The Little Colonel's Chum: Mary Ware

she found that Phil had asked her a question three times without attracting her attention. When they reached the house it was some time before she could slip upstairs unobserved. No ama

, and each time the upstairs maid came

prepared speech, explaining so tremulously and incoherently that for a moment her puzzled listener was doubtful of his questioner's sanity. Finally, when made to understand, he was very kind and very sympathetic, but his answer merely sent her on another quest. She would have to apply to the treasurer, he told her, Mr. Charles Oatley, who alway

a maid answered her. The family had all gone to take dinner with the James Oatleys, and would not be home until late

gotten to ask the name of the bank. But the glimpse she caught of her worrie

she reasoned with herself. "If I can't keep inflexible any bette

, she went down to the group in the libra

t come in, and was listening to the account that the girls were giving Eugenia of

usy staring at the fat man who took up the collection in our aisle. He had at least four chins and was so bald and shiny he fas

pompous and important, isn't he? But they couldn't get along without him very well. He is a joke at the bank, where he is a sort of fi

. The Christmas dinner was served in the middle of the day instead of at night, and the afternoon flew by so fast that Eugenia protested against their going when the time came, saying that she had had no visit at all. Joyce explained that she had prom

ld find material and local colour for several stories, and she f

hospitable insistence. Had it not been for the lost shilling she would have stayed g

anybody to know. They'd remember about its being a 'Philip and Mary shilling,' and they'd smile a

ecline was changed to one for the week-end, so when they waved good-bye from the

to wonder how they stood it for such a long stretch, but I know now. We have been celebrating ever since the mock Christmas tree at

he children of the slums. Betty did find the material which Mrs. Boyd had promised, and came home so eager to begin writing the tale, that she was impatient for morning to arrive. Joyce found suggestions for two pi

ts money loomed up ahead of them, massive and grim. The name showed so plainly on the brilliantly illuminated corner, that it almost seemed to leap towards them. It would be

returned with them the night before, but had gone back to Brooklyn to finish their visit with their friends immediately after the exercises at the Mission. So only a

ocks at the door, lest she never knock again! I'll gladly be cook-and-bottle-washer in

orgot all about her, in the absorbing interest of the work confronting them. With so many conveniences at hand the washing of the dainty china was a pleasure to Mary, after her long vacation from suc

er own entertainment, wondering what she would do next. She had been asking questions about the roof garden, and how to open t

t her captive in the house, and she couldn't go to the neighbours. Always an indefatigable visitor, she amused herself with a pile of magazines, visiting in imagination each person and place pictured in the illustration

vigorous use of hammer and saw and paint-brush. A girl who could sit by the hour watching ants and spiders and bees, who could quote poems by the yard, who loved to write letters and could lose herself to the world

block to the right and then one down towards a certain building whose mammoth sign served her as a landmark. But the night before she had not noticed that the track turned and twisted many times before it reached the corner where they changed for the East Side car, and she had not no

but not her vigilance. There were a thousand things to look at, but she dared not become to

ld not see the time, however, as the heavy iron doors were closed, and the moments before they were swung open seemed endless. It seemed to her that people stared at her curiously, and her face grew redder tha

eyed man behind its bars, looking at her so keenly that she was cove

R'S WINDOW, WITH A SHREWD

ully fat, and has two double chins, and married the president

he teller, and came forward pompously. It seemed to Mary that she stood there a week, explaining and explaining as one runs in a nightmare without making any progress, about dropping the wrong coin in the St. Boniface

r. Oatley had brought in to deposit. The shilling rolled out from among the quarters, and as she hurriedl

r-fare the night before. There was a dollar in the middle compartment, and eager to get away, she plumped it down on the marble slab, saying hasti

for one more look at the rescued shilling. Then she gave a gasp. When she left the house the purse had held a nickel and a dollar. She had spent the nickel for car fare and

eds of strange faces sweeping past her. "It's like 'water, water everywhere, and no

trying to decide what to do next. One block, two blocks and nearly three were passed, and she had reached no decision, when she came upon a motherly-looking woman and two half-grown girls, who had st

ll find something at Wanamaker's that will suit us bett

er-filled streets. So when the bargain-hunting trio started in that direction, she followed in their wake. They paused often to look in at the win

he name was the same that was woven in gold thread in the tiny silk tag inside her furs. It was the place where Joyce had brought her to select her Christmas present, and there inside th

