help they lifted Keineth to the
+gravel wagon and, like a triumphal procession, moved slowly homeward.
+Mrs. Lee immediately tucked Keineth into bed with hot water bottles and
+blankets to check the chill that was creeping over her.
+
+"She'll be all right, I am sure," Mrs. Lee whispered to the anxious
+children. Later the doctor came, left some powders and patted Keineth
+on the head. "A good sleep and quiet will fix up those nerves O. K.
+Then forget all about it."
+
+He was quite right; the next morning Keineth, quite as well as ever,
+joined the family at breakfast. Though Mrs. Lee had warned them not to
+mention the accident to Keineth unnecessarily, Mr. Lee did pinch her
+cheek and say: "You lost your head, didn't you, little sport? If you'd
+just kept your arms down, now--but, if you go exploring strange beaches
+again you'll remember, won't you?"
+
+Peggy and Keineth, moved by a feeling of intense relief, suddenly
+caught hands under the table. For into both hearts had come the fear
+that Keineth's mishap might end the swimming for the summer! And
+Keineth had not forgotten that, though it had ended sadly, for a very
+brief time she _had_ mastered the stroke. Mrs. Lee smiled down the
+table. "And I think Pilot has won a home! Except for him--" she stopped
+suddenly, her eyes bright with tears. "William, bring home the finest
+collar you can find and to-night we will decorate our dog with all due
+honor!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+A LETTER FROM DADDY
+
+
+"KEN--a letter!"
+
+Billy rushed toward the garden waving a large square envelope over his
+head.
+
+Keineth and Peggy were weeding their flower bed. Keineth dropped her
+hoe quickly to seize the letter.
+
+"It's from Washington, and it's got a seal on it like the seal of the
+United States!" exclaimed Billy.
+
+"Oh, let me see!" cried Peggy.
+
+Keineth had taken the letter. Looking from one to the other, she held
+it close to her.
+
+"I--I can't--it's from the President, I guess--" A wave of
+embarrassment seized her and she stopped short, wishing that she might
+run away with her treasure.
+
+"The President--writing to you! Oh, say--" Billy snorted in derision.
+
+Peggy, offended at Keineth's shyness, turned her back upon her. "I
+don't want to see your letter, anyway," she said ungraciously.
+
+"Oh, please--I'd love to show it, only--I promised--" Then, as Peggy
+gave no sign of relenting, Keineth walked slowly toward the house with
+her letter.
+
+"I think Keineth's mean to have secrets," and Peggy dug her hoe
+savagely into the ground. "She acts so mysterious about her father and
+I'll bet it isn't anything at all!"
+
+"But that letter _was_ from the President, I guess! Gee whiz, think of
+getting a letter really from him! I wish I was Ken!"
+
+"It's nothing! Anyone can be President--I mean, any man!"
+
+"Just the same, mother told me that some day we would be very proud of
+knowing Keineth's father. She wouldn't tell me any more. I'll bet it
+would be awful interesting to know him! There's something certainly
+queer about how no one knows where he is! I guess I'll ask Ken to tell
+me just a little bit. I can keep a secret."
+
+"Well, you can know her old secret for all I care," and Peggy started
+for the barn. Billy did not follow. He had thought of a plan. He would
+challenge Ken to a game of tennis. And he would let her beat him. Then
+he'd ask her very casually about her father and promise, on his scout's
+honor, not to tell a soul! The plan seemed good. He'd wait for her to
+come down.
+
+In her room Keineth had opened the large white envelope. From inside
+she drew a sheet of paper upon which were written a few lines, and with
+it a blue envelope of very thin paper, addressed in her father's
+familiar handwriting. With a little cry she caught it up and kissed it
+again and again. Before she broke its seal she read what was written on
+the sheet which had enclosed it.
+
+The few lines were signed "Faithfully, Woodrow Wilson." They began, "My
+dear little soldier girl," and they told her that it was with great
+pleasure he had forwarded her letter to her father and now returned to
+her its answer. He called it an honor to serve them both and expressed
+the hope that some day he might make her acquaintance and tell her how
+deeply he admired and respected her father.
+
+Keineth merely glanced at the lines. What mattered it to her that they
+had been written by the President of the United States! Did she not
+hold tightly in her fingers a letter from her Daddy?
+
+"My precious child," it began. Keineth had suddenly to brush her eyes
+in order to see the letters. "Your letter found me at one of my many
+stopping places. It brought to me a breath of home. I shut myself in my
+room and read and reread it, and it seemed to bring back the old room
+and the chair that could always hold us both. I could hear your voice,
+too. I miss you terribly, little girl, but I thank God daily that you
+are well and happy and with good friends.
+
+"I have travelled through many lands of which I will have much to tell
+you. I have been in the Far East--poor Tante would have wept with joy
+over the beauty of the Flowery Kingdom. I have bowed before enough
+emperors and kings to make my poor back ache. Do you remember how you
+used to rub the kinks out of it? I have spent hours and hours with the
+great men of the world. I have seen wonderful beauty and glorious
+sunshine. (How I'd like to ship some of it to old New York.) And I have
+seen ugly things, too. We shall have great times when we are together
+again, childy, telling one another the stories of these days we have
+been parted. You shall tell me something first and then I will tell
+you. It will take us hours and days and weeks.
+
+"Now I am going in my wanderings to other lands that are black with the
+horror of war. I shall have to witness the suffering it brings to the
+homes and I will be more glad than I can tell that my baby is far from
+its pain.
+
+"I have learned in these wanderings of mine that it is in the children
+this old world must place its trust. That if they want a better
+government they must give to the little ones all that is pure and clean
+and honest and good and see to it that they are happy. I feel like
+shouting it from the housetops--'Make them happy!' It doesn't take
+much.
+
+"I feel your big, wondering eyes on mine--you do not understand! Ah,
+well, girlie, all I mean is--romp and play--build up a strong little
+body for that heart of yours--see things that are clean and good, and
+whatever the game is--play square!
+
+"We cannot be grateful enough to the dear Lees for all they are doing
+for us. Try and return their kindness with loyalty. I will write later
+to Mrs. Lee in regard to the plans for the fall. Do whatever she thinks
+best. You will stay with them until I return. Just when that will be I
+cannot tell now, but you must be brave. Your courage helps me, too, my
+dear.
+
+"Sometimes, when my day's work is done and I can put it from my mind, I
+close my eyes and dream--dream of the little home we will build when I
+return: build--not in the old Square, that is gone except to
+memory--but in some sunny, open spot where we can live and work
+together and lead useful lives. It is a beautiful castle as I see it in
+my dreams--and beautiful with love.
+
+"I will send this letter with other papers to Washington and they will
+forward it to you.
+
+"Good-by, little soldier--I salute you, my General.
+
+"God keep you for
+
+"DADDY."
+
+The words rang through Keineth's heart like a song. She longed to pour
+out her joy in music, but Billy's voice came to her from below.
+
+"Ken, Ken."
+
+"Yes, Billy." "Come on, I'll play tennis with you! Bet you can beat me,
+too!"
+
+Keineth suddenly remembered Peggy's and Billy's rudeness. Perhaps Billy
+was trying to make amends. She really wanted to be alone with her
+letter a little longer, but if Billy wanted her to play! She felt
+proud, too, that he had asked her.
+
+Billy found less difficulty than he had anticipated in letting Keineth
+win the set. In fact, deep in his heart, he was not sure he had "let"
+her. For Keineth, fired with the joy within her, played brilliantly,
+flying over the court like a winged creature, returning Billy's serves
+with a surprising quickness and strength that completely broke down his
+boyish confidence in himself.
+
+"Thanks awfully--that _was_ fun," Keineth said as they sank down under
+a tree for a moment's rest.
+
+Though his plan had worked very well so far, Billy now felt at a loss
+to know how he ought to proceed. So, accepting her thanks with a brief
+nod, he bolted straight to the point.
+
+"Say, Ken, if you'll tell me about your father I promise on my scout's
+honor not to tell a soul! And you ought to tell me anyway, for didn't
+my dog save your life, and didn't I give you first aid or you might've
+died!"
+
+"Oh, Billy!" Keineth cried, then stopped short. Her heart warmed to
+Billy--they seemed almost like pals now! He had preferred playing
+tennis with her than going off somewhere with the boys. And she did
+want more than anything else right then to talk about her daddy; to
+tell how great he was and how he was visiting courts of Eastern lands.
+And she wanted to show Billy the letter from the President, it was in
+her pocket. And she knew if Billy said he'd never tell that he would
+not.
+
+But a soldier never swerves from duty and had not her father called her
+his "General"?
+
+"I--I can't, Billy," she finished.
+
+There was something so final in her voice and in the set of her lips
+that Billy, red with rage, rose quickly to his feet.
+
+"I'll bet you haven't got any secret and you're just making up to be
+smart and I'll get even with you, baby! And you didn't beat me playing
+tennis, for I let you, anyway! You wait--" and, vengefully, Billy
+strode away, leaving an unhappy little girl sitting alone under the
+tree. Peggy met Billy on the road. Peggy was in search of Keineth. Her
+nature was too happy to long nurse a grievance. She didn't care if
+Keineth did have a secret! And she had wonderful news, too!
+
+But Billy's morose bearing stirred her curiosity.
+
+"Did she tell you, Billy?" she asked.
+
+"I'll bet she hasn't got any secret that's worth knowing! And she
+needn't say she beat me at tennis, either."
+
+"Oh, Billy Lee, you let her beat so's she'd tell you! I'm just _glad_
+she didn't! I guess girls never tell anything they've promised not
+to--even if they are girls!"
+
+In great scorn she ran from the disconsolate Billy. She had spied
+Keineth alone under the tree.
+
+"Ken--Ken! Great news!" Peggy rushed toward her. "We are going camping
+with Ricky--you and me--next week! Hurray!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+CAMPING
+
+
+Keineth learned that Ricky was Peggy's gymnasium teacher. Her real name
+was Fredericka Grimball, but to "her girls" she was always known as
+Ricky. The camp was among the hills ten miles from Fairview. And during
+the vacation months Ricky took her girls there in groups of twenty.
+With their play she gave them instruction in scoutcraft.
+
+"We go for tramps into the woods and she tells us stories of the birds
+and trees. I never knew until she told me that there are male and
+female trees, and flowers and all the things that grow; did you know
+it, Ken? And we found a weasel, last summer--it was almost tame. We're
+going to learn signalling, too; perhaps this winter Ricky will let us
+form a troop and join the Girl Scouts."
+
+Keineth, with wide-open eyes, was trying to follow Peggy's incoherent
+description of the camp life they were to begin on the morrow. Back in
+her mind was a tiny doubt as to whether she would enjoy twenty
+girls--all strangers! But she would fight this shyness and do whatever
+Peggy did.
+
+"We sleep right out of doors when it is clear. The woods smell so good
+and there are all sorts of funny sounds as if all the bugs and things
+were having parties."
+
+"Oh-h, I wonder if I'll like it!" and Keineth shivered with pleasurable
+dread.
+
+"We paddle in canoes on a little lake that's like a mill-pond. It's
+awfully shallow and the water is so clear you can see right through it,
+and we ride horseback, too! I'm a patrol leader," Peggy finished with
+pride. She folded the last middy blouse neatly into a wicker suitcase.
+Their luggage consisted of bloomers, blouses, bathing-suits and
+blankets.
+
+"Easy to remember--all B's," Mrs. Lee had laughed.
+
+Mr. Lee drove them to the camp. "Come back with some muscle in these
+arms of yours and a few more freckles on your nose," he said to
+Keineth, pinching her cheek affectionately.
+
+"Camp Wachita"--the girls had nicknamed it Camp Wish-no-more--was
+nestled in the hills with the tiny lake at its front door and a dense
+woodland at its back. Sleeping tents were built in a semicircle about
+the central building, in which were the living-rooms. On a grassy level
+stretch close to the water was the out-of-door gymnasium and beyond
+that the boathouse and dock to which several gaily-painted canoes were
+fastened.
+
+The family at Camp Wachita consisted of Martha Washington Jones, the
+colored cook; Bonsey, her twelve-year-old son, who very occasionally
+made himself useful about the camp; Captain O'Leary, a Spanish War
+Veteran by title and by occupation caretaker of the horses and boats;
+Miky, the little Irish terrier, and Jim Crow, who had been brought, the
+summer before, to the camp hospital from the woodland to receive first
+aid for a broken wing, and had refused to leave the family.
+
+Keineth had little difficulty in making friends with the other girls.
+There seemed to be among them such a jolly spirit of comradeship that
+she found it very easy to call them Jessie and Nellie and Kate, and
+never once wondered at their quickly adopting Peggy's familiar "Ken."
+She thought that Peggy must have known them all very well and was
+surprised when Peggy told her that there were only three of her friends
+among them.
+
+"But we're all Ricky's girls, you see," she explained, as though that
+was all that was necessary to create a firm bond of loyalty and
+friendship among them.
+
+"Ricky," this captain of girls, was a tall, straight, broad-shouldered
+woman of twenty-five. The sunniness of her smile, the firmness of her
+jaw and the all-understanding warmth of her dark eyes told of the
+character which made her a leader of others and a spirit beloved among
+them all.
+
+Each new day of the camp life brought to Keineth some new experience,
+thrilling in its strangeness to the little girl. She had learned to
+love going to sleep with the great, star-lit vault of the sky
+enveloping her; the singing of the "bugs," as Peggy had put it, was
+fairy music to her ears; she had conquered her first terror of the
+shell-like canoes and now could paddle with confidence, even venturing
+alone upon the shallow water. And to her own surprise she was enjoying
+the companionship of the other girls!
+
+Among them was one named Stella Maybeck. Stella was not an attractive
+girl--she was too tall and too thin, her voice was loud and her manners
+a little careless. She had big, dark eyes with a hungry look in their
+depths. She adored Ricky and showed a preference for Keineth's company.
+At first Keineth felt a little repelled by the girl's rough ways, but
+gradually she grew to feel that beneath them was a warm, kind heart and
+that it was, perhaps, shyness that often made Stella's manner
+disagreeable.
+
+They walked together on the tramps into the woods and Keineth enjoyed
+the fund of knowledge the other girl seemed to have concerning all the
+little woodland creatures and their ways.
+
+"I don't see why you like to be with Stella Maybeck," Peggy had said to
+her one day. "I think she is horrid!" she finished unkindly.
+
+"Why, Peggy!" Keineth frowned. It was very unfair in Peggy to speak in
+this way concerning one of the other girls. Keineth did not suspect
+that perhaps a little jealousy prompted Peggy's ungraciousness.
+
+This little cloud was to grow over the whole camp. And in the second
+week Ricky's girls learned a lesson of greater value to them than all
+the scoutcraft they loved.
+
+Twice a week the vegetable man came to the camp with fruit and
+vegetables. These the girls placed in the storehouse, one of them
+carefully checking off the purchases as they did so. One morning some
+oranges were reported missing. Ricky paid little attention to the
+incident. The next day one of the girls came to her and announced that
+a ring had been taken from her sleeping tent. Although disturbed, Miss
+Grimball gently rebuked the girl for having disobeyed the camp rules in
+bringing jewelry to it and sent her away, bidding her speak to no one
+of her loss.
+
+Then Miss Grimballs silver purse containing ten dollars in bills was
+taken from her desk!
+
+Like a flash the story spread through the camp. The girls gathered in
+an excited group. Keineth and Stella, with arms locked, stood together.
+From the other side of the group Peggy saw them. The jealousy that had
+been slumbering within her heart suddenly gripped her.
+
+"Well, I think I could guess who did it, all right, and I just think
+it's a shame for anyone like that to I dare to come to Ricky's camp!"
+It was not necessary to do more than fix her gaze indignantly upon
+Stella Maybeck. With a little gasp Stella turned and ran into her tent.
+The others pressed closer to Peggy.
+
+"Oh, do you think so?" they whispered in awed voices.
+
+"Peggy!" cried Keineth, imploringly.
+
+"I'm not going to say another word," Peggy answered, perhaps a little
+frightened at what she had done.
+
+The girls waited breathlessly for Miss Grimball to take some action in
+the matter. Each felt that the disgrace must be wiped from the happy
+camp life.
+
+At noon Ricky's whistle sounded. The girls assembled on the gymnasium
+ground. Their captain stood before them, dear-eyed, smiling at them all
+with her usual confidence. Stella, with Keineth, had joined the others
+and stood in the background.
+
+"I think you all know what has happened. I am disturbed, but I will not
+suspect one of my girls. All I want to say is this--so great is my
+trust in your loyalty, in your honor, and in your sense of what is
+square--if one of you, through an unfortunate yielding to temptation,
+has taken these things that have been lost, they will be returned,
+because you are girls of honor. So I am not worrying. Now, please do
+not talk of the matter among yourselves."
