own out of the way."

A long-drawn squeak, as of an animal in pain, answered to her words,
and they went on, while Allie threw one triumphant glance over her
shoulder at the three heads which had promptly reappeared as soon as her
back was turned.

Once seated opposite her cousin in the carriage, while they waited for
Mr. Burnam to join them, Allie could study his face at her ease, as she
chattered away to him, in the hope of making him feel at home. He had
attracted her at the first glance; and the more she looked at him the
stronger became her impression that here was a cousin worth having. He
was large of his age, finely formed, and taller than Howard, and had a
frank, boyish face, which just now looked a little tired after his long
journey, and a little troubled and nervous at coming among new friends.
For the rest, he had a mass of soft, reddish-brown hair, a freckled
face, firm red lips which parted, now and then, to show two rows of
small, even teeth, and two deep dimples that came and went in his
cheeks, and a pair of near-sighted brown eyes that looked very steadily
into Allie's, as if trying to read his new kinswoman, and find out from
her into what hands he was likely to fall.

And, indeed, he would have looked far that day without finding a more
attractive cousin, for Allie, in her desire to play the hostess well,
had dropped her usual rollicking manner, and assumed a sweet, childish
dignity which became her as well as her more wonted gayety. Charlie's
face cleared a little, as he looked into her great blue eyes and watched
the changing expressions of her fresh young face, so pretty and bright
in its soft, warm setting of fur.

"Why didn't Howard come down with you, daught?" asked Mr. Burnam, as he
took his place beside them, and the carriage, turning from the station,
drove away up the street towards the house.

For an instant, Allie's gaze was fixed on a distant opening between the
buildings, where three boyish figures were scurrying along as fast as
their feet could carry them. Then she roused herself, and turned to the
lad before her, as if she had not heard her father's question.

"Didn't you have a good time on the way out here, Cousin Charlie?" she
inquired hastily. "Howard and I have been envying you your journey."

"Can't say I enjoyed it," Charlie answered. "I'd never even travelled
all night before, and it was no end lonesome, riding along, day in and
day out, without a soul to speak to. An