l daughter? Dorothy noticed the look, and
turned to her mamma.

Mrs. Dainty read the question in Dorothy's eyes, and ever so slightly,
shook her head, and they passed into the dining-room.

* * * * *

The next morning, when the mail was distributed, there was great
excitement, because every one had so many letters.

"See mine!" cried Flossie Barnet. "Everybody see mine! It looks like
boy's writing. See it!"

"If some very young man wrote it, he might not be delighted to have it
so freely exhibited, Flossie," said Uncle Harry, with a laugh.

"Oh, why should he care?" she asked in surprise. "Who do you s'pose
wrote it? Guess, Uncle Harry!"

"Well, now let me think," said Uncle Harry, covering his eyes with his
hand, then peeping through his fingers.

"There's a small boy at home, who glories in the name of Reginald Merton
Deane. Open the letter, dear, and if I guessed right, you can give me a
prize, and if I'm wrong, I'll give you one."

Flossie studied the address for a moment, then she opened the letter,
and laughed with delight.

"I'll have to give you the prize, but why did he think to write to me?"

Dear little Flossie had never seemed aware that small Reginald preferred
her to any of his friends. Even when she was so little that she could
not pronounce his name, and called him "Weginald," he thought her the
dearest of all his playmates. And this was his letter:

"DEAR FLOSSIE:

"I miss you so much that I'm going to write, and
tell you all the news.

"Our old dog had a fit yesterday, and my brother
got the vet'nary doctor. When he came, he said
Carlo hadn't any fit. He was acting just awful. I
said 'what makes him tare round so?' an he said
maybe I'd tare round sum if I had a fish-bone in
my throat! The doctor took it out, and then Carlo
was so glad he tore round worsen ever!

"Arabella Corryville is acting worse than Carlo
did. You know her Aunt Matilda lives with them, an
neether Arabella, or her pa, or her ma dare to do
ennything without asking Aunt Matilda _first_.
Well, her aunt has had to go way up to New
Hampshur (I guess I didn't spell that rite) and
Arabella thinks its just her chanse to act awful.
Carlo is real quiet side of Arabella when she acts
the way she does now.