+
+The routine of the day went on. The girls avoided Stella; only Keineth
+kept close to her side. Keineth longed to pour out to Stella her
+confidence in her innocence and her indignation at Peggy, but a certain
+pride in Stella's manner forbade it; she could not find the right
+words, so she simply occasionally squeezed Stella's hand!
+
+In this way two unhappy days passed. Then on the third morning Peggy,
+crossing the path leading to the kitchen, saw Jim Crow scurrying toward
+the wood with a spoon in his mouth! On tip-toe she followed him.
+Turning off from the trail near the edge of the woodland, he stood for
+a moment as though listening, then dropped his treasure into the hollow
+trunk of a dead tree!
+
+And there Peggy, following the rascal, found the oranges, the ring, and
+Ricky's silver purse!
+
+In that moment when Peggy stood alone among the trees, the stolen
+things in her hands, she learned a lesson that she could never forget!
+She walked slowly back to Miss Grimball's office and told her the story
+of Jim and of her own unjust accusation of Stella.
+
+"We should have suspected Jim, the villain," Ricky laughed. "Another
+chapter in scoutcraft, Peggy. Will you go, my dear, and tell Stella?"
+Then she gently put her hand upon Peggy's head, "Judge not, my dear,"
+and, leaning, she kissed her.
+
+Peggy rushed off in search of Stella. She found her sitting on the
+dock, a picture of misery, Keineth by her side.
+
+"Stella, I was a wicked, wicked girl! It was Jim Crow stole the things,
+and I found them in an old tree and I wouldn't blame you if you never
+forgave me! I think the reason I was so horrid was because I was just
+_jealous_ that Ken loved you more than she did me--" For lack of breath
+Peggy stopped, her soul clean from her confession.
+
+A great joy came into Stella's dark eyes. She held out her hand and
+Peggy caught it in a tight grip.
+
+"Now I'm going to call all the girls together and tell them the whole
+story and that I'm just terribly ashamed." She ran from them, her hands
+to her mouth, loudly giving the call of the camp. There was great
+rejoicing at Camp-Wish-no more. The cloud of suspicion had lifted. The
+girls could not be nice enough to Stella, and for the first time she
+seemed to lose her shyness and awkwardness among them. Then Ricky
+decided that, in order to entirely forget the whole thing, they would
+go on an all-night hike to the old mill on Cobble Hill.
+
+"Hooray--hooray!" went up from eager throats.
+
+"Three cheers for Stella!"
+
+"Three cheers for Peggy!" they cried again.
+
+"Down with Jim Crow!"
+
+That night, under the stars, Keineth snuggled close to Peggy. She had
+asked to be Peggy's blanket mate.
+
+"You're all right, Peg," she whispered, Billy-fashion, "and I do love
+you most of all!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT
+
+
+"Sport's Week" had begun at the Shore Club. The excitement of it
+gripped the Lee family. Each talked of the game in which he or she was
+most interested and no one listened to the other. Barbara, with an
+absorbed air, mentally played the shots she would make when on Friday
+she would meet in the final round of match play for the championship
+title her old foe, Carol Day. Peggy had no thought for anything but the
+swimming contest. Mr. Lee was chairman of the committee on arrangements
+and spent most of his time at the telephone. Mrs. Lee did her part in
+the decorating of the club-house and went about with her arms full of
+gay bunting and her mouth full of pins.
+
+And Keineth shared the excitement! For she had qualified in the
+children's tennis tournament and would play in the doubles and had
+drawn Billy for her partner!
+
+It was her first real contest! Secretly she shivered with fright but
+outwardly tried to appear calm like Peggy. All the day before the
+tennis matches began she went about with her racquet in her hand as
+though to accustom her trembling fingers to its hold.
+
+Though Billy, since the day he had tried to make Keineth confide in him
+the story of her father's absence, had maintained toward her a scornful
+indifference, he had accepted her as a partner because there was no
+alternative. But he managed to convey to her that he considered it an
+unfair indignity that he should be so handicapped. And he talked
+entirely of the paddling races.
+
+However, Keineth could not be discouraged. In her mind was one thought
+only--they _must_ win! For, each day, in her room she was writing a
+careful account of all that happened to send to her Daddy, and failure
+could have no part in the story.
+
+And in the very first match they defeated Molly Sawyer and Joe Gary!
+
+Margaret Dale, playing with Charlie Myers had, after a hard game,
+beaten Grace Schuyler and Merton Day. Then Keineth and Billy played
+against them. It was a close match; the courts were circled by an
+interested crowd of onlookers. Though Billy had had to play with all
+his skill to meet Charlie Myers' strength of volley, he knew that
+Keineth had more than done her part, too.
+
+"She played way over her head," he answered sullenly to the praise his
+family bestowed upon her.
+
+One more set put them in the final match against Jim Downer and his
+sister Helen. A taste of victory had given to Keineth a poise that
+steadied her in her game; this matching of strength, skill and
+quickness--something she had never known before--had developed a
+surprising confidence in herself. Her joy was not in the defeat of
+their opponents, rather in her own mastery of all those things which
+for so long she had been trying to learn!
+
+"Good luck to you, kiddies," Mr. Lee had said to them at the breakfast
+table. "Play your best and then you won't mind if you are defeated. And
+if the other fellows play better, don't think up any excuses--it's
+something to be good losers!"
+
+In the brief moment of waiting before the final match began, Keineth,
+standing quietly near the courts, thought how different she was from
+the funny little girl who had come to Overlook two months before. She
+knew now what her father had meant when he had told her that that old
+life, with him and Tante in the old house, had cheated her out of the
+other things children had. He had been right He would be pleased, now,
+to know the part she was taking with the others.
+
+The judges called the match; Keineth caught her breath and ran on to
+the court. She gave one whispered word to Billy.
+
+"We've _got_ to win!"
+
+Billy had not enjoyed Keineth's sudden rise into fame. He felt less
+tolerant and the old grudge flamed into being. If they won now--and
+everyone said they would--they'd all think it was Keineth that had won
+it. They'd make an awful fuss over her--they always did over girls--and
+there'd be no living with either her or Peggy. He could throw the game,
+just fall down on one or two returns and no one would know the
+difference! He felt very sure of winning the paddling races and what
+did he care about the tennis match, anyway?--it'd be different if they
+were the real matches, but they were just for children. These thoughts
+ran through his mind as he swung his racquet backward and forward in
+the air, a heavy scowl wrinkling his face.
+
+And Keineth's confident "We've got to win" had been the last drop in
+his cup of annoyance.
+
+The first two games were slow, a little volleying and a good many
+"outs." Someone called from the gallery, "Warm up!" Keineth threw her
+head back with an answering smile, for she recognized Mr. Lee's voice.
+
+Their opponents won the third game against a thirty. That spurred
+Keineth; the fourth game was faster with some hot volleying and pretty
+returns and won by Keineth and Billy in a quickly mounting score.
+Excited, Keineth did not notice that Billy had not returned one or two
+balls with his usual skill.
+
+The next, a deuce game, was hotly contested. Her face ablaze with
+interest, Keineth held her little body tensely poised on one toe, ready
+for instant action. The faces of the crowd around her blurred into
+nothing--there seemed only left in her small world those two beyond the
+net!
+
+The next game was bewildering. Keineth played desperately, but they had
+only won thirty points when the others made the game! The set stood
+four to two in Keineth's favor, but their opponents were playing
+stronger with each game.
+
+In the seventh game Billy dropped off shamelessly. He was never quite
+ready. Before Keineth realized the situation the others had won and won
+easily!
+
+"Billy!" Keineth whispered imploringly. The indifferent look on Billy's
+face struck terror to her heart. What _was_ the matter with him?
+
+The next game Keineth won alone--if Billy could not play she'd play for
+him! Her little teeth, clenched tight together, gleamed white through
+her parted lips. The crimson of her cheeks mounted into her fair hair.
+
+"What a picture!" Mrs. Lee whispered to her husband. She was not
+thinking of the game at all. "What a spirit! Think, William, what that
+can mean in this world when the child's grown up!"
+
+"That's just why this sort of sport is good for them," Mr. Lee
+whispered back. "But what is the matter with Billy?"
+
+That is what Keineth wondered, too. They had won five games--they
+_must_ win the next and set! Walking close to Billy she confronted him,
+her face ablaze. For just a moment they looked hard into one another's
+eyes; not a boy and girl, the one proudly conscious of his boyhood and
+two years' difference in age, the other a very young and all-admiring
+girl--but just two mortals contesting together against two others.
+
+And at last they, Keineth and Billy, met on equal ground--Keineth had
+proven her mettle--let Billy show his! Keineth's clear, straightforward
+gaze made Billy drop his eyes in sudden shame.
+
+"Play square," she said sternly. And Billy played square! Their
+opponents had not a chance!
+
+"Well, Billy did wake up," some one said and some one else added: "If
+they'd lost it would have been his fault. That Randolph girl played a
+corking game for her age!"
+
+They had won the tennis tournament! Keineth did not enjoy half so much
+the silver cup they placed in her hands as she did Peggy's delight and
+Mr. Lee's hearty handclasp of congratulation. The young people carried
+them off to luncheon at the club-house, where they made merry far into
+the afternoon.
+
+That evening Billy, with a very serious face, approached his father,
+where he sat alone on the veranda.
+
+"Dad, I've withdrawn my name from the paddle races!"
+
+"What's wrong, son?"
+
+"I'm not a good sport--that's why," Billy answered with his usual
+frankness. "I had a sort of grudge against Keineth because she wouldn't
+tell me about her father and I'd vowed to get even and I just laid down
+on that tennis game--until she made me ashamed!"
+
+"But she did make you ashamed, Billy?"
+
+"Yes--she told me to play square and I just thought then that no one
+would ever have to tell me to play square more than once!"
+
+Mr. Lee laid his arm across the boy's shoulder.
+
+"Laddie--these games we play teach us a lot, don't they? There is
+something in them more than fun and more than the health they give!
+You've learned a motto to-day that you can pin on your shield when you
+go out to meet the other matches life offers!"
+
+"You can just bet I'll always try to play square! And I'm going now to
+find Ken and tell her she's a brick!"
+
+Mr. Lee watched the boy disappear. Though a smile hovered about his
+lips, his eyes were serious--the cigar between his fingers had quite
+gone out.
+
+"May he keep that spirit all through life," he was thinking.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+NOT ON THE PROGRAM!
+
+
+Keineth, a little tired after the strain of the tennis match, thought
+it much more fun to watch the others. Billy had gone into the paddling
+races, and no one but Mr. Lee and Keineth knew that it was because
+Keineth had begged him--and he had won and Keineth had been the first
+to examine the wrist watch he had received as an award. And on Friday
+the entire family waited eagerly near the eighteenth green of the golf
+course for Barbara and Carol Day to play up in the final game for the
+golf championship!
+
+Keineth and Peggy held hands tightly in their excitement.
+
+"Oh, I can tell by Barb's walk she's ahead," Peggy cried as the two
+players, their caddies and a small gallery, appeared around the corner
+of the wood that screened the seventeenth green.
+
+"She was two down at the turn and Carol was playing par golf," someone
+volunteered. "What does down at the turn mean?" whispered Keineth.
+
+"The turn's at the end of the ninth hole and a-l-a-s, down means Barb
+was behind. Pooh, she always plays better when she's down!"
+
+A man had just returned from the fifteenth tee.
+
+"They were dormie at the sixteenth," the girls heard him say.
+
+"What _queer_ words they do use in golf! I thought dormie was a
+window!"
+
+"Oh, Ken," giggled Peggy, "you mean dormer and it's dormie when one
+player is just as many holes ahead as there are more holes to play.
+Good gracious!" her face fell, "that means that Barbara will _have_ to
+win these three holes and she always slices on the eighteenth!"
+
+"She won't this time, Peggy! That girl's like steel in a match!" a man
+nearby broke in.
+
+"She's driving first!" Billy cried. "Oh, look--look--look! P-e-ach-y!"
+
+Breathlessly they watched the two players advance toward the green.
+Barbara had outdriven her opponent but she topped her second. Carol
+Day, playing a brassie, put her ball well up. Barbara recovered on her
+third shot, carried the bunker which guarded the green twenty yards
+from it, and laid her ball on the edge of the green. Carol's third
+caught the top of the bunker, shot into the air and dropped back into
+the sand pit!
+
+"Oh-h!" breathed Peggy delightedly into Keineth's ear. She knew it was
+the worst bunker on the course.
+
+But difficulties only made Carol Day play the better. She studied the
+shot for several moments while Barbara and the gallery watched with
+tense interest. Then they saw her lift her niblick slowly, her head
+bent; a cloud of sand raised, the ball cleared the bunker's top,
+dropped upon the green, rolled a few feet and rested within an easy
+putt of the cup!
+
+The gallery applauded. It was a splendid shot, one of the kind that
+ought to win a match for its player. Even Keineth cried out in generous
+praise of the play.
+
+Peggy gripped Keineth's hand so hard that it hurt.
+
+"Steady, steady, there, Barb," Mr. Lee muttered. Barbara walked slowly
+to her ball. Her eyes were lowered, she did not glance at the familiar
+faces about the green. Her next shot demanded the utmost skill, care
+and steadiness she could command. Of them all she was the coolest. She
+_must_ run down her putt to win the match!
+
+Peggy suddenly shut her eyes that she could not see what happened. The
+others saw Barbara, with an easy movement, line her putt. The ball
+rolled slowly over the clipped turf, dead straight to the hole--closer,
+closer, hung for one fraction of a second on the rim of the cup and
+then with a thud that was like music, dropped in! Barbara was the
+champion of the women players of the club!
+
+"Why, it almost made me sick." Peggy confided to Keineth afterwards. "I
+will be a wreck when this week is over! And oh, if I can only win the
+life-saving medal to-morrow! Think of it, four prizes in the Lee
+family! There will be no living with us. I don't care a straw for the
+cups they give--it's that little bit of a bronze medal I want There's
+going to be a man here from Washington to give it to the winner--one of
+the Volunteer Life-saving Association. And that medal's _got_ to go
+right here," and defiantly she struck her hand against her breast.
+
+"I just can't wait," Keineth sighed in a tragic manner.
+
+"The last day is most fun of all," Peggy explained.
+
+"How can we ever settle down into calm living?"
+
+"Huh--fast enough! I've got to begin reviewing English. I have a
+condition to make up."
+
+"And I want to work on my music," cried Keineth, suddenly
+conscience-smitten.
+
+"Mother says that to-morrow night we'll wind up with a supper on the
+beach. It's lots jollier than the dinner dance at the Club and we're
+too young to go to that, anyway. Barb could go if she wanted to, but
+she'd rather have the fun at the beach. We fry bacon and roast corn and
+mother makes cocoa and then we sing. Oh, dear, won't it be awful to
+grow old and not do those things?"
+
+Together they sighed mightily at such a prospect!
+
+For the last day of the Sports Week there was a program of fun that
+began immediately after breakfast and lasted through the day. All the
+club members gathered on the beach where gaily-decorated booths had
+been built. From these lemonade and sandwiches were served
+continuously. The motor boats, canoes and skiffs, their flags flying,
+made bright splashes of color against the green water. Stakes, topped
+with flags, marked the course for the swimming races. The judges were
+taken out on one of the larger motor boats.
+
+Keineth had never seen anything quite like it. To her it seemed like a
+chapter from some story and a story strange and exciting!
+
+The committee had arranged games and races for the very little
+youngsters so that during the morning the beach front was astir with
+them--bright-eyed, bobbed-haired, starched little girls and tanned,
+bare-legged boys, trying vainly to elude the watchful care of the
+mothers and nurse-girls, who made a background for the pretty scene.
+
+The life-saving contest followed the swimming races. Four others
+besides Peggy had entered: Molly Sawyer, Helen Downer, Mary Freeman and
+Gladys Day.
+
+Keineth had never watched a contest of this sort before. She cried out
+in alarm when she saw a man, fully dressed, at a signal totter off the
+deck of the judges' motor boat. Someone next to her laughed.
+
+"That's just pretend--he's an expert swimmer! It's Mary Freeman's turn!
+Watch her!"
+
+Keineth saw Mary detach herself from a small group, rush into the water
+tearing off her blouse as she did so. Then something went wrong--Mary
+seemed to make no headway toward the man, the judges blew a whistle,
+the man who had jumped overboard climbed back into the boat; there was
+some laughter which others quickly frowned down.
+
+Peggy had drawn last place in the contest. When Keineth saw the others
+fail, one after another, she glanced at Peggy with nervous anxiety. But
+Peggy stood, outwardly calm, the picture of confidence, her eyes
+fastened upon the judges' boat, waiting for her signal.
+
+Another man fell overboard; to Keineth he looked like a giant! She saw
+Peggy spring forward--in a flash her blouse was off and she had thrown
+it backward over her head. She was swimming and Keineth knew that as
+she swam she was unbuttoning and kicking off her shoes and her skirt.