Mary that she should have been remembered out of all the hundreds of customers who must pass through the shop every day, bu

in her impetuous way, she told her predicament to the amus

swer it, but reflecting that probably the call would require her personal attention sooner or later, laid down her brush and went to answer it herself. She could hardly credit the evidence of her own ears w

ion. All morning she had been so sure that Mary was in the next room th

g so spooky," she called.

t me wait here until noon. I've got a comfortable seat where I can peep out at the people on the street, and I don't feel lost now that you know where I am."

e. "That speech certainly proves it. Don't w

d as genii in a bottle for getting you out of trouble. I should think the man who in

norama rolling past the window. At first she was intensely interested in the endless stream of strange faces, but when an hour had slipped by and still they came, always strange, always different, a sense of littleness and loneliness seized her, that amounted al

ast two. Then suddenly, through the mass of people came a well-known figure with a firm, athle

wondered if she dared do such a thing as to tap on the window to attract his attention. She would not have hesitated

l New York in which she happened to be sitting, she started up, thinking to surprise him. Then the surprise was hers, for she saw that he was in search of her. With a word to the obsequious salesman who m

ur fond relatives and friends almost into catalepsy? I happened to drop in at the studio just as Jo

ven as glad as I was that time you happened along when the Indian chas

d on a homeward bound car. "What I want to know

. Quickly turning her back on him as if to look at something that had attracted her attention in the street, she groped frantic

with a little frown, as if it interested her more than the question. "I just went

d you f

e people might not thin

any adventures

ving them to go in my memoirs, so

Mystery!" exclaimed Phil. "I shall

uneasiness," was the grim reply.

to think that she really had had some ridiculous adventure, and was determined to find out what it was. So he set t

thing away by this time-would have blurted out the truth before she knew what she was doing. She was too honest and straight-forward to

that morning, but as she passed Joyce in the hall she whispered imploringly, "Please don't ask me to

me three times," announced Phil, present

d Joyce, who had gone back to her work

ention what happened this morning another single time. And he can order any two dishes in the cook-book th

bowl with a white stripe around it, on the middle shelf in the Wigwam pantry. Gee! But they were good! I've never come across any like them since except in my dreams. And fo

t is to be a surprise I must have a

here was a chicken simmering in the fireless cooker. Joyce had put it on while they were getting breakfast, intending to make some sort of boneless concoction of it for dinner. But it would be tender

anted his fried eggs hard and his boiled eggs soft. But then, after all, it wasn't so queer that she should remember these things, she thought, for the likes and dislikes of a frequent guest would naturally make an impression on an observant child who t

e thought as she sifted flour vigorously, "but thank heaven,

hey were summoned. The oyster stew was the first success, and good enough to be the surprise they all agreed. Then the chicken-pie was brought in, and Phil, cutting into the light, delicately browned crust, declared

er ate," he protested, "and I'm your debt

s good, and that he was enjoying each mouthful. A simple salad came next, with a French dressing. She had longed to try her hand at mayonnaise, bu

ifting the fragile little cup, and smiling

s good as this, raw apples would have been no tempta

scored such a success, and to have

tely had not a knock on the door announced that Mr

for an automobile spin for awhile, winding up at a matinee, but Joyce and Betty refuse to be torn from their work. They've seen all the sights of New York and they've seen Pete

worn out. It has stood the wear and tear of so many good times I don't see how it can possibly stand any more. Why, I've been fairly wild to see Peter Pan,

worry about your 'enjoyer'-it's the strongest part of your anatomy in my opinion. I'v

ought back many things. One was that sensation of flying, as they whirled through snowy parks and along Riverside drive, past historic places and world-famous buildings. And th

beside Phil. She wished that the drive could be prolonged indefinitely, but there was only time for the briefest spin before the hour for the matinee. More than all, the programme brought bac

ed out to find her lost shilling, and such a trivial affair now, obscured by all that had happened afterward. But the girls laughed every time they thought about it while they were und

going to block it out while I am here, and finish it when we get back to school. If it is accep

said in a worried tone. "Usually the bare promise of such a thing would make me so glad th

ht-seeing, a little shopping, another matinee, and then the week-end at Eugenia's. The short journey to Annapolis and the few hours with Holland did not take much time from the calendar, but judged by t