Peggy-Alone

e, Prince?" inquired

se gate, strange to say unaccompanied by the little girl who was usua

his hand, the young man hurried al

emble! It was thoughtful of you to give me warning!" he said aloud. He hung up his hat, keeping a sharp lookout f

must be lonely here all day with no one but the servants. I wish she knew some children to play with! Confounded luck for th

o, th

t on the table beside her. If she noticed the young man's entrance or heard his voice she gave no sign, nor did she pay any attention to Prince, wh

d sharply, but the sil

e forward and shook

e, child, is anyt

kept gazing, gazing in one di

ts of a fancy Mexican tobacco-jar, which

wear it was the truth myself were anyone else in question-yes, they would think me an ogre who ate little girls who chanced to break something!" Turning

ion, who, intent on his own angry mutterings, was unaware of her inspection. The gleam of mirth that overspread

his, a pair of blue eye

as a present and I felt s

look as if I'

way, and he threw himself into a

shall I do to make

it cost so a

ght you were in a trance! I had a wild noti

uefully at th

g if it could be pie

he ogre g

he arm of his chair with o

a fairy godmothe

terrible ac

it and my hand got sort

ay and pretending you knew nothing

d-as if I'd be

or an uncle as yours appears to be! I s

omething else to ask you first-something very important! Since you're the go

he three until I hear Number O

uckys?" implored Alene in an imp

lux Klan? Hark, there's Kizzie coming to announce dinner.

ir, and walked beside him with mincing s

a green vista of gardens, now shut away by latticed

curtain. The room was finished in light colored woodwork. A square rug in a pattern of tiny green and white tiles partly covered the polished floor; in the c

ate her afternoon's adventure, almost forgot to touch the

her eyes beamed brightly while she

ened with flatt

iety for the prevention of loneliness to Peggy-Alone or any other

you're a dea

as it were. Be carefu

him a repro

deadly stare again! I'm n

may have had of her mother's approval. However, he knew something of Alene's new friends, being personally acquainted with Mr. Lee, whose work as a riv

the very thing for her. She looks improved already and I'll not let any snobbish questi

*

e, that you pucker your brow

d in an easy chair beside the reading tabl

ge dictionary over whose p

ans 'plain,' and I'm sure lots of children are quite ugly long before they are that age, and I d

out in a crowd when all the l

ed, do be sob

u to hint that your guard

an gr

everend and grave'

han nine," said Alene, returning to the book with an air of toler

are hunting; perha

is air of exagg

be twelve years old to be le

if I were you, I'd quit the L's and try something else

course-how s

ight Alene paused and gave

led Uncle Fred from his c

me a series of mirthful sounds, "to think th

ittle tease, who heeded the warning and was safely out of sight on the landing,