+An encouraging shout went up as she moved rapidly forward, her head
+under water, first one straight, strong arm, then the other, shooting
+out and ahead!
+
+Off at a little distance the judges' boat was chugging. From the beach
+the spectators, breathless, could see a struggle in the water. Then,
+where for a moment there had been nothing visible, they saw Peggy's
+head; saw her making for shore swimming on her back with strong leg
+strokes, one arm encircling the man's head, her grip holding his chin
+and nostrils out of water and pinioning his arms so that his struggles
+could not drag her down.
+
+A shout went up from the beach front--louder and louder; the motor
+boats blew their sirens. Keineth ran to the water's edge that she might
+be the first to greet the proud young swimmer.
+
+Willing hands helped Peggy pull the rescued man upon the sand where,
+the water dripping from her shoulders, Peggy gave "first aid." After
+several moments, marked by a big, sunburned man whom Keineth learned
+afterwards was the man from Washington, the victim was pronounced
+saved, rose to his feet and was the first to shake Peggy's hand!
+
+"Why, it was so real that it seemed awful funny to see him just get up
+like that," Keineth giggled afterwards, when she had a moment alone
+with her Peggy.
+
+"Well--it wasn't any easy thing to bring him in! Why, he struggled just
+as much as though he was really drowning! But, oh, Ken--Ken, I've won
+my medal!"
+
+Later the children went back to the house to prepare the picnic. They
+trooped up the rood, an excited group; Keineth and Peggy in advance.
+
+As they came nearer to Overlook a strange sight met their eyes. They
+stopped short.
+
+For there on the gravel drive, its high-powered engine snorting and
+puffing, a rigid, uniformed figure at the wheel, stood Aunt Josephine's
+bright yellow car!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+AUNT JOSEPHINE
+
+
+"It's Aunt Josephine!" cried Keineth.
+
+"Oh, dear, she'll spoil the fun!"
+
+Keineth wished the ground would open wide and swallow her up, so deep
+was her dismay. Never in her life had she so hated that yellow monster
+and Kingston's rigid back! And yes, the black-robed figure in the back
+_was_ Celeste!
+
+"Oh, dear," echoed Alice.
+
+"Maybe she has some word from father." The thought lent wings to
+Keineth's feet--she flew over the ground, Peggy following closely, a
+most curious sight for Aunt Josephine's eyes, with her wet bathing-suit
+and her blue and white bathrobe flying out behind!
+
+No, Aunt Josephine had no news of Keineth's father! She was on a motor
+trip and had stopped at Fairview. She was quite the same Aunt
+Josephine, beautifully gowned in a linen dress whose trimmings matched
+the stylish little hat she wore on her head. She rose from the wicker
+chair on the veranda, where she sat with Mrs. Lee, to greet the
+children. Keineth felt her critical glance wander from her to the
+others even while she was answering her aunt's questions.
+
+Mrs. Lee read the consternation behind the children's polite greetings,
+for in her sweet voice she broke in:
+
+"I have been asking Mrs. Winthrop to join us to-night in our beach
+frolic--you girlies must urge her!"
+
+"Oh, please do!" they cried together.
+
+Aunt Josephine did not seem to hear them. She was looking very hard at
+Keineth. "She does look well," she admitted; "I suppose the quiet life
+here has been good for her." She spoke directly to Keineth and the
+child felt in her tone the mild disapproval she knew so well. "I am on
+my way through to the Yellowstone, child. I thought, perhaps, I might
+pick you up and take you along, but you are so freckled that you are a
+sight!" Then, as though she recalled the beach supper and the
+children's invitation, she added, apologetically, "It is very kind, but
+I am a little out of the habit of such things!"
+
+"Hateful thing--how can she be Ken's aunt!" Peggy was thinking
+resentfully, for she had seen a hurt look creep into Keineth's eyes.
+
+Mrs. Lee's face wore its most cordial smile. She laid her hand upon
+Aunt Josephine's arm.
+
+"That's just why I like to go to picnics and things--it _is_ easy to
+get out of the habit of fun! Do send your man away and join us! It will
+be a great treat to know our Keineth's aunt a little better."
+
+Now what neither Keineth nor Peggy, nor even Mrs. Lee could guess was
+that beneath the folds of expensive linen and lace and dainty pleatings
+of rose silk was a heart that was just hungry because--years and years
+before--it had forgotten "how to have fun!" The happy faces of the
+children, freckled though they were, the simplicity of the pretty home,
+the flowers blooming so riotously and gaily all about, the light that
+lay deep in Mrs. Lee's eyes roused a longing very strange to Aunt
+Josephine! Perhaps if she had had youngsters of her own she might never
+have been the kind of an Aunt Josephine she was--tyrannized over by a
+Fido and a Celeste and a Kingston!
+
+"I will come," Aunt Josephine decided so suddenly that they were
+startled. "Keineth, dear, please tell Celeste to come to me."
+
+Celeste was instructed to unpack a warm coat and to bring a robe. Then
+she and Kingston were told that they might drive back to town, to
+return later for Mrs. Winthrop.
+
+Mrs. Lee carried Aunt Josephine off to the tiny guest room while the
+children flew toward the pantry to make ready the picnic baskets.
+
+Vaguely Keineth felt worried, as though, in some way or other, she was
+to blame for this unwelcome addition to the party. But Peggy, joining
+them in middy blouse and bloomers, reassured her in an excited whisper.
+
+"It'll be such fun just to see how she'll act! Oh, I do wish that funny
+maid and that awful leather-man were going, too! Do you suppose she can
+_ever_ eat a bacon sandwich without a fork?"
+
+But Aunt Josephine _did_ eat one without a fork and then ate another.
+She sat on a rock, her pretty linen all crumpled and mussed, a great
+deal of sand in her shoes, and balanced a paper plate on her lap and
+laughed, a rippling jolly laugh that Keineth had never heard before.
+She made Keineth and Peggy sit one on each side of her and tell her of
+all they had done during the summer.
+
+When the last marshmallow had been toasted and the pans scoured and put
+away in the baskets, the picnickers gathered about the dying bonfires
+for a "sing-song." This always included all the songs they loved best,
+the songs Mr. and Mrs. Lee had known in their youth and the songs of
+the present day. And Aunt Josephine's rich contralto rang above the
+others.
+
+"Why, I haven't sung like this since I can remember," she laughed. The
+children were just finishing, "There's a long, long trail a-winding,
+into the land o' my dreams!"
+
+In the dim light Keineth was studying her aunt's face. Perhaps she had
+often been unkind in her thoughts; she might have known that Aunt
+Josephine must be very, very nice or she couldn't have been her
+father's sister! She slipped her hand into her aunt's and felt a warm
+pressure return her clasp.
+
+When Mrs. Lee began "This is the End of a Perfect Day" the children
+knew that the fun was over. They were glad to go home, for it had been
+a strenuous and exciting week.
+
+When the good-nights were said Aunt Josephine drew Keineth toward her.
+
+"May I keep her up a little longer--I would like to have a little
+talk."
+
+A dread seized Keineth's heart, for she recalled her aunt's words
+concerning the Yellowstone. She might have to go with Aunt Josephine
+and Celeste and Kingston, after all.
+
+Aunt Josephine sat down by the lamp, very straight, the way she always
+sat when she had something important on her mind. Mrs. Lee sank back
+among the pillows on the divan and Mr. Lee pulled his chair closer to
+the window and lighted his pipe.
+
+"I cannot tell you," Aunt Josephine began, "how glad I am to have
+become acquainted with you all. I feel better about Keineth."
+
+A silence followed this. Very troubled, Keineth glanced at Mrs. Lee, to
+find her smiling.
+
+"You know I did not approve of the way my brother just turned her over
+to almost strangers. It seemed as if she ought to be with me. I would
+have sent her to a camp in Maine--a very fine camp for girls--and then,
+perhaps had her with me at the seashore."
+
+Aunt Josephine paused as though waiting for Mrs. Lee to say something.
+And Mrs. Lee said quietly:
+
+"I think she has been happy here."
+
+"I came this way intending to steal her for this Yellowstone trip,
+though perhaps she'd better not go." Keineth put her hand to her face
+involuntarily as though to cover the shameless freckles. "But I feel
+that I ought to talk over with you--well, the plans for her school in
+the fall." Keineth swept a frightened glance toward Mrs. Lee. Aunt
+Josephine went on in the voice she always used when doing her duty:
+"Miss Edgecombe has a very select school for girls a few blocks from me
+in New York. I know Miss Edgecombe well and she is holding a place open
+for Keineth. I feel she is a very suitable person to train a child. You
+know," with a tone of apology, "my brother had no sense at all in
+bringing up the girl! He left everything to that queer old governess."
+Mrs. Lee suddenly sat up very straight on the divan,
+
+"When Keineth came to us she had to learn to be like other children.
+Yes, she had been shut up too much with that very good governess; her
+little brain had grown faster than her body. It's her body's turn now,
+the brain can wait. Mr. Randolph said that he wished her to remain with
+us until he returned. Keineth and I have a plan of our own for the
+fall, to play and work on our music." She smiled at Keineth.
+
+Aunt Josephine hesitated as though she could not find the right words
+to express what she felt. "I thought it was my duty to speak to Miss
+Edgecombe," she said stiffly; "she is my brother's child and will
+probably, some day, inherit what I have. I should like to have her with
+me, but," there was a wistful ring in her voice, "I suppose she is
+better off with you."
+
+"The things Miss Edgecombe can teach her can wait, perhaps," Aunt
+Nellie answered, smiling down at Keineth. "Keineth is happy in our
+simple life--"
+
+"Simple life--that's just it!" Aunt Josephine spoke rapidly, as though
+Mrs. Lee had suddenly helped her to find the words she wanted. "You're
+so simple that you're wonderful! You've learned to live real lives
+without all the shams that make slaves of the rest of us. Why, my life
+seems as empty as a bubble and the things I do worth just about as much
+as a bubble by the side of this." She swept her hand out toward the
+lamp-lighted room. "And I must have lived like this once--but I've
+forgotten! I've always thought my brother queer and that governess he
+had insufferable--but I guess you and he know what's best. I'm glad the
+child is with you. Yes," the wistful note crept back into her voice, "I
+would have enjoyed having her, but, she's better off, all freckled and
+in those absurd clothes."
+
+As Mrs. Winthrop drove away through the starlit night, a costly robe
+protecting her from the chill of the evening, Celeste at hand for
+instant service, Kingston guiding the monster car, she looked back over
+her shoulder at the little house outlined against the sky and sighed--a
+lonely little sigh.
+
+In a tumult of joy Keineth had thrown her arms about Mrs. Lee's neck.
+"Oh, I was so frightened!" she cried. "Thank you for not letting me go.
+I'd have just _hated_ Miss Edgecombe's--after this! And I do want to
+stay with Peggy!" she finished with a tight hug. Then, as they climbed
+the stairs together, she said softly--without knowing why in the least
+she said it:
+
+"Poor Aunt Josephine! It must be awful to be rich."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+SCHOOL DAYS
+
+
+September had come, and busy days! For Overlook had to be closed, the
+city home cleaned and aired and made ready; Barbara must be sent away
+to college and the younger children started off in school.
+
+"I feel all sort of queer inside," said Peggy, astride of a trunk, "the
+way you do when you hear sad songs. I wish it was always summer and
+nothing but play."
+
+"And no school," chimed in Billy. He was on his knees packing toys. "I
+don't see what good school does, anyway! If nobody went to school it'd
+all be the same."
+
+"I just hate beginning and then I love it," cried Alice.
+
+"You won't love it when you get into fractions," retorted Billy,
+"'course its fun down in the baby grades!" He spoke from the lofty
+distinction of a sub-freshman in the Technical High. Some day Billy
+was going to make boilers like his father.
+
+"I don't mind school, but it's the fuss getting things ready. I just
+despise dressmakers! You wait, Ken, until mother gets after you and you
+stand by the hour and have Miss Harris fit you! The only fun is
+watching to see how many pins she can put in her mouth without
+swallowing any. Did that governess make your clothes?"
+
+Keineth described the funny little shop where Tante took her twice a
+year. "They kept my measurements there and Tante would just look at the
+materials."
+
+"And you never decided as to what color you wanted or had ribbons and
+things?" cried Peggy wonderingly.
+
+Keineth's face colored a little. "Madame Henri thought plain things
+better," she explained.
+
+"That's what mother says, but that plain things can be pretty, too. She
+always lets us choose our color because she says it trains our tastes.
+And this year, if I don't have a pink dress for best I'm going to make
+an awful fuss!" "I'd like a pink dress," Keineth agreed shyly, "I never
+had one!"
+
+Peggy jumped off the trunk.
+
+"Let's tease for pink dresses just alike; and now what do you say to a
+last game of tennis?"
+
+"Make it doubles! I'll play with Alice," cried Billy, eagerly dropping
+his work. And with merry laughter they rushed away.
+
+To close Overlook was an almost sacred task to the Lee family. Each did
+his or her part tenderly, reluctantly. Mrs. Lee and Barbara folded away
+the pretty hangings; Billy made the garden ready for the fall
+fertilizing, took Gyp to his winter home at a nearby farm, and put the
+barn in order; the younger girls helped Nora polish and cover the
+kitchen utensils.
+
+And never had the days seemed more glorious nor inviting, filled with
+the hazy September glow that turned everything into gold.
+
+"It's always just the nicest when we have to go to the city," Peggy
+complained sadly. They were gathered for the last time on the veranda
+watching the sunset. On the morrow they would return to town. Mr. Lee
+looked over the young faces--the tanned cheeks and the eyes glowing
+with health; the straight backs and limbs strong and supple from the
+summer's exercise.
+
+"You're a fine-looking bunch to begin the winter's work," he laughed.
+"It ought to be very easy to you youngsters."
+
+"How lucky we are to be able to live like this," Barbara said with a
+little sigh. She was thinking as she said it that she was often going
+to be very lonesome for home and this dear circle. Eager as she was to
+begin her new life in college, she could not bear the breaking of the
+home ties.
+
+And bravely she had decided she would tell no one of this heartache,
+for one day she had surprised her mother gently crying over the piles
+of undergarments they had made ready. Mrs. Lee had tried to laugh as
+she wiped away her tears.
+
+"I'm just foolish, darling, only it seems such a little while ago that
+you were a baby, my first baby--and here you are going off to college,
+away from me!"
+
+So not for the world would Barbara have distressed her mother by
+showing the ache in her own heart. In answer she had thrown her arms
+about her mother's neck in a passion of affection.
+
+"I'll always, always, always love home best," she vowed.
+
+And this would not be hard, for the Lees' home, made beautiful by love
+rather than wealth, was of the sort that would always be "home," and no
+matter how far one of them might travel or in what gay places linger,
+would always be "best of all!"
+
+The Lees' city home was not at all like Keineth's old home in New York,
+nor like Aunt Josephine's pretentious house on Riverside Drive. Though
+it seemed right in the heart of the city and only a stone's throw from
+the business centre, it was on a quiet, broad street and had a little
+yard of its own all around it. The house was built of wood and needed
+painting, but the walks and lawns were neatly kept. Within it was
+simple and roomy, with broad halls and wide windows, shaded by the elms
+outside. Its walls were brown-toned, and yellow hangings covered the
+white frilled curtains at the windows. There was one big living-room,
+with rows and rows of bookshelves, easy chairs and soft rugs, a worn
+davenport in front of the fire, tables with lamps, and books and
+magazines spread out upon them in inviting disorder. There were flowers
+here, too, as at Overlook, and Peggy's bird had its home in the big bay
+of the dining-room, where he welcomed each morning's sunshine with glad
+song.
+
+Each little girl had a room of her own, too, hung with bright chintz,
+with covers on the bureau and bed to match. Peggy's and Keineth's had a
+door opening from one to the other. Billy with his beloved wireless and
+other things that Peggy called "truck" was happily established in the
+back of the house.
+
+In a twinkling the entire family was settled in the city, "just as
+though we'd never been away," Peggy declared. Then two days later
+Barbara started off for college.
+
+The parting was merry. The girls had helped her pack her trunks;
+sitting on her bed they had superintended the important process of
+"doing up" her hair; and then had taken turns carrying to the station
+the smart patent-leather dressing-case which had been her father's
+gift. Everyone smiled up to the last moment before the train pulled out
+of the station--then everyone coughed a great deal and Mr. Lee blew his
+nose and Mrs. Lee wiped her eyes and Peggy sighed.
+
+"I'd hate to be grown-up," she admitted, and as she walked away she
+held her mother's hand tightly.
