Ben Pepper

lexia, hoarsely, and rush

can't mean it; do come back. It isn't any matter that lace

u say so? It's the most dreadful thing!" a

run home," said Polly, hastily; "that would

ng figure shook all over. "Horrors! I can't ever s

. "Dear me, over a bit of lace that can be mended, I mo

" mumbled Alexia, between her fingers, the sigh making her nearly frantic. "Polly Pepper, I shall

of the little luncheon party, had disappeared to some unknown house duty, and couldn't at this very moment be found. So Polly had the distress to hear, before she coul

e time to think what would be the best way," and that Mamsie would say now, in this trouble, "Don't go, for the boys are just home,"-"O dear me!" s

?" she gasped when sh

s black head at her. "Come on, Polly, whoopity la

still,-"you don't mean Jasper is coming soon?" The

n't dance; "he's coming to-morrow; no, I guess next week-anyway, he's c

and tell me." Polly flew after

"whoopity la! and he'

peed to find Mrs. Whitney just coming to call her. She held in her hand an open letter, scraps of which she was reading aloud t

ming home?" cried Polly,

ng eyes on her. "Oh, Polly, this has just come and I was going to find you. Y

asked Polly, clasping

doctor set a time. Just think, Polly," and she turned her fa

e to begin again on the announcement he had been trying to m

he world. Oh, won't we, children! for it will please Jasper." Her eyes glowed as she looked around at them all. At this little Dick deserted his lace. "Oh, I wi

k up what we are to do for the real Christmas, when Jasper an

as they all hurried downstairs to bring the

Alexia, it was some time before she could

n she had heard it all; "I'll have the carriage right away, and

ht, Aunty?" cried Polly, hopping

hitney, delighted to have everything coming out so n

before long there they were, Aunty Whitney and she,

wered the door-bell of Mrs. Cummings's a

" repeated P

o'

" asked Mrs. Whitne

disconsolately, and feeling as if

ng to be communicative, saw no reason why she shouldn'

e!" excla

lone 'cause she was crying so, and she was going to

, can't we," she cried desperately, "go

d Mrs. Whitney, who had heard onl

there," said Polly, in a burst,

Yes, child, tell Thomas to driv

been so dark and miserable, hopped into the

gave her a desire for the society of her friend. All such visits Alexia carefully avoided if a possible thing. And Polly, knowing full well the details of those enforced u

haven't gone in to

cely half after five o'clock," glancing at the little silver wa

small panic. "Oh, here we are!" she brought up gleefully,

itney, just as well pleased, as Pol

can I see her?" before a rustle began in the stuffy

oth hands to draw her down the hall; her head sank on Po

ears ran down her neck; "O

ly, for it's too dreadful here, and we're just going

said Polly, as soon

Alexia, bounding a

et you come," said Polly,

really mean it? O dear, it'll be 'most as bad at your house, f

nd we've come for you, and you are to stay all night,"

she?" was jumbled all up by Alexia, who was n

of her brooch and smoothing down her plaid silk gown as she cam

I'm going home with Polly Pepper," and without another word she ran

who hadn't half heard Alexia, and peering out of smal

coming out into the light, "and

ke when seeing any of the young folks at close enough, range to speak to. "Well, and do you want to take Alexia away? Why can't you stay to tea with h

hastily. "And Aunty Whitney is waiting out in th

ak to her; surely I must, for I wouldn't be so rude as to let her be at my door without a word from me. Elvira," she thrust her head into the small parlo

r hand on the knob of the front door. Alexia was frantically th

s required of her; "but perhaps I had best be careful," pausing with her hand on the knob, "so wo

ing to do but to

exia, in smothered wrath, "to

Polly, with a

. Whitney! Come on, Polly, I know the way t

o Miss Barnard and laid it over the wiry little

the carriage step, and holding out both hands, "you don't know how very gl

k you. Now, girlies," with a smile over the little maiden lady's hea

en she gave a little cackle, intended to be very winning, "perhaps some time

er, I've just killed your foot, I know, but I couldn't help stepping all over you, for that dreadful woman fluttered

said Mrs. Whitney,

her," finished Alexia in vexa

s," said Mrs. Whitney, kind

ngly coming to see Aunt. Oh, Polly!" She gave such a cry of distress that both Polly and Mrs. Whitney turned in dismay. "I can't go,

; while Polly cried, "Oh, Alexia, that's no matter," comfort

forted, began to feel all the first distress of the accident over-whelming

s where a stream of tears had run, "do you know, dear, you will make me feel badly if you ever speak of that lace again

to the blue eyes, and she didn't speak a

he door and mar

if she really wanted to! And no one has ever done that