Marjorie at Seacote

was pra

tising must be done first. She was conscientious about it, and tried very hard to

Maynard, and the two ladies sat on the veranda, j

, she was devoting all her attention to her exercises. Usually, she didn't mind practisin

to herself, when something Mrs.

" Marjorie heard her e

e piano was near the open window, surely they cou

e, "Yes, my oldest girl. She is not our child. Sh

rey, much interested.

consented. She has grown up a good girl, but of course

reed Mrs. Corey. "The o

hey are

t know this

, and she thinks I love her as I do my own children. But it is hard f

d? Does he c

e a nature as our own children. Of course he can't he

Mrs. Maynard;

nk so, Mrs. Corey?

stopped her practising at the firs

e! But as the conversation went on, perfectly audible, though not in loud

unbelievable it might

ly she tried to strike the keys,

, and went slowly

s. Maynard,-had fixed up for her with flower

o, then, was or ha

g her face in the pillow she sobbed convulsively. Her thoughts flew to her father,-but n

King, she had never realized before how much she loved him. And Kitty! And Fathe

ied,-great, deep, heart-rac

led down into a

"I won't stay here where they have to p

sat on the veranda, talking to Mrs. Corey; King was down at

orie went on; "I can't stay

of Grandma Sherwood's, but she wasn't her grandma at all! Then she thought of Grandma Maynard. That was a curious thought, for though Grandma Maynard wasn't her own grandmother, either, yet, a few months ag

d wouldn't have to

ng to do. She couldn't run awa

d or Uncle Steve, but Grandma Mayna

e. It was almost three o'clock. She knew there was a tra

bag, but she decided not to, as she didn't wan

came afresh; "my name isn't even

at with roses on it. Some instinct of sadne

"I am astounded at these revelations!" and her m

he street unobserved, and she walked straight ahead to the railroad station. She had a five-dollar gold piece that Uncle Steve had sent her on Christmas, an

o much anger at Mr. and Mrs. Maynard as it was that awful

the thought of her father, a rush of tears would come; and then

aid nothing. For Marjorie was a self-possessed little girl, of good manners and quiet air when she chose to be. With her ticke

ut and took it, in a matter-of-fact way, a

train alone before, and the noise of the cars and the bustle of

mbrance of why she was going would come over

s she rode on, and realized more and more deeply what it all meant, sh

and, as there were few passengers

usted by her outburst of tears, a

e one, what's it a

ty was not pleasant, and Marjorie fe

id, drawing as far awa

n't cry like that, and then sa

didn't know exactly what to say, so she turned

ng. Every mile took her farther away from her dear on

to cry any more. She seemed to have only enough strength to say, brokenly, "Oh, Mot

Club grew tired of waiting for her, and King

y, and seeing Mrs. Corey, he whipped

dget, Mothe

, son; isn't

'm tired wai

here?" asked

r, and we're waiting for Mopsy. She said she'd

o," said Mrs. Corey. "I haven't hear

somewhere, reading!" exclaim

er to Cousin Ethel's,"

repeated King, and h

of that!" he cried, banging at

ned the door and looked

empty room, "I never knew you to go back on your word before

lace where he thought Midget might be, absorbed in a book; he i

ind Mopsy,

t Cousin Ethel's. She do

omised to come out with us. I never kne

Mrs. Maynard. "Though in that case, she should have

ll be quicker," said King,

t there, and hasn't been there to-day

But she can't be far away. Perhaps she

crazy thing to do, when she k

Nurse Nannie. She's certainly somewhere around

ked slow

to Hester and the Craig boys;

it was your baby sister, that would be different. But Midget has j

uggested Hester, "and went down

I s'pose she is hiding somewhere, reading a book. Won't I give it to her when

s Marjorie their ringleader and moving spirit, but somehow King's uneas

r sitting listlessly around for a f

m turn

you know Mopsy is so

s before, and I can't understand it. The only thing I can think of i

might be doing. Come on, let's go

end of the pier and back agai

e, Tom turned in

ook so worried. Midget will be sitting

Midget. He knew his mother felt no alarm, and perhaps it was foolish, but the fact remained that Midge had ne

and at sight of his anxiety

"you don't think there's

I can only think of the ocean. Does she

he never does anything like tha

had any quarre

She went to practise right after lunch

s here," said Mrs. Maynard, reminiscently; "

ing's wrong with the child. You know she always has been mischievous,

f Midget's empty chair began to seem tra

tears, and rose also.

urged; "she's sure to be

ing as this never happened befor

and now returned, accompanied by t

something has happened to the child! She isn't one to cut

ked Mrs. Mayna

an discover anything

followed. But nothing unusual was to be seen. The pretty ro

looked in t

she had on at luncheon. And her blue hat is gone; she must have dress

do that?" deman

Maynard, falling weakly back on Marjor

nt of a head in the dented pillow. Surely, this meant tragedy of some sor

said Cousin Jack, st