+
+Although Barbara's going made a great gap in the little circle,
+everyone was too busy to grieve. School began and with it home work;
+there was basket-ball and dancing school and shopping, hats and shoes
+to buy. Miss Harris arrived for her annual visit and much time was
+spent over samples and patterns. And Peggy and Keineth got their pink
+dresses! Then there were old friends to see, new ones to make and
+relatives to visit. In this whirl of excitement the Overlook days were
+soon forgotten!
+
+With the city life a little of Keineth's shyness had returned. She felt
+lost among Peggy's many friends; the hours when Peggy was in school
+dragged a little. The simplicity of the Lees' city home had made her
+homesick for the big house in Washington Square--for its very
+emptiness! So because of this loneliness she spent hours at the piano
+eagerly practicing the technic that under Tante had been so tiresome.
+Mrs. Lee had engaged one of the best masters in the city and Keineth
+went almost daily to his funny little studio. At first she had been a
+little afraid of him. He was a Pole, a round-shouldered man with long
+gray hair that hung over his collar and queer eyes that seemed to look
+through and through one. But after she had heard him play she lost her
+shyness, for in his music she heard the voices she loved. He called her
+"little one," and told her long stories of Liszt and Chopin and the
+other masters. "They are the people that live forever," he would say.
+
+One rainy afternoon after school Peggy went to Keineth's room and found
+its door shut. Peggy was cross because a cold had kept her home from
+basket-ball, and she deeply resented this closed door.
+
+"I s'pose you're doing something you don't want me to know." Her ear
+had caught the quick rustle of paper. In a moment Keineth had opened
+the door, but Peggy was turning away with a toss of her head.
+
+"Oh, if you don't want me--"
+
+"Please, Peg," begged Keineth. She pulled her into the room. "I didn't
+know you were home, honest!"
+
+Peggy glimpsed the corner of a paper half hidden under some books. Upon
+it were written bars of music.
+
+"You _have_ got a secret," she cried excitedly, "you're writing music!
+Keineth Randolph, if you don't tell your very best friend, now!"
+
+Keineth, her face scarlet, drew out the tell-tale paper.
+
+"It's just a little thing," she explained shyly. "Your mother showed me
+how to write last summer, but I wanted to surprise everybody. I was
+going to tell you, though, when it was done. Peg, I'm going to try to
+sell it!"
+
+"Sell it! Get real money?" cried Peggy.
+
+"Yes--that's what the masters did--only they were nearly always
+starving. 'Course I'm not, but I would like to earn some money." "Oh,
+wouldn't it be fun?" Peggy caught Keineth's elbows and whirled her
+around. "What would you ever do with it? But where do you sell music?
+And what is its name?"
+
+"I call it 'The Castle of Dreams,'" answered Keineth with shining eyes.
+"And Mr. Cadowitz told me there's a music house right here in the
+city--Brown and Co."
+
+"Let's go there together! Let's go _now!_ Mother's away and it's just
+the time!"
+
+The sore throat was forgotten. Peggy helped Keineth arrange the sheets
+in a little roll and together they started forth on their secret
+errand. They found the music house without any difficulty, but
+Keineth's courage almost failed her when she found herself confronted
+by a long line of clerks. To the one who came forward she explained her
+errand. She wanted to see the manager--she had some music she wished to
+sell!
+
+At his amused glance her face flushed scarlet.
+
+"Why, you're just a kid!" he answered impudently. "Mr. Brown's pretty
+busy!" Then it suddenly occurred to him that it would be something like
+a joke on the "boss" to take these two children to his busy office. The
+clerk was not overfond of the head of the firm.
+
+"Well, come along," he concluded, winking at the other men. He led the
+two girls through a labyrinth of offices and up a stairway to the
+manager's door.
+
+"Two young ladies to see you!" he announced and shut the door of the
+office quickly behind him.
+
+Keineth, frightened, had to swallow twice before she could make a
+sound. Then, holding the manuscript out, she explained her errand to
+the manager. Tipped back in his chair he listened with a smile;
+however, he took the roll from her and, opening it, glanced over it
+indifferently.
+
+"Let me play it for you," begged Keineth desperately.
+
+He led them into an inner room in the centre of which stood an open
+grand piano. Keineth went straight to it and began to play. He listened
+through to the end.
+
+"Wait a moment;" he waved her back to the stool. "I want Gregory to
+hear you." The tone of his voice had changed.
+
+In answer to a summons Gregory came in, a thin, tired-looking man. The
+manager turned to him:
+
+"This girl has brought in some music! I want you to hear it," and he
+nodded to Keineth to begin.
+
+She played it through again while the two men held the manuscript
+between them and read as she played. The man called Gregory nodded
+again and again. His face had suddenly lost its tired look!
+
+"Why, we've found a little gem!" Peggy heard him mutter. Then to
+Keineth: "What did you say your name was?" Keineth repeated it and the
+manager wrote it down with Mr. Lee's address. He took the sheets of
+music, rolled them, and put them in a drawer and locked it.
+
+"We will consider it and let you know in a few weeks," he said. Then he
+shook hands with Keineth and Peggy. "And if you write anything more,
+please bring it to us."
+
+"Oh, Peg, wouldn't it be grand if I could sell lots?" cried Keineth
+later, in an ecstasy of ambition.
+
+"If I wasn't on the street I'd whoop," and Peggy squeezed her friend's
+arm. "Why, Ken--maybe you'll be a master!"
+
+"And remember, don't tell a soul, Peg! Honor bright, cross your heart!"
+
+"Honor bright, cross my heart!" Peggy promised.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+CHRISTMAS
+
+
+"Christmas isn't half as much fun after you don't believe in Santa
+Claus." Peggy heaved a mighty sigh as she worked her needle in and out
+of the handkerchief she was hemstitching. "How old were you, Keineth,
+when you found there wasn't a Santa Claus?"
+
+Keineth did not answer for a moment. Her shining eyes had a far-away
+look. She did not know what to say to make Peggy understand that, as
+far back as she could remember, the beloved Santa and the Christmas
+Spirit and her Daddy had always seemed to be one and the same person.
+Always on Christmas morning her father had come to her bed, helped her
+hurry on her slippers and robe and had carried her on his back down the
+long stairway to the shadowy library where, on a table close to the
+fireplace, a-twinkle with tiny candles and bright with tinsel, they
+would find the tree he had trimmed. She could not bear to speak of it
+Instead she told Peggy of the way she and her father always spent
+Christmas Eve; how he would take her to a funny little restaurant where
+they would eat roast pig and little Christmas cakes and then go to the
+stores and wander along looking into the gaily-trimmed windows.
+
+"You see there are ever and ever so many children near our home that
+never have any Christmas, and we used to wait for some to come and look
+into the window. Then Daddy'd invite them to go inside and pick out a
+toy. They'd be frightened at first, as if they couldn't believe it, but
+after they'd see Daddy smile they'd look so happy and talk so fast.
+Daddy always told them to pick out what they'd always wanted and never
+had, and the boys most always took engines and the girls wanted
+dolls--dolls with eyes that'd shut and open. Daddy and I used to think
+that was more fun than getting presents ourselves."
+
+Mrs. Lee had listened with much interest. Her face, as she bent it over
+her needle-work, was serious.
+
+"If I told you girlies of a family I ran across the other day, would
+you like to help make their Christmas a little merrier?" They begged
+her to tell them.
+
+Though Mrs. Lee never lacked time for the many demands of her family
+and friends, she was a woman who went about among the poor a great
+deal. Not like Aunt Josephine, who was the president of several
+charitable societies and sent her yellow car about the poorer parts of
+New York that Kingston might bestow for her deserving aid in places
+where she herself could not go--Mrs. Lee worked quietly, going herself
+into the homes of the sick and needy and carrying with her, besides
+warm clothing and food, the comfort and cheer that she gave to her own
+dear ones. No one could know just how much she did, because she rarely
+spoke of it.
+
+"These people live in a tenement down near the river. The father was
+crippled in an explosion several years ago and the mother has to work
+to support her family. There are seven children--the oldest is fifteen.
+What do you think they do at Christmas--and they love Christmas just
+the way you do! They take turns having presents! And one of them has
+been very, very ill this fall, so Tim, whose turn it really is this
+year, is going to give up his Christmas for Mary. Isn't that fine in
+Tim? Think of waiting for your turn out of seven and then giving it
+up."
+
+Peggy threw down her work. "Oh, Mother, can't we make up a jolly basket
+for them all like we did for the Finnegans two years ago? And put in
+something extra for Tim because he's so--so fine?"
+
+"That's just what I wanted you to say," and Mrs. Lee smiled at her
+little girl. "Make out a list of what you want to put in the basket and
+then when you get your Christmas money you can go shopping."
+
+"Oh, what fun it will be to take the basket there! How old are the
+children, Mother?"
+
+Peggy brought pencils and paper. The work was laid aside and the
+children commenced to make the list of things for the basket. Alice and
+Billy were consulted and agreed eagerly to their plans, Billy deciding
+that he would take the money he had been saving for a new tool set and
+with it buy a moving-picture machine for Tim.
+
+Keineth had dreaded Christmas coming without her daddy. But there was
+so much to do and think about that she had no time to be unhappy. There
+was much shopping to do and the stores were so exciting. Mrs. Lee had
+given her the same amount of spending money that Peggy had received and
+she and Peggy went together to purchase the things for the basket,
+besides other mysterious packages to be hidden away until Christmas
+morning. Then one evening there was a family council to decide just
+what they would do on Christmas.
+
+"We always do this," whispered Peggy to Keineth as they sat close
+together, "and then we always do just what Alice wants us to do, 'cause
+she's the baby."
+
+And Alice begged them all to hang up their stockings and to have a
+tree, if it was just a teeny, weeny one!
+
+"We'll do it," Mr. Lee agreed, as if there had been a moment's doubt of
+it.
+
+"I suppose we'll go on hanging up our stockings after we're doddering
+old grandparents," Mrs. Lee had laughed, though there was a suspicion
+of tears in her eyes.
+
+"Mother and Daddy just spend all their time making everything jolly for
+us children," Peggy said afterwards. The children were sitting around
+the table, their school-books before them. "I just wish we could do
+something that'd be an awful nice surprise for them." She stared
+thoughtfully at the blank paper before her on which a map ought to be.
+
+"Let's do something on Christmas that they won't know about," suggested
+Alice.
+
+"What?" put in Billy.
+
+"Janet Clark's cousins have charades Christmas night."
+
+"Oh, charades are stupid!" Billy hated guessing.
+
+Peggy's pencil was going around in tiny circles. She was thinking very
+hard. Suddenly she sprang to her feet.
+
+"I know! Ken, let's write a play!"
+
+"A play!" cried the others.
+
+"Yes. I've got it all in my head, now. Barb will help us when she comes
+home. You know Mother is going to invite Aunt Cora and Uncle Tom
+Jenkins and the Pennys over for dinner Christmas night; we'll surprise
+them with the play. Marian and Ted and the Penny girls can be in it!
+Oh, I've always wanted to act! Won't it be _fun!"_
+
+Peggy's enthusiasm won instant support from the others. Because Peggy
+and Keineth had recently attended a matinee performance of "The
+Midsummer Night's Dream," sitting in a box and wearing the new pink
+dresses, Billy and Alice conceded that they knew more about plays and
+must manage this. There were hours and hours then spent behind locked
+doors and Mrs. Lee could hear shrieks of laughter with Peggy's voice
+rising sternly above it. Now and then she caught glimpses of flying
+figures draped in pink and white, but because it was Christmas-time and
+the air full of mystery, she pretended to hear and see nothing.
+
+Barbara returned four days before Christmas, very much of a young lady.
+Though her manner toward the younger children was at first a little
+patronizing, after a few hours at home it quickly gave way to the
+old-time comradeship. As soon as she could Peggy dragged her to her
+room and read to her the lines of the play which she and Keineth had
+scribbled on countless sheets of paper. Barbara promised to help. To
+guard the secret the last rehearsals were held at Marian Jenkins',
+under Barbara's coaching; and Billy and Ted Jenkins printed the
+programs on Ted's printing press. "Oh, it's going to be the best part
+of Christmas," Keineth cried delightedly.
+
+But it was not quite the best, for on Christmas morning, after the
+children had returned from taking their basket to Tim and his family,
+Keineth found a cablegram from her Daddy, wishing her a merry, merry
+Christmas!
+
+Somehow, after that, it seemed as if her joy was complete!
+
+The gifts that the Lee children had found in their stockings had been
+very simple; beside them the elaborate presents that had come in a box
+from Aunt Josephine seemed vulgar and showy, although Barbara had cried
+out in delight at her bracelet. To Keineth and Peggy she had sent tiny
+wrist watches, circled with turquoise.
+
+"Much too lovely for children like you," had been Mrs. Lee's comment.
+
+While Mrs. Lee was helping Nora prepare the dinner the children put the
+finishing touches to their costumes and with much whispering arranged
+the stage for the play. The little tree around which the play must be
+acted had been put at one end of the long living-room; the door close
+to it on the right, leading into the hall, would serve as a stage
+entrance. The only property needed was a rock, and by covering it with
+a strip of gray awning, the piano stool would look very real.
+
+At six o'clock Aunt Cora and Uncle Tom, Marian and Ted arrived; a
+little later all the Pennys. Eighteen sat down at the table that
+creaked with the good things Mrs. Lee and Nora had prepared. Everyone
+talked at once. Keineth, looking down the length of the room, decked
+with the holly the children had fastened over doors and windows,
+thought that nowhere could Christmas be merrier than right there at the
+Lees! And what helped make the merriment was the comforting thought
+that Tim and his family were eating a Christmas dinner, too!
+
+At eight o'clock Peggy stole quietly to her mother.
+
+"May we children go up to the playroom, Mummy? It'd be more fun there,"
+she whispered. Mrs. Lee nodded.
+
+The playroom was really a part of the attic, partitioned off and
+lighted. Here the children donned the cheesecloth costumes they had
+made. There was a great deal of laughter; Peggy was giving orders to
+everyone at once! Barbara sat on a trunk pinning wings to fairies'
+shoulders. And at the last moment Marian brought out some real make-up
+stuff she had borrowed!
+
+Then Billy, in a clown's robe made out of an old pair of night-drawers
+and a great deal of paper, went downstairs to give out the programs.
+
+"Oh, do I look like a real actress?" whispered Peggy to Keineth, wildly
+pulling at her tinsel crown.
+
+"Just beautiful!" Keineth whispered back. "But oh, I'm so scared! I
+know I won't remember a _single_ line!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+WHEN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WORKED OVERTIME
+
+
+Peals of laughter greeted Billy's appearance in the living-room. Then
+everyone read the programs he gave them.
+
+"The rascals!" cried Mr. Lee, genuinely surprised.
+
+"Look at this," whispered Mrs. Lee, pointing to the program.
+
+For at its top was printed in large letters:
+
+WHEN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WORKED OVERTIME
+
+BY
+
+PEGGY LEE AND KEINETH RANDOLPH
+
+And the rest of the program read:
+
+The Time of the Play:
+
+Christmas night after the children are supposed to have gone to bed, a
+little ill from their Christmas candies, and when the grownfolks have
+gathered together to talk over the day and declare that it's the best
+Christmas the children have ever had.
+
+The Place:
+
+The living-room at home. And if possible the room should be darkened,
+except for the lights on the tree, but if this is not convenient it
+doesn't matter in the least, for the Christmas Spirit is not afraid to
+walk into the most brightly-lighted room!
+
+The Persons who are in the Play:
+
+    The Christmas Spirit     Peggy Lee
+    The Christmas Fairies:
+    Happyheart               Keineth Randolph
+    Peace                    Marian Jenkins
+    Goodwill                 Sally Penny
+    Merrylips                Fanny Penny
+    Joy                      Anne Penny
+    Spirit of Childhood      Alice Lee
+
+    Jesters                  {William Lee, Jr.
+                             {Edward Jenkins
+
+"I recognize Barbara's hand assisting," laughed Mr. Lee, as he read
+through the program.
+
+"Sh--h!" The chatter suddenly ceased. Barbara pressed a button that
+shut off all the lights excepting the twinkling bulbs on the tree. In
+another room the children sang "Silent Night." As the last sweet note
+died away, Peggy, in gauzy white with tinsel crown and wings, came
+slowly into the room. She sank down upon the rock. The play had begun.
+_Spirit_ (yawns): Goodness me, how tired I am! (Yawns again.) It seems
+as if there are more children every Christmas. I think after to-night
+I'll go to bed for a whole year! (Lifts her head suddenly and looks at
+the tree.) Why, there are no presents on the tree! It must be a party
+of grownfolks! (Sighs.) I do feel so sorry for grownfolks! They always
+have to pretend they're having a Christmas. (Springs to her feet.)
+Perhaps they're here now. (Looks intently at audience.) Yes--they are!
+I can always tell when grownfolks are around, because I have to work so
+much harder with them. I must call my fairies. (Spirit steps toward
+door, puts her hand cup-shape to her mouth.)
+
+   Come, oh Christmas fairies all,
+   Answer to the Spirit's call!
+
+(As she calls the fairies Happyheart, Merrylips, Goodwill, and Peace
+dance into the room, curtsey low to the Spirit and group themselves
+about her.)
+
+_Spirit_(holds out welcoming hands): Ah, fairies, what a wonderful day
+this has been! Did you fill the stockings, Happyheart?
+
+_Happyheart:_ I've filled a million stockings!
+
+_Spirit:_ Splendid! And you, Merrylips?
+
+_Merrylips_: I've trimmed a million trees--small ones and big ones!
+
+_Spirit:_ Didn't you love it? They smell so good! How went the day with
+you, Goodwill?
+
+_Goodwill:_ Oh, I've carried baskets of food until I am sure there was
+not a hungry person in the whole wide world! _Spirit:_ Tell us, Peace,
+of your work to-day!
+
+_Peace:_ I have gone about since early morning putting songs in
+people's hearts!
+
+_Spirit:_ You worked well! I have heard the music all day long!
+
+_Merrylips_ (yawns): We're terribly tired!
+
+_Spirit_ (sternly): Hush! Fairies must never be tired when there is
+work to do! See, I have found a tree! It has these pretty lights but
+there are no presents!
+
+_Happyheart:_ Who's tree can it be?
+
+_Spirit_: It is a tree for some grownfolks! You see the children all
+over the land must have been put to bed a long time ago.
+
+_Peace_ (nods her head): Grownfolks generally do stay up late Christmas
+night!
+
+_Happyheart:_ They get very sad wishing they were children again!
+
+_Merrylips:_ Christmas is very hard on them, poor things!
+
+_Spirit:_ The men talk about spending so much money and the women sit
+up late nights stitching and stitching and complaining that they will
+not give anything but cards another Christmas.
+
+_Merrylips:_ How foolish they are!
+
+_Peace:_ They forget that we will help them!
+
+_Happyheart:_ You see they don't believe in fairies! It's because they
+are so old! Why, they say that some are over thirty! _Goodwill:_ As if
+that mattered!
+
+_Spirit:_ But I do feel very sorry for them! They can scarcely remember
+when they used to hang up their stockings! They will come and gather
+around this tree and there will be no presents!
+
+_Happyheart_ (sits down upon stool): Oh, dear! (Drops her chin in her
+hand.) Can't we do something?
+
+_Peace:_ Let's think hard!
+
+_Goodwill_ (sadly): Our real presents are gone. There were so many
+children this year!
+
+_Merrylips:_ And they make out such long lists! Why, the trees would
+scarcely hold all the things!
+
+_Spirit:_ We must do what we can to make Christmas merry for these
+grownfolks.
+
+_Happyheart_ (claps her hands): I can make their hearts light!
+
+_Goodwill:_ I can make them kindly to one another!
+
+_Merrylips:_ I can make them laugh!
+
+_Peace:_ And I can put one of my songs in their hearts!
+
+_Spirit_ (as others make these suggestions she turns toward the tree,
+deep in thought; suddenly she wheels around): Your gifts are priceless
+but, somehow, I wish we had something besides them for these
+grownfolks!
+
+_Goodwill:_ I should like to make this a Christmas they would remember
+the year through!
+
+_Happyheart:_ I should like to teach them to believe in fairies!
+
+_Peace:_ Perhaps if we could fill their tree with gifts they would not
+forget!
+
+_Merrylips:_ Let's ask Joy! _Spirit:_ Where is she?
+
+_Happyheart:_ Oh, she is still working. But if we sing her song she
+will come!
+
+_Merrylips:_ Let's sing, then! (Holds up her finger.) One, two, three!
+(All sing softly the Christmas Carol, "Joy to the World." As they sing
+Joy runs into the room. The fairies circle about her.)
+
+_Joy_ (stepping to the foreground and stretching arms): Oh, I am so
+tired!
+
+_Spirit_ (steps forward and lays her hand on Joy's shoulder): Poor
+little Joy-fairy!
+
+_Joy:_ I've been so busy making happiness! This funny world needs so
+much of it and everyone wants something different! And there were so
+many children! (Turns to the tree.) What--another tree?
+
+_Spirit:_ Yes, and we have no presents! Happyheart can make their
+hearts light and Peace can give them a song, but, you know, I'd just
+like to have them have some presents--like children have!
+
+_Merrylips_ (dances a step or two): Fairy presents would be fun! They
+are more fun than real presents and can make wishes come true!
+
+_Goodwill:_ They say grownfolks are worse than children about making
+wishes, only they keep their wishes locked up!
+
+_Happyheart:_ Wouldn't it be lovely?
+
+_Joy:_ I know--let's call the Spirit of Childhood!
+
+_Happyheart:_ Splendid! She will surely know a way!
+
+_Spirit:_ How can we call her, Joy-fairy? _Joy:_ Put your fingers over
+your eyes tight! (All put their fingers over their eyes.) Now, say
+after me--"Spirit of Childhood, come at our call!"
+
+_Chorus:_
+
+       Spirit of Childhood, come at our call,
+       Spirit of Childhood, come at our call!
+
+(As they repeat this the Spirit of Childhood dances joyously into the
+room and faces them. As they remove their fingers from their eyes, they
+bow low.)
+
+_Chorus:_ Childhood!
+
+_Childhood_ (faces audience): I am the Spirit of Childhood! I am the
+happiest fairy of all! I am known all over this wide, wide world!
+Everybody loves me! Sometimes I am a dream, too, and I come out of the
+past when it is very still and creep into old, old hearts!
+
+_Happyheart_ (impatiently): We know all that!
+
+_Spirit_ (steps toward Childhood): We want you to help us now,
+Childhood, to make Christmas merry for this party of grownfolks.
+
+_Childhood:_ No children? They're all grownfolks?
+
+_Spirit:_ No children. They're all grownfolks.
+
+_Childhood:_ Poor things! How sad!
+
+_Spirit:_ But they have a tree and we want to give them gifts which,
+because they are fairy gifts, will make their best every-day wish come
+true!
+
+_Childhood:_ Yes-they'll think, because they are grownups, they must
+have useful gifts! But they shall have fairy gifts!
+
+_Happyheart_ (to other fairies): I told you she'd help us! _Merrylips:_
+And these grown folks must make a big, big wish and have it on top of
+their hearts! Then, if they carry their gifts in the bottom of their
+pockets their wishes will come true!
+
+_Childhood:_ I will call my Jesters! They are clever knaves--they will
+find the gifts!
+
+_Happyheart:_ Call them quickly!
+
+_Childhood:_ I have to do very funny things, because I am Childhood,
+you know. (She dances backward and forward across the room, with merry
+step; pirouettes and points finger into audience.) Some one out there
+must laugh, or the Jesters will not think we are merry. Laugh, someone,
+laugh! Harder! I am Childhood! Laugh with me! (As she speaks some one
+in the audience laughs; others join.)
+
+_Childhood_ (runs to door):
+
+   Jester big, jester small,
+   Come at Childhood's merry call!
+
+(Jesters enter--stand near door.)
+
+_Chorus:_ Welcome--welcome!
+
+_Childhood_ (to Jesters): Go--find and bring us the biggest Christmas
+stocking in the world! It must be filled with fairy gifts! (Jesters
+hurry out.)
+
+_Goodwill:_ How will we know which gifts to give each person?
+
+_Childhood:_ Oh, I will look in my Book of the Past! You see I have to
+keep careful records of everybody!
+
+_Spirit:_ Why it's just like Santa Claus used to do when the
+old-fashioned children believed in him! _Happyheart:_ He was a fine
+man!
+
+_Spirit:_ Ah, here they come!
+
+(Enter Jesters dragging behind them an enormous Christmas stocking made
+of red cambric. They give it to the Christmas Spirit, then step back to
+the door.)
+
+_Childhood_ (as others gather around the stocking): Go, Jesters, and
+bring me my Book of Records!
+
+_Happyheart:_ Open it quickly! (Spirit opens stocking--all peep in.)
+Oh, lots and lots of gifts!
+
+(Jester returns, gives book to Childhood who goes to the right of group
+and stands next to Happyheart.)
+
+_Childhood_ (solemnly to audience): Are all the grownups ready? Have
+they got their best wish on top of their hearts?
+
+_Happyheart:_ Is every one happy?
+
+_Goodwill:_ Do you all feel very, very kind to one another?
+
+_Peace:_ Do you know my songs?
+
+_Childhood:_ Then let's have a bright light so that we may begin!
+
+(Lights of the room flash on.)
+
+(Spirit takes packages one by one from the stocking and reads the name.
+Then she holds the package while Happyheart reads from Childhood's
+Record what the book has to say of each person. After this has been
+read Joy with dancing step takes the fairy package to the person named.
+This goes on until every one in the audience has received a gift.)
+
+_Spirit_ (throws stocking down): The stocking is empty!
+
+_Happyheart:_ The fairy gifts are all gone! _Childhood_ (shakes finger
+at audience): But each one of you has a wish that will come true, just
+as sure as sure can be; for you have received a fairy gift!
+
+_Happyheart:_ And now they will be happy!
+
+_Goodwill_ (claps her hands together as if with a happy thought): Let
+us send the Jesters to bring in to them the Christmas Bowl! If they
+drink our fairy brew they will never, never forget this Christmas!
+
+_Happyheart:_ And they will always believe in the Christmas Spirit!
+
+_Spirit:_ And in the Christmas Fairies!
+
+_Goodwill:_ Go, Jesters, and bring in to them the Christmas Bowl!
+(Jesters go out quickly.)
+
+_Spirit:_ Now, fairies, we must stop our work! We've worked overtime
+already, and you know there is an eight-hour law now for fairies.
+
+_Merrylips:_ Yes, but we've helped these poor grownfolks! _Happyheart:_
+Let us say farewell to them! Now, one--two--three!
+
+_Chorus_ (waving hands):
+
+May the brew that we've mixed you make every heart light, Merry
+Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!
+
+(Fairies dance out, followed by the Spirit. Jesters, blowing horns,
+enter the room, bearing a tray upon which is placed a punch bowl filled
+with Nora's best cider punch.)
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Loud applause demanded the return of the fairies and then all gathered
+in a merry group around the punch bowl while Mr. Lee toasted the
+youthful cast.
+
+"I suspect you, Miss Bab, of a hand in those records," he cried,
+shaking a finger at Barbara. A paper crown was set rakishly on his
+head.
+
+Behind the laughter in Mrs. Lee's eyes was shining something very like
+tears as she drew little Alice to her. Across the brightly-crowned
+heads of the children her glance caught Mr. Lee's.
+
+"I feel as if my heart _had_ been brushed by fairy wings to-night," she
+said with a happy sigh.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+SHADOWS
+
+
+"William, it _can't_ be true!"
+
+Keineth, pausing on the threshold of the dining-room door, overheard
+the words. Peggy and Billy had gone to school; she was starting out for
+her music lesson and had stopped to ask Aunt Nellie a question. The
+tone of Aunt Nellie's voice, the seriousness of Mr. Lee's face, made
+Keineth's heart turn cold with fear!
+
+"Aunt Nellie." They both turned towards her, startled. Involuntarily
+Mrs. Lee slipped the newspaper she had been reading under her napkin.
+
+"Keineth, dear!" She held out her hand, her eyes filling with tears.
+
+Keineth stood quite still, looking from one to the other, and because
+he was always somewhere very close in her mind and heart she cried
+"Daddy!"
+
+Mrs. Lee had a curiously helpless look, as if she scarcely knew what to
+say, and with one hand she still held the paper beneath her napkin. Mr.
+Lee's voice was husky, he had to clear it two or three times before he
+could speak, and all the while Keineth's great eyes were fastened
+gravely upon him, demanding the truth.
+
+"It may be a false report, my dear. There's been an accident at sea,
+and according to the paper--"
+
+"My daddy was in it!" cried Keineth, putting her hands to her face.
+"Was my daddy in it?" she demanded in a queer little voice.
+
+"Come here, dear," Mrs. Lee held out her hand again, but Keineth did
+not stir.
+
+"Was he--in--it?" she demanded again.
+
+"His name was listed among the passengers sailing from Liverpool, but
+there may have been a mistake."
+
+Keineth's eyes were blazing. She walked to the table.
+
+"Please give me that paper, Aunt Nellie! I have a right to know what it
+says!" She did not seem like the child she was as she stood there,
+white-faced. Her voice was very calm. Aunt Nellie handed her the paper;
+as she did so she said pleadingly: "Keineth, why not wait until your
+Uncle William has found out if it is true?" But Keineth did not hear
+her; she slowly unfolded the paper, stared a moment at the headlines,
+then, turning, rushed with it from the room.
+
+There it was--his name! Her finger found it and stopped, as though she
+cared nothing for the rest! She read the big letters of the headlines,
+the few words that told of the attack by a German submarine on the big
+passenger ship, of the horrible confusion of the few moments before it
+sank, of the wild panic of the cowardly and the splendid bravery of a
+few! Then: "John Randolph, of New York City, the well-known journalist,
+abroad on a special mission for the President of the United States, was
+among the passengers."
+
+Keineth, on her knees, with the paper spread out before her, read and
+reread the words. They sounded so final! He was gone--her daddy was
+gone!
+
+And yet--how could this happen to her in this way? She knew a little of
+death; way back in her memory was a haunting picture of her own
+mother's going, of her father's grief and the music and the flowers.
+And she had watched the funeral of Francesca's baby brother from behind
+the geranium boxes. There had been music then, too. But this was so
+different--just the lines in the newspaper and then nothing more, ever
+and ever and ever! It couldn't happen like that! She was too puzzled to
+cry. There were so many questions she wanted to ask-how deep _was_ the
+ocean there? Couldn't they swim? And whom could she ask who would tell
+her all about it?
+
+She heard the door open, but did not turn her head. She felt Aunt
+Nellie's arms lift her, draw her head close to her breast. Aunt
+Nellie's voice was very tender.
+
+"Uncle William has gone to telegraph immediately to the New York
+offices of the steamship line. We may learn more, my dear. You must be
+brave--you know how brave your father always was."
+
+Almost violently Keineth pushed her away.
+
+"I don't believe it!" she cried. Seizing the paper, she tore it into
+little bits and threw them fiercely to the floor.
+
+"I'll never, never, nev-er believe it! He _will_ come back!" And poor
+Keineth threw herself upon her bed and covered her face tight with her
+hands She had caught the look of deep pity on Aunt Nellie's face. Aunt
+Nellie believed it! She could not bear it!
+
+"Please go away," she begged through her fingers. And Aunt Nellie
+slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
+
+Keineth could shut from her eyes Aunt Nellie's pity, but she could not
+shut from her mind the flood of thoughts that came. Cruel thoughts,
+too, which her persistent "I don't believe it" failed to drive away!
+She had seen a picture once of a sinking ship; a great wave of water
+had engulfed it, men were clinging to its side like flies! She
+remembered it now! Remembered, too, an awful storm when, holding her
+daddy's hand, she had watched from a high point of land the angry sea
+surging over the rocks far beneath them. It was green and black and
+white where the water hissed, and its roar had made her shiver! That
+was the same sea! "Oh, I don't believe it!" she whispered. She had made
+so many pictures in her mind of her father's home-coming--she had felt
+sure he would surprise her! She had thought that perhaps she might go
+back to the old house and find him there, or go with someone to the
+dock and watch his boat come in and see him waving from its deck!
+Perhaps she might be standing some afternoon in the living-room window
+looking down the street watching Terry light the street lamps and
+suddenly see him walking towards her! And now--oh, it just couldn't be
+true!
+
+At noon Mr. Lee came home to luncheon. The newspaper report had been
+confirmed by the New York offices of the steamship company. He said
+this very gravely and slowly, as though he hated to speak the words.
+Peggy sat watching Keineth in a frightened sort of way; she wished
+Keineth would cry so that she could put her arms around her to comfort
+her! But Keineth only sat very still staring down at her plate.
+
+"I think I'll practice, Aunt Nellie," Keineth said when the luncheon
+was finished. She had to do something. She walked out of the room as
+she spoke, Peggy cast an entreating look toward her mother.
+
+"Mummy, isn't it dreadful? What _will_ we do? She acts so queer!"
+
+Mrs. Lee answered very slowly. "Keineth will not believe it, Peggy! But
+when she does, when her loss comes to her, we must help her in every
+way! We must make her feel how much we love her and that she is one of
+us!"
+
+"Why, what if it was our daddy," Peggy cried. "Listen!"
+
+For from across the hall came wonderful music--not the lesson Keineth
+should be practicing, but fairy things! And happy notes, too, as though
+Keineth's own hands were trying to dispel the heavy shadows about her
+and give her comfort and hope!
+
+Mr. Lee was carefully reading the report of the disaster in the
+afternoon paper.
+
+"You know it's a funny thing--no one on the boat had seen John
+Randolph! Maybe--"
+
+"Oh, maybe he got left!" cried Billy, who all through the tragic
+moments had been unusually silent.
+
+Suddenly the doorbell rang. Its clang startled each one of them! The
+music across the hall stopped with a crash! They heard Keineth flying
+to the door.
+
+In a moment she returned, holding a yellow envelope in her hand. Though
+it was addressed to her she carried it to Mr. Lee. "Please read it,"
+she said in a trembling voice. "I think it is from Daddy! I--can't!"
+
+Peggy crossed quickly to Keineth's side and put one arm close about
+her. Mr. Lee tore open the cablegram, read the lines written in it,
+tried to speak and, failing, put the sheet of paper in Keineth's hands.
+
+"Oh!" Keineth cried. "Oh!" Something like a laugh caught in her throat.
+
+   Changed plans--did not sail on boat. Thank God!
+                                    --JOHN RANDOLPH.
+
+Both of Peggy's arms flew around her now; they hugged one another and
+both cried. And Aunt Nellie was crying, too, and Mr. Lee had to wipe
+his eyes. Billy was saying over and over, "Didn't I just have a hunch,
+now?"
+
+The shadows lifted from their hearts, the children listened while Mr.
+Lee read to them the full account of the disaster which had stirred
+every nation of the globe. Billy and Peggy asked many questions, but
+Keineth was very silent. There were other little girls whose fathers
+had gone down into the sea--her heart went out to them in deepest pity.
+"I feel as though this morning was weeks ago," she said afterwards as
+she and Peggy curled upon the window seat with some sewing. From
+outside the sun was shining through the bare branches of the trees,
+making dancing figures on the polished floor. Keineth sighed. "It makes
+one realize how unhappy lots and lots of people are."
+
+"And it makes you feel as though you could do _anything_ to help them,"
+answered Peggy, staring thoughtfully out of the window where on the
+city street humanity surged backward and forward in all the forms of
+joy and sorrow known by God's children.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+PILOT GOES AWAY
+
+
+Pilot's dog-life had fallen into pleasant paths. His days were one
+happy round of comfortable hours, spent close to the big fireplace or
+at Billy's heels. He slept on an old blanket in the hallway outside of
+Billy's door. His friends were Billy's friends and their dogs--Pilot
+was loyal and democratic to the end of his stubby tail. His duties were
+few and pleasant--to guard his master and his master's family, to keep
+the next-door cat away from his door and to inspect daily the refuse
+barrels in the backyards of his street. If he had a sorrow it was that
+he could not go to school with the children, but he always went with
+them to the corner, lifted his paw for a parting shake, watched them
+disappear from sight, and trotted home to wait for the hour when they
+would return. Twice daily Nora fed him choice scraps and bones which he
+ate from a plate in the back hall, and if occasionally someone spoke
+sharply to him or rebuked him for thoughtlessly lying upon one of the
+chairs or the davenport, the sting was always softened by a pat on his
+head. What hardships he had had in the past had been forgotten--he had
+no concern for the future!
+
+Of course Pilot could not always understand the language his master
+spoke. He read mostly by signs. So, one morning, when he saw Billy and
+Peggy and Keineth making preparations for some out-of-door pleasure, he
+stood eagerly at Billy's heels, wagging his tail to tell his master
+that he was ready, too.
+
+"We can't take him on the street-car," Peggy complained.
+
+"And he might get lost in the woods," Keineth added.
+
+Now Pilot could not know that the children were putting on heavy
+rubbers and warm sweaters under their coats because they were going to
+"hike" into the woods to see if the sap was beginning to run. And from
+their excited remarks he could not reason that, to get to the woods,
+they would have to take the street-car to the city line and dogs were
+not allowed on the street-cars. It was Saturday, and Saturday to Pilot
+meant a whole day with Billy! So when they were quite ready he dashed
+ahead to the door.
+
+"You can't go Pilot. Go back!" Billy said sternly.
+
+He stood very still and watched them disappear through the door, giving
+only one little whimper. They did not even say good-by; he heard their
+merry voices slowly die away. Then he lay down on the floor with one
+eye on the closed door.
+
+But even the most faithful will not wait forever. The sound of Nora's
+step coaxed him into the kitchen. It was quite nice there--the sun was
+shining across the white floor and something on the stove smelled very
+good. Nora was singing, too, which meant that he could coax a little
+and get in her way. After a while she gave him a whole cookie--he felt
+happier!
+
+A little later, having wandered several times through the empty rooms
+of the house and found no one, he started out of doors in search of
+some amusement. He chased the cat to the veranda roof from which she
+refused to descend. He saw a friend of Billy's, so he left the cat to
+walk with him to the corner. He carefully examined some boxes that were
+piled there, then he made friends with a stray terrier who stopped to
+exchange greetings with him. Pilot liked the terrier, together they
+trotted down the street, block after block.
+
+He did not notice a big limousine car that passed and re-passed him--to
+him these motor cars were of no interest excepting to keep out from
+under their wheels. But when it stopped suddenly at the curb and an old
+man climbed out, calling "Jacky, Jacky!" he paused.
+
+The old man was beckoning to his chauffeur and talking in an excited
+voice.
+
+"Come and look at him! I know it's Jacky," he was saying.
+
+At the name a memory stirred in Pilot's mind. He advanced slowly to the
+man. The man held out his hand and called again, "Jacky," and Pilot
+went to him and laid his nose in the palm of the man's hand.
+
+"It's Jacky, it's Jacky," the old man cackled. "He'd always do that
+when I called him! Look at his ears--one got torn and I had a stitch
+taken in it! Look and see, Briggs, my eyes are so bad." Briggs pushed
+back the hair on Pilot's ears and found the scar. The old man was very
+joyful.
+
+"He was stolen from me two years ago! Look on his collar, Briggs."
+
+Briggs read aloud the address on the collar.
+
+"We'll take him there right away, Briggs! Come on, Jacky, my boy!"
+
+But Pilot considered this going a little too far--he objected, at which
+the man Briggs lifted him and placed him in the automobile. He was far
+too polite to struggle for his freedom, but he put his paws upon the
+door and barked a vigorous protest.
+
+Mrs. Lee had just returned from shopping and answered the bell herself.
+Across her mind flashed immediately the explanation of the strange
+group on her doorstep. In a few words she told the old man the story of
+Pilot's coming into their family. As he listened he nodded several
+times.
+
+"I cared more for that dog than anything on earth," he told her. "He
+was always with me! When he was stolen I couldn't get over it,
+Madam--just couldn't get over it! Felt as if I'd lost my only friend!"
+Mrs. Lee wished she could feel sympathetic, but she was thinking of
+Billy!
+
+"Now let him go, Briggs, and you watch him, Madam!"
+
+Briggs released his hold of Pilot's collar, Pilot leaped upon Mrs. Lee
+joyfully, tore down the length of the hall and back and then stood a
+little apart, eyeing suspiciously the strange group.
+
+"Come, Jacky, come Jacky!" cackled the old man, holding out his hand.
+
+And Pilot, above all else, was faithful! Slowly, reluctantly, he went
+towards the outstretched hand and laid his nose in it.
+
+"Always did that when I called him! See his ear, Madam--I had a stitch
+taken in it when he tore it! See the scar?"
+
+There was no doubt in Mrs. Lee's mind but that the dog belonged to the
+man.
+
+"My children are going to be heartbroken," she commenced slowly. "Could
+we buy--"
+
+The old man snorted angrily. "Buy Jacky? Don't you know he's a very
+valuable dog? And anyway, you haven't enough money to buy his
+companionship from me! Your children can get another dog, Madam, but
+for me there is only one Jacky!" As he spoke with fumbling fingers he
+drew out a card and a dollar bill. "Pay the boy his dollar, Madam. Take
+him down, Briggs. Very sorry, Madam, but good-day!"
+
+Briggs pulled on the collar and Pilot went down the steps very slowly.
+He knew in his dog-mind that something was happening! He turned and
+looked appealingly at Mrs. Lee. She was standing very still and was not
+helping him at all! He tried to tell her to tell Billy that he had to
+do his duty and when this man called him Jacky he knew he had to go,
+but he would always love his young master best!
+
+So when the children returned to the house, cheeks red with the wind,
+splashed with mud, tired and happy, there was no Pilot to greet them!
+
+Mrs. Lee told them the story; tried to tell it in such a way that the
+children would feel sorry for the lonely old man who had been so happy
+at finding his dog!
+
+But Billy raged--his high-pitched voice choking over the sob that
+struggled in his throat. He threw the dollar and the card savagely to
+the floor.
+
+"Wouldn't you have thought the old thing would have at least given
+Billy a reward!" cried Peggy indignantly.
+
+Though she did not answer this, Mrs. Lee smiled, as she recalled the
+reluctance with which the old man had extracted even the one-dollar
+bill from his pocket.
+
+"I don't want any old reward--I just want Pilot! If we hadn't gone away
+and left him that old man would never have found him," Billy wailed.
+
+"Couldn't we buy him, Mother?"
+
+"The dog is worth a great deal of money. I'm afraid we could scarcely
+afford it, my dear, even if the man would part with him. Billy must
+look at the thing in a sensible way." She laid her hand on Billy's
+shoulder. "Pilot will miss you as much as you do him, my son! But you
+have a great many other things to make you happy and I should judge
+that that old man had nothing!"
+
+Keineth went up to her room to take off her muddy shoes. On her bureau
+she found a letter Nora had placed there. In the corner of the envelope
+was printed in large letters: "Brown and Company." She tore it open
+with fingers trembling with excitement. It was from the music
+publishers, telling her that they would publish her "Castle of Dreams,"
+and for its purchase had enclosed a check.
+
+And Keineth, unfolding the small slip of paper, saw written there: "The
+Sum of Twenty-five Dollars."
+
+"Peggy! Peg-gy!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+KEINETH'S GIFT
+
+
+Twenty-five dollars! To Keineth it seemed like a fortune!
+
+She had never thought much about money. She knew some people were very
+poor--she had often felt sorry for them as she watched them near the
+Square in New York. And she knew some were very rich, for Aunt
+Josephine talked of them. She had always had all the money she wanted,
+because she had never wanted very much. She supposed Peggy and the
+others had all they wanted, too. Each week Mr. Lee gave to each one of
+them a small allowance and whenever they managed to save anything from
+this each of them put it in her bank. Keineth supposed that the Lees
+were not as rich as Aunt Josephine and not as poor as Francesca's
+family next door to her old home, but it didn't seem to matter at all,
+because she did not think that the Lees wanted to be rich, anyway. They
+never talked of anything in terms of dollars and cents! Twenty-five
+dollars--that seemed enough to Keineth to buy everything anyone could
+want!
+
+Keineth and Peggy had carefully kept the precious secret of the "Castle
+of Dreams." For a few weeks they had watched the mail each day, then
+the holiday fun had filled their minds and the secret was forgotten. As
+the weeks passed and Keineth heard nothing she had almost given up all
+hope of selling her music and her great ambitions had taken a sad fall.
+Peggy had urged her to consult her music master about it, but after one
+or two attempts Keineth found she had not the courage.
+
+And now a check had come! Twenty-five whole dollars!
+
+"Peggy! Peggy!" she called, unable to wait one moment to share the good
+news.
+
+It was a very excited family that listened to their story at dinner
+time. Even Billy, red-eyed, forgot his own sorrow. Everyone had to hold
+the check and read it! Then each one suggested some way for Keineth to
+spend her money!
+
+And as is the way with all fortunes, sooner or later they become a
+burden! Already, even while they made merry over the check, Keineth was
+beginning to worry as to what she should do with it! Of course Mr. Lee
+had advised her putting it in the bank, but that did not seem like much
+fun! If Daddy were at home she would buy something for him with it or
+she might send it to Tante to help the poor children that were
+suffering from the war.
+
+"Give it to the Red Cross!" Peggy suggested grandly.
+
+"Buy a bicycle!" said Alice, "or one of those cunning electric stoves
+that we can cook on!"
+
+"If I had it I'd buy Pilot!" put in Billy sadly.
+
+"I'd like to do something with it," said Keineth slowly, "that would
+make somebody just awfully happy, because--" She looked down the length
+of the table and realized suddenly how dear to her these Lees had grown
+and what this home was to her. "Because I'm so happy here!"
+
+And even while she was speaking she decided just what she would do! But
+she would tell no one, not even Peggy!
+
+She would buy Pilot for Billy! Mrs. Lee had said they could not afford
+it! What good luck that her check had come just at the right time!
+After dinner she searched for and found the old man's card. It was
+soiled and crumpled from Billy's angry fingers. She hid it away with
+the check. She must wait until Monday.
+
+Keineth had to ride on the street-car a very long way before she
+reached the address which the card gave. Then she found herself before
+a great iron fence and had to ring twice before the big gate in the
+fence opened. It opened quite by itself and it clanged shut behind her,
+startling her with its noise. There seemed to be a million steps
+leading to the big bronze door and her feet moved like tons of lead!
+She had to ring again. The door swung back and a sour-faced man in dark
+livery faced her.
+
+"Is--is Mr. Grandison at home?" she asked in a voice so strange that
+she scarcely recognized it herself.
+
+The sour-faced man looked very hard at her.
+
+"Who is it, miss?" he asked wonderingly, as though few people came to
+that door for Mr. Grandison.
+
+"I'm Keineth Randolph. I must see him, please!" "He never sees anyone,
+miss, but you can go in. Only I wouldn't advise you to bother him very
+much because he's bad this morning with his rheumatism!"
+
+He was telling her this in a whisper as he led her through the long
+hall. Keineth thought it quite the longest, widest hall she had ever
+seen and she walked very fast past the big doors that opened into dark
+empty rooms that looked like great caverns! If a giant, bending his
+great head, had leaped through one of the heavy door-frames she would
+have thought it quite to be expected!
+
+The servant drew back a door and Keineth saw a long room full of books.
+At the other end, close to a table, sat an old, old man. Then she saw
+something move suddenly and Pilot dashed at her from a corner and
+leaped upon her with great whimpering, licking her hands and face and
+even her shoes.
+
+"What's this? Come here, Jacky! Who are you? Who let you in here?"
+roared the old man, glaring at Keineth.
+
+Keineth, terribly frightened, advanced slowly towards him, one hand on
+the dog's head. "I live at the bees' where you found Pilot. We all miss
+him so terribly, especially Billy, that I came to buy him back!"
+
+"You did, did you? Well, nobody has money enough to buy him."
+
+Keineth was so indignant at his disagreeable manner that she forgot her
+fright.
+
+"I know the Lees haven't money enough, because they have so many
+children and buy lots of things for them and give them a good time! But
+I'm going to buy Pilot for them! I know Pilot couldn't be happy here,
+anyway, it's so--so big and horrid and you're so--cross--after having a
+happy home with the Lees!"
+
+Pilot, as though to tell her that was very true, snuggled his nose
+under her arm and wagged his tail.
+
+"I've got twenty-five dollars," finished Keineth triumphantly, "and I
+can spend all of it because I earned it myself--writing music!"
+
+He turned and looked hard at her. Her fury seemed to have amused him.
+
+"Music--you write music! A child like you!"
+
+Keineth stepped closer to him. "Yes. Do you like music?"
+
+The old man answered very slowly. "It was all I cared for once upon a
+time! Let me see your eyes!" He reached out a wrinkled hand and drew
+her towards him. "They are blue--like hers were! Child, years and years
+ago I loved a young girl very much--and she taught me to love music!
+But she went out of my life and left me with nothing but loneliness!"
+
+Keineth thought of the great empty house and felt very sorry for him.
+
+"What was her name?" she asked softly.
+
+"A pretty name--like she was!" he muttered, his eyes fastened on the
+child's face. It was as if something he saw there was awakening the
+memories. "It was Keineth."
+
+"Why, that is my name!"
+
+"Keineth--Keineth what?" he cried.
+
+"Keineth Randolph."
+
+"You are John Randolph's girl--her son's girl."
+
+"You mean my grandmother? That--lady--you loved was my daddy's mother?"
+
+The old man was half laughing, half crying. He held Keineth's arms with
+his trembling fingers.
+
+"Of course--the same blue eyes--and music! How your grandmother loved
+music! How her fingers could play, make sounds that'd tear the heart
+right out of you!" He shook his head. "And she wouldn't have me--my
+money couldn't buy her! After she died I stood in the Square and
+watched them take her away from the house--saw the flowers I had sent
+go with her! I saw the man she had chosen instead of me walk out, too.
+He had two children by the hand--the little fellow was your father. I
+went away from New York then--" He drew his hands across his eyes as
+though to brush away the haunting pictures. "And you're Keineth!" he
+finished.
+
+Keineth told him of her daddy and of her coming from New York to live
+with the Lees until her father returned. She had almost forgotten Pilot
+in her deep sympathy for this lonely old man who had loved her father's
+mother--and had loved her for so many, many years! But Pilot suddenly
+barked!
+
+"Pilot thinks he belongs to us because he once saved my life," Keineth
+explained, going on, then, to tell the story of her narrow escape from
+drowning. Perhaps the old man heard her, though his face still wore a
+far-away look as if he had not yet been able to bring himself back from
+that dear past the child's eyes had awakened.
+
+"And so I'd like to buy him, please," Keineth finished, laying her
+check before him.
+
+For a long time the old man stared at it, while Keineth and Pilot
+waited.
+
+"He loves you better than he does me! You're right--he wasn't happy
+here--he's cried and cried! I can't keep even a dog's love! Take him."
+He slowly lifted the check, read it, turned it over, folded it and put
+it in his pocket.
+
+Then Keineth felt very sorry for the old man. She felt, too, that now
+in some way or other he belonged to her, though not exactly related.
+
+"Won't you come home to lunch with me? Then you can meet Peggy and the
+others and see how glad they are to get Pilot back! They'll be awfully
+glad to see you, really! Please don't be lonely any more--for--I'll be
+your friend!"
+
+He had risen slowly to his feet, towering over her. He looked down at
+the bright face. Keineth slipped her hand into his.
+
+"Oh, please come--it'll be such fun," and she gave his fingers a
+coaxing, friendly squeeze.
+
+The sour-faced servant muttered, "Well, I never!" under his breath,
+when he saw his master walk through the door to his waiting car,
+holding the little girl's hand and listening to her chatter with a
+smile! It was the strangest sight he had ever beheld in this very
+strange house!
+
+But it was a stranger sight for the Lees when the big limousine drew up
+at their curb and Pilot dashed from its door, followed by Keineth and a
+very, very old man who leaned one hand upon Keineth's shoulder.
+
+"Pilot!" cried Billy, who had seen them through the window.
+
+"And that old man!" echoed Peggy.
+
+In the hall Billy was on his knees with his arms around Pilot's neck.
+
+"Dear, dear old Pilot!" he was saying over and over.
+
+Mrs. Lee, concealing her amazement when Keineth quaintly introduced "my
+friend, Mr. Grandison," greeted him cordially and by her smile and
+gracious manner made the old man immediately feel at home. At the table
+she placed him between Keineth and Peggy, and Peggy found that he was
+not such a cross old man after all!
+
+"It's just like a story, Ken," she said after he had gone away and
+Keineth had given them an account of her morning's adventure. "You have
+found a fairy grandfather! But wasn't it scrumptious to see His Aged
+Grandness eating hash?"
+
+"Well, I guess Keineth's money has been well spent," added Mrs. Lee,
+looking fondly at the little girl. "For I think--besides making Billy
+very happy, it has opened a new life to a very lonely old man!"
+
+"I'll never forget what Ken has done," said Billy solemnly, as though
+he was taking a vow. "She's just all right and I'd like to see anyone
+that says she ain't!"
+
+"Billy--your English!" pleaded his mother.
+
+But Keineth blushed with pleasure. She knew she had won Billy's
+everlasting friendship! That evening a boy brought to the door a huge
+package addressed to Miss Keineth Randolph. It was a set of beautifully
+bound books, "The Lives of the Masters," and with them came a little
+note written in a queer, old-fashioned handwriting.
+
+May these books give instruction, inspiration and courage to one whose
+feet are on the threshold. They are bought with the money you
+unselfishly spent to give a boy back his dog.
+
+Your devoted friend,
+
+WILFRED GRANDISON.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+SURPRISES
+
+
+"Why, I just can't believe that I'm Peggy Lee!" Peggy stood in the
+aisle of a sleeping car and looked up and down its length. Keineth,
+from her superior knowledge of sleeping cars, was pointing out to Peggy
+its arrangements. Both girls were dressed in new coats and hats and
+carried with them the bag Aunt Josephine had given Keineth and in which
+they had packed their nightgowns and toilet articles.
+
+For they were starting for Washington!
+
+Two days before Mr. Lee had come home and asked the children what would
+be the biggest surprise they could imagine! Of course they had guessed
+all sorts of things and he had teased them for quite a little while
+over it! Then, very quietly, he had said:
+
+"Do you think you would like to make a little trip to Washington?"
+
+Keineth had not been able to speak. Peggy, jumping from her chair,
+rushed at her father and threw both arms about his neck.
+
+"All of us?" she cried between hugs.
+
+"No, this time we'll leave mother home with Billy and Alice. Then the
+next time they'll go."
+
+Peggy's eyes swept over Billy's and Alice's disappointed faces.
+
+"Oh, I wish we could all go!"
+
+"Mother'll make it up to them, my dear. I'll wager right now all sorts
+of nice plans are floating around in her head. Well, can you be ready?"
+
+"Can we--!" they cried in chorus.
+
+The hours then were full of excited preparations. The new clothes had
+to be purchased. "Keineth may be invited to meet the President," Mrs.
+Lee had laughingly explained, as she held two pretty hats, one in each
+hand, and considered them carefully.
+
+"Oh, wouldn't that be _wonderful!_" Keineth whispered. She wanted to
+ask him so many questions about Daddy--she would tell him that she
+could keep a secret!
+
+Billy gave them a thousand instructions. They must remember everything
+they saw to tell him! They must climb the big monument and walk up the
+Capitol steps and hear the echo in the rotunda of the Capitol Building.
+They must go to Camp Meyer and to Arlington and to Mount Vernon and be
+sure to see Washington's swords!
+
+"And the White House china," Mrs. Lee added. "It must be as good as a
+lesson in history to look at that exhibit in the White House! They'd
+tell the tastes of the different ones who used them! I can picture
+pretty Dolly Madison ordering all new china because the pattern of the
+old did not please her!"
+
+Billy broke in: "I'd want to go to the Treasury Building and see all
+the money and the watchmen that guard the building from little
+watch-houses! And the big machine where they destroy all the old money!
+Four men have keys and they go and unlock it and put the money in it
+and it gets ground and ground by sharp knives until it's just a pulp!
+And then they sell the pulp! I wish I had one of those keys!" Billy was
+very excited.
+
+"And I want to see the Indian Exhibit at the National Museum," declared
+Peggy.
+
+"You will, my dear, and a great many other things of interest." Little
+wonder that she could scarcely believe that she was Peggy Lee! As the
+train pulled away Keineth was very quiet. She was recalling how often
+her Daddy had told her of the interesting places in the National
+Capital and how often he had said, "Some day we'll go there together!"
+And now she was really going, but Daddy was far away.
+
+"Well, aren't you children going to take off your things and stay
+awhile?" asked Mr. Lee, coming in from a smoke on the platform.
+
+They laughed and began to lay aside their wraps. "I can't picture
+myself sleeping on that funny little shelf," Peggy declared. "What if I
+should roll out!"
+
+There were a number of other people on the car. The children watched
+them closely and tried to do whatever they did. Peggy's eyes grew round
+with interest as she saw the porter deftly spread out mattresses and
+blankets and make cosy beds where nothing but seats had been. The girls
+insisted upon sharing the same berth and drew lots "for position," as
+Peggy put it. Keineth drew the place by the window and was soon cuddled
+there. And though they had declared that they were going to lie awake
+for a long time watching out of the window, their heads had scarcely
+touched the pillow when the motion of the train lulled them to sleep.
+
+Then the night would have passed like any night at home, only that
+Peggy _did_ fall out of bed!
+
+She awakened suddenly to find herself in a heap in the aisle of the car
+with the brakeman, a swinging lantern in his hand, bending over her.
+"Well, bless my stars!" he was saying.
+
+It took a moment or two for Peggy to realize where she was and what had
+happened! Then, torn between a desire to laugh at herself and to cry
+with chagrin, she clambered back into the berth and snuggled very close
+to Keineth.
+
+It was too funny not to tell Keineth, who had wakened, but after she
+told her she made Keineth promise, crossing her heart over and over,
+that she would never, never, never tell Billy that Peggy had rolled out
+of bed!
+
+"Where are we? It isn't a bit different from home," the girls cried as
+they stood the next morning with Mr. Lee viewing from the platform the
+country through which they were speeding.
+
+"This is Maryland. In just half an hour we'll be in Washington. We'll
+wait and eat breakfast at the hotel there."
+
+Mr. Lee was acting curiously excited and impatient. He looked at his
+watch several times. "On time," the girls heard him say once or
+twice--as if it made any difference. Before they were in the city he
+told them to put on their wraps.
+
+"We'll be the first ones off," he said.
+
+It was only a moment then before they had rolled into the station shed.
+They stepped from the train and walked a long way down between rows of
+cars. A great many people seemed hurrying in every direction. There was
+a dull roar echoing through the vaulted smoky space pierced by the loud
+voices of the trainmen giving their orders and the occasional clang of
+a bell. Then they passed through a little iron gate into the station.
+Keineth, clinging to Mr. Lee's arm, thought it quite the biggest place
+she had ever seen! Every step made an echo and though there were crowds
+of people there did not seem to be many because there was so much room!
+Mr. Lee gave some checks to a porter, then stood looking up and down
+the great space as though expecting to see someone. Peggy was just
+whispering something in Keineth's ear when Keineth gave a clear, joyous
+cry.
+
+For there, stepping out from a little group, walking straight toward
+them, a smile on his tanned face, both arms extended as though they
+could not reach her quickly enough, was her dear, dear daddy!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+MR. PRESIDENT
+
+
+Her own dear father!
+
+Keineth had not realized until then how very dear he was to her! She
+clung to him as though she could not bear to ever lose her hold. A
+woman waiting in the station was watching the little scene, and turned
+away, wiping her eyes. And Keineth did not know whether she wanted to
+laugh or to cry!
+
+So this was Mr. Lee's big surprise! He had known John Randolph was in
+Washington!
+
+"This is Peggy," Keineth managed finally to say. At which John Randolph
+put his arm about Peggy and kissed her, too!
+
+Mr. Lee said something about breakfast, and Keineth's father hurried
+them into a waiting taxicab. And as they drove away Keineth was so busy
+looking at her father's dear face that she did not notice the Capitol,
+its noble dome outlined against the blue morning sky. But Peggy gave an
+excited little shriek. "Oh--look--look!"
+
+So, with her hand in her father's, Keineth saw Washington! He told the
+driver to go slowly while he pointed out to them the buildings they
+passed. The whole city lay bathed in sunshine that brought with it the
+balminess of real springtime for which they waited so long in the
+North. Robins were singing in the trees, so gladly that Keineth thought
+that even they must have guessed how happy she was!
+
+Keineth and Peggy listened while John Randolph told Mr. Lee of his trip
+home across the ocean--how to escape the submarines of the Germans they
+had run cautiously, at half-speed, as in a fog, with look-outs posted
+all along the ship's decks and all lights out! Their voices were very
+serious as they talked and Keineth noticed for the first time that her
+father's face, under its tan, looked worn and tired, as though he had
+been working very hard.
+
+But each time that his eyes came back to her face they lighted with a
+smile.
+
+"I can hardly believe that this is my little girl," he said to Mr. Lee.
+"Her stay with you has done wonders for her!" And what he said was very
+true, for the year had changed Keineth from the shy-eyed, delicate
+child he had left to a happy, round-cheeked, strong-limbed girl. The
+pretty simple dress she wore had the becoming touch of color that Tante
+used to think unsuitable, and her fair hair, drawn loosely back from
+her forehead and fastened with a barrette, hung in heavy waves over her
+shoulders.
+
+At the hotel after breakfast Keineth's father opened his trunk and took
+from it a box of gifts he had collected from every country he had
+visited. A carved box from Japan, a gay Chinese robe from Pekin, dolls
+of all sorts, brass plates from Egypt, embroidered scarfs from
+Constantinople, coral from Italy and other treasures over which Keineth
+and Peggy went into ecstasies of delight!
+
+"For us?" she cried to her father.
+
+He smiled--her "us" meant to him that Keineth had found at last the
+true joy of friends.
+
+"Divide them as you wish, my dear," he answered. Thereupon the two
+girls sat down, cross-legged upon the floor and commenced assorting the
+gifts into little piles--for "Aunt Nellie," for "Barbara," the Japanese
+dolls for Alice, and, of course, the carved dagger from Petrograd, for
+Billy! "Oh, were ever girls as happy as we are?" Peggy cried.
+
+Later Mr. Lee broke in upon this pleasant occupation. "If we are here
+to see Washington we'd better start out! Keineth--after luncheon your
+father wants to take you for a little walk--Peggy and I will go to the
+National Museum."
+
+So it was that Keineth, trim in her new hat and coat, found herself
+early in the afternoon walking slowly down the "Avenue of the
+Presidents," holding her father's hand. They said little, each felt too
+happy to talk much, time enough for the stories later.
+
+Suddenly through the trees of Lafayette Park, all a-quiver with their
+new spring leaves, Keineth glimpsed the stately lines of the White
+House.
+
+She stopped short. "Daddy, is that where the President lives?"
+
+Mr. Randolph smiled. "Yes, my dear! And we are going there now to
+call--at his request!"
+
+So Keineth was really going to see Mr. President!
+
+She felt very excited as she walked past the policeman guarding the
+gates and up the winding avenue leading to the great columns before the
+door. Through the branches of the trees the sun was shining slant-wise
+against the square-paned windows, making tiny sparks of fire. Another
+policeman at the door halted them. Keineth thought it too bad that the
+President of the United States should have to be guarded in this
+manner--for who could want to harm him? Then they were ushered into the
+entrance hall, where a servant took the card Mr. Randolph offered.
+
+For Keineth the simple stateliness of the place had an atmosphere of
+romance. Staring curiously about her she went slowly through the
+spacious corridors to an oval-shaped room whose walls and windows were
+hung in heavy blue silk. The sunlight streamed through the windows
+across the highly polished floor and glinted through the crystals of
+the great chandelier hanging from the ceiling. From between the heavy
+blue curtains Keineth caught a glimpse of the green lawn outside,
+sloping down to the stretches of the Park--all adot with dandelions.
+
+Her father pointed out to her the gold clock on the mantel and told her
+that it had been presented by Napoleon the First to General Lafayette
+and by him in turn to Washington. Then as they turned to examine the
+bronze vases standing on either side of the clock a quiet voice
+startled them.
+
+"And so this is the little soldier girl!"
+
+And there across the room, one hand extended, stood the President of
+the United States!
+
+Keineth tried to say something, but found that her tongue would not
+move. But President Wilson, not noticing her embarrassment, was shaking
+her hand and talking as though they were old friends.
+
+"Of course--after our letters--an introduction is unnecessary! I am
+delighted, however, to meet in person John Randolph's daughter."
+
+He turned then from Keineth to her father and Keineth felt a glow of
+pride in the tone of intimacy with which the President greeted her
+father.
+
+After they had exchanged a few words he took her hand and drew her
+towards a divan.
+
+"Let us sit down here and have a little talk. I wonder if you know, my
+dear girl, what a wonderful man your father is."
+
+Keineth smiled at this! President Wilson, patting her hand upon his
+knee, went on:
+
+"His work for us is not done, either! And I am going to ask you to help
+me, Miss Keineth. I want him in my official family--I need his judgment
+and advice--need it badly! If he tries to refuse me then you must make
+him do what I want him to do! Wouldn't you like to live in Washington?"
+
+"Oh--yes!" cried Keineth, then she stopped short. "But--it wouldn't
+have to be a secret, would it?"
+
+The President broke into a hearty laugh. "No, indeed, my dear!" Then,
+more seriously, "You were very brave to help us guard so carefully his
+journeying. It was necessary that it should be kept a secret because in
+every land where he went there were bitter enemies to the work he was
+trying to do--enemies who, if they had had one word of the mission upon
+which he was going about, would have done everything within their power
+to defeat its purpose, even to taking his life without one moment's
+hesitation! Keineth, this is a funny world. It is made up of big
+nations and small nations and they struggle against one another like so
+many bad, heedless boys fighting in an alley."
+
+"I know!" cried Keineth, bright-eyed. "When they ought to be living
+like nice families in a quiet street, each one keeping its own yard
+clean from rubbish and the doorsteps washed." She used her father's
+words with careful precision.
+
+President Wilson turned to John Randolph. "The child has described it,
+exactly! What an ideal! Do you think we'll ever reach it?" Then, to
+Keineth, "And that is the mission that took your father abroad--to lay
+before the peoples of those other lands this plan of democracy; to show
+them the picture of how we all--as nations--might live as you have
+described it, like thrifty families on a clean-kept street, some in
+finer houses than others, perhaps, but each one with its door-step
+clean and its corners well cleared out. Well--well, in your lifetime
+you may come to it, child. And when you do--remember that the way was
+opened by the message your father carried!"
+
+They talked a little longer of things Keineth could not understand,
+though she listened with rapt attention while her father spoke of the
+Emperor of Japan and the Czar of Russia as though they were just
+ordinary men!
+
+President Wilson walked with them to the door; he shook hands and
+begged them to come again! "I should like some day to show you around
+Washington myself, Miss Keineth," he said, patting her shoulder. Then
+as they walked out toward the street gates Keineth turned back and saw
+him watching from the open door. She waved her hand impulsively and he
+lifted his in a farewell salute.
+
+Keineth drew in a very deep breath: as Peggy would say, "Who _could_
+believe that she was little Keineth Randolph?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+THE CASTLE OF DREAMS
+
+
+When her father suggested that they let the sightseeing wait and take a
+walk, Keineth was delighted. She wanted more than anything else right
+then to talk and talk and talk to her daddy! There was so much to tell
+him!
+
+"We'll have plenty of time to see all the interesting things," Mr.
+Randolph said. "We'll stay here a week or two longer." "Peggy, too?"
+asked Keineth.
+
+"Peggy, too, of course!"
+
+"Oh, what _fun_!" cried Keineth, squeezing her father's hand with both
+of hers. She fairly danced along by his side, so that he had to walk
+very fast to keep up with her light feet 'Way across the Park through
+the trees they could see the waters of the Potomac gleaming blue, and
+beyond the hills of Arlington. Two weeks--her eyes shone--two weeks
+with Daddy and Peggy!
+
+"You know, Daddy, that Peggy is my very best friend!" Keineth said very
+solemnly. She commenced to tell him of Overlook and the happy summer
+days--of Stella, whom she had seen several times during the winter and
+had learned to love--of Grandma Sparks and her quaint old home--of Mr.
+Cadowitz and the hours in his queer studio--of the Jenkins cousins and
+the little Penny girls. He listened with a smile, perhaps not always
+able to follow her excited chatter, but certain from it that Keineth
+had found what he had hoped she would find when he had sent her to the
+Lees.
+
+Then Keineth thought of a confession she must make.
+
+"Is it dreadful, Daddy, but I have forgotten to be lonesome for Tante?
+I am ashamed because I do not think of her oftener. Where do you
+suppose she is?"
+
+"I saw her, my dear! Think what a coincidence it was! When I was in
+Paris one of the secretaries from the American Embassy took me around
+to visit the soup kitchens they have opened up there to feed the needy
+children of the soldiers at the front. At the very first one we went
+into, a woman in charge came up to greet us--and it was good Madame
+Henri! I might have known she'd be doing something like that! She knew
+me, of course--the tears ran down her cheeks as she clasped my hand.
+She couldn't say a word at first. She herself took us through the place
+and as it was at noontime, we stayed to see her hungry family. It was a
+sight I'll never forget--women, shivering in ragged clothing, with
+babes in their arms and gaunt, unhappy faces and eyes that looked at
+you as if they were eternally asking something and afraid to ask! Most
+of them had some scrap of dingy crepe somewhere about them--had lost
+their men at the battle-front! And little children gulping down the
+hot soup as though they were starved! Tante said it was the only meal
+most of them had during the day. After her work was over she and I went
+into a little room to talk. I knew she wanted to ask me about you--'her
+baby,' she called you. When I told her you were well and happy she
+broke down and sobbed 'thank God!'
+
+"She told me that her mother was dead and that her brother's wife and
+her little family were on a farm in northern France. When they did not
+need her longer she had gone to Paris to help.
+
+"'Give her my love,' she said to me--I knew she meant you. 'Keep her
+safe! It is my one comfort in these terrible days that she is not
+suffering! I love America--but I can never go back--my work is here!' I
+knew then that until the end Madame Henri would stick to her post and
+help wherever she could do the most good. She is a noble woman!"
+
+Keineth sighed. "It doesn't seem right to be so happy when others are
+not," she said, troubled.
+
+"But remember what she said--because you are happy is the one bright
+spot in Madame Henri's life! So it may be with others; you can always
+help someone."
+
+"You couldn't do anything else at the Lees'," broke in Keineth,
+"because Aunt Nellie is so kind and unselfish that we children are
+terribly ashamed to be anything else! Daddy--" Keineth stopped short;
+for the first time it crossed her mind that now that her daddy had come
+back her visit at the Lees' would end. "Where will we live now, Daddy?"
+
+He waited a moment before he answered.
+
+"I am going to ask you to decide that for yourself, Keineth." Keineth
+remembered then the night her father had made her decide between Aunt
+Josephine and the Lees! How hard it had been!
+
+John Randolph led her to a bench. "Let's sit down here and talk. I'll
+show you two pictures, Keineth, and you shall choose. You heard what
+the President said; he has asked me to be in his Cabinet! That is a
+great honor--perhaps the highest honor that may ever come to me!"
+
+"You'll be more than a soldier that doesn't wear a uniform?"
+
+Her father smiled at her quaint phrasing. "Yes, much more! But, besides
+the honor and the work of the position it will mean this to us--we will
+have to take a house here in Washington and live in such a way that we
+can entertain many, many guests. My time will never be my own, for
+there will be countless social demands besides the duties of the
+office--I will be able to spend very little time with my little girl!
+But she will not mind that because she will have ever so many new
+friends and new things to do, too. And we're too simple to know how to
+live such a life, so there's only one thing that'd happen--" Keineth
+was making tiny circles in the soft grass with the toe of her shoe. She
+had listened intently, now she interrupted quickly: "Aunt Josephine!"
+
+"Yes--Aunt Josephine would have to come down to show us how!"
+
+For some reason Keineth did not like the picture--and yet Daddy had
+said it was a great honor! But Aunt Josephine--
+
+Near the Monument the Marine Band had begun its program for the first
+afternoon concert of the season. A great many people had begun to
+gather in groups on the green. The music had seemed to reach Keineth
+and her father as though it was all a part of the soft spring air and
+beauty around them--they had scarcely heeded it as they talked! But
+suddenly a familiar note struck Keineth's ear. She lifted her head
+quickly.
+
+"Oh, listen!" she cried, clutching his arm. "Listen!"
+
+"What is it, child?" He was startled by the look on her face. She had
+sprung to her feet.
+
+"That--that--" she whispered as though her voice might drown out the
+soft strains of the music, "that is my Castle of Dreams!" She lifted
+her hand to beg him not to speak until it had ended. They listened
+together until the last note died away.
+
+"Beautiful, my dear, but--"
+
+She turned shining eyes toward him. "I wrote it," she added simply.
+
+"You--you--" He stared at her in such a funny way that Keineth burst
+out laughing. "Why, my dear--"
+
+"Aunt Nellie taught me to write music! And I sold this! I didn't want
+to tell you until I had a chance to play it for you."
+
+"You--wrote--that?" He seemed not able to really believe. "My little
+girl?" A world of pride warmed the tone of his voice.
+
+"Yes, and it's such fun putting down what comes to my fingers! Only Mr.
+Cadowitz says that I must learn a great deal more and practice what the
+masters can teach me. And Aunt Nellie says, too, that I ought to wait
+until I have finished school."
+
+"Yes, they are right," Mr. Lee put in. Then he caressed the small
+fingers that lay in his clasp. "But, my dear little girl, what a joy
+for you some day! It is a wonderful gift to tell your thoughts in
+music! When you have built up a strong body and a good mind you can
+work with all your heart and soul!"
+
+Keineth told him then the story of Pilot and Mr. Grandison. Her father
+was deeply interested. He recalled that he had heard his father speak
+of him once or twice. "He must have had a very lonely life," he added."
+We must see something of him now and then, my dear!"
+
+"Oh, he will be glad!" Keineth described the big house on the outskirts
+of the city where she had gone with her check; its lonely rooms that
+all his money could not make cheerful. That led her to tell of the
+beautiful books and how Mr. Grandison had one day taken her and Peggy
+to see "Pollyanna"; of riding there in the big limousine and wearing
+the precious pink dresses!
+
+The afternoon sun was dropping. The concert had ended and the crowds
+were slowly moving away. John Randolph's face wore its far-away look as
+though he was dreaming things. His eyes, as he turned them upon
+Keineth, were very serious.
+
+"You know--child, we're given things in this world--good health and
+fortune and gifts like your music--and my writing--but I don't believe
+we're given them just to enjoy them ourselves! We're meant to share
+them! I haven't told you the other picture, my dear!"
+
+"Oh, no!" cried Keineth. How could she have forgotten Aunt Josephine!
+
+"I've had a dream, Keineth, these months that I've been gone! It's been
+a dream of the little home we'd make in some quiet corner where I could
+write and you could grow and play. It'd be a simple home, but we'd have
+a great many friends around us. There's a lot in my head I want to
+write, too--I long for time to do it! I couldn't help but think as I
+travelled over almost all the lands of the globe that people are alike
+after all--only some of us have learned things faster than others and
+some have a lot to learn. If those who see the vision could teach the
+others--well, to live, as we said, like respectable, happy families in
+a peaceful street--then this world would know a brotherhood we haven't
+got now. It could come after this war--we could all be comrades, always
+going forward shoulder to shoulder! I feel as if I want to write and
+write and write about it until that picture goes all over the world!
+Couldn't I do more for all my fellowmen that way than giving up my time
+to the immense duties of a Cabinet official?" He turned a frowning face
+toward Keineth, as though from this twelve-year-old girl he expected
+help in his perplexity.
+
+Keineth's face was aglow.
+
+"Could the little home be near Peggy?"
+
+Her father nodded. "For a while, anyway."
+
+"And could I go to school with Peggy?"
+
+"Yes, I want you with your friends."
+
+"And you'd have time to play with me?"
+
+"Lots of time--I'd take it! That was part of my dream."
+
+"Oh, Daddy, I like that picture lots best! Only--" She suddenly
+recalled what her father had said. "It would be such a great honor for
+you to be in the President's Cabinet! And he told me I must make you!"
+
+"Keineth, dear, that honor would not mean half as much to me as the joy
+of serving my fellowmen through my writing! We'll show the President
+the two pictures--I know he will understand!"
+
+Still Keineth hesitated. "Would we--would we have to have Aunt
+Josephine?" Then she added, as though a little ashamed, "but Aunt
+Josephine can be awfully jolly when--she forgets."
+
+"Forgets what, child?"
+
+"Oh, that--that she's so--so rich!" Keineth stammered.
+
+John Randolph laughed. "We'll have her part of the time and maybe we
+can make her--forget."
+
+"You have decided, you are very sure?" he asked after a moment, and he
+swept his hand toward the nearby buildings of the city as though to
+remind her of the interesting life that might lie there.
+
+But Keineth's shining eyes saw a vision beyond them--long, happy days
+with Daddy and Peggy and the others; a home, too; real school days,
+such as she had never known in her life--perhaps another summer at
+Fairview.
+
+"I'd love Washington, but--I like your dream best, Daddy!" she
+answered.
+
+"I knew you would! And now, kitten, what do you say to finding Peggy
+and her father and going somewhere to have some cakes and hot
+chocolate?"
+
+Through the soft April sunlight they went towards the White House and
+the thronging streets. Keineth walked quickly, eager to find Peggy and
+tell her everything! How glad Peg would be!
+
+She hummed a few notes without realizing that it was a strain from her
+own music! She stopped suddenly and lifted laughing eyes to her
+father's face.
+
+"Isn't it funny, Daddy? I called my music 'The Castle of Dreams'! We
+were both dreaming the same dream!"
+
+"And we're going to have our Castle, Keineth!"
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Keineth, by Jane D. Abbott
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEINETH ***
+
+This file should be named kneth10.txt or kneth10.zip
+Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, kneth11.txt
+VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, kneth10a.txt
+
+Produced by Brandon Sussman, Tom Allen, Charles Franks
+and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US
+unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we usually do not
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance
+of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing.
+Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections,
+even years after the official publication date.
+
+Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til
+midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement.
+The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at
+Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month.  A
+preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment
+and editing by those who wish to do so.
+
+Most people start at our Web sites at:
+http://gutenberg.net or
+http://promo.net/pg
+
+These Web sites include award-winning information about Project
+Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new
+eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!).
+
+
+Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement
+can get to them as follows, and just download by date.  This is
+also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the
+indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an
+announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter.
+
+http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or
+ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03
+
+Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90
+
+Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want,
+as it appears in our Newsletters.
+
+
+Information about Project Gutenberg (one page)
+
+We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work.  The
+time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours
+to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright
+searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc.   Our
+projected audience is one hundred million readers.  If the value
+per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2
+million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text
+files per month:  1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+
+We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002
+If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total
+will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end.
+
+The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks!
+This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers,
+which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users.
+
+Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated):
+
+eBooks Year Month
+
+    1  1971 July
+   10  1991 January
+  100  1994 January
+ 1000  1997 August
+ 1500  1998 October
+ 2000  1999 December
+ 2500  2000 December
+ 3000  2001 November
+ 4000  2001 October/November
+ 6000  2002 December*
+ 9000  2003 November*
+10000  2004 January*
+
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created
+to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium.
+
+We need your donations more than ever!
+
+As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people
+and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut,
+Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois,
+Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
+Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
+Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
+Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South
+Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
+Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
+
+We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones
+that have responded.
+
+As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list
+will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states.
+Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state.
+
+In answer to various questions we have received on this:
+
+We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally
+request donations in all 50 states.  If your state is not listed and
+you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have,
+just ask.
+
+While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are
+not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting
+donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to
+donate.
+
+International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about
+how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made
+deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are
+ways.
+
+Donations by check or money order may be sent to:
+
+Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+PMB 113
+1739 University Ave.
+Oxford, MS 38655-4109
+
+Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment
+method other than by check or money order.
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by
+the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN
+[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154.  Donations are
+tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law.  As fund-raising
+requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be
+made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states.
+
+We need your donations more than ever!
+
+You can get up to date donation information online at:
+
+http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html
+
+
+***
+
+If you can't reach Project Gutenberg,
+you can always email directly to:
+
+Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com>
+
+Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message.
+
+We would prefer to send you information by email.
+
+
+**The Legal Small Print**
+
+
+(Three Pages)
+
+***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START***
+Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers.
+They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with
+your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from
+someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our
+fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement
+disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how
+you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to.
+
+*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK
+By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
+eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept
+this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive
+a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by
+sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person
+you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical
+medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request.
+
+ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS
+This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks,
+is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart
+through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project").
+Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright
+on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and
+distribute it in the United States without permission and
+without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth
+below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook
+under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark.
+
+Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market
+any commercial products without permission.
+
+To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable
+efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain
+works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any
+medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other
+things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
+intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged
+disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer
+codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.
+
+LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES
+But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below,
+[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may
+receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims
+all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including
+legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR
+UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT,
+INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE
+OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE
+POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
+
+If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of
+receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any)
+you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that
+time to the person you received it from. If you received it
+on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and
+such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement
+copy. If you received it electronically, such person may
+choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to
+receive it electronically.
+
+THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS
+TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
+PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+
+Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or
+the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the
+above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you
+may have other legal rights.
+
+INDEMNITY
+You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation,
+and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated
+with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
+texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including
+legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the
+following that you do or cause:  [1] distribution of this eBook,
+[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook,
+or [3] any Defect.
+
+DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm"
+You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by
+disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this
+"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg,
+or:
+
+[1]  Only give exact copies of it.  Among other things, this
+     requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the
+     eBook or this "small print!" statement.  You may however,
+     if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable
+     binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form,
+     including any form resulting from conversion by word
+     processing or hypertext software, but only so long as
+     *EITHER*:
+
+     [*]  The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and
+          does *not* contain characters other than those
+          intended by the author of the work, although tilde
+          (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may
+          be used to convey punctuation intended by the
+          author, and additional characters may be used to
+          indicate hypertext links; OR
+
+     [*]  The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at
+          no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent
+          form by the program that displays the eBook (as is
+          the case, for instance, with most word processors);
+          OR
+
+     [*]  You provide, or agree to also provide on request at
+          no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the
+          eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC
+          or other equivalent proprietary form).
+
+[2]  Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this
+     "Small Print!" statement.
+
+[3]  Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the
+     gross profits you derive calculated using the method you
+     already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  If you
+     don't derive profits, no royalty is due.  Royalties are
+     payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation"
+     the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were
+     legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent
+     periodic) tax return.  Please contact us beforehand to
+     let us know your plans and to work out the details.
+
+WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO?
+Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of
+public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed
+in machine readable form.
+
+The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time,
+public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses.
+Money should be paid to the:
+"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or
+software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at:
+hart@pobox.com
+
+[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only
+when distributed free of all fees.  Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by
+Michael S. Hart.  Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be
+used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be
+they hardware or software or any other related product without
+express permission.]
+
+*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END*
+
diff --git a/old/kneth10.zip b/old/kneth10.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b38afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/old/kneth10.zip