ttention to the thoughtless things they
said, they would soon stop teasing."

"Do you really think they would? I thought it was because of the name.
No one teased me much when my name was Theodora Marcella Gabrielle
Julianna Victoria Emeline."

He smiled. The name sounded so perfectly incongruous for that slender
slip of girl, more so than the despised Tabitha; but he understood what
a charm the long, rhythmic words held for the child who had missed so
much happiness in her short life, so he gravely answered,

"I am sure if you try to laugh with those who make fun of you, and won't
get mad no matter what they say, they will soon forget all about the odd
little name and will love you for what you are."

"That will be awfully hard to do," sighed Tabitha, thinking of the many
times she had been tormented because of that name, "but if--you think it
will work,--I'll try."

Before he had a chance to say anything further, the door of the Carson
house flew open and happy-faced Carrie flew up the path to meet them,
crying joyously, "Miss Brooks is here, and she wants to see you, 'cause
we've missed you dreadfully at school."

CHAPTER VI

A DOG AND A CAT

"Oh, Tabitha, Tabitha, come over to my house and see what papa has
brought me!"

Carrie's voice was shrill with joy; and hastily setting the last cup on
the pantry shelf, Tabitha seized her sunbonnet and rushed away to join
her excited playmate. "It's out here on the back porch, and oh, it's a
perfect darling! Tell me what to call him. Isn't he a beauty?"

Talking and laughing and capering in delight, Carrie led the way to the
rear of the house, and there in a box on the steps was a beautiful,
black, shaggy pup, with the longest, silkiest hair and the prettiest
brown eyes.

"Oh, Carrie Carson, aren't you the luckiest girl!" cried Tabitha,
looking enviously at the treasure as she bent over it to smooth the
soft, shaggy coat. "Just see what beau-ti-ful ears he has! And what a
cunning nose! See him lick my hand!"

"He's kissing you. Isn't he cute? One of papa's men at the mine owned
four of these little pups, and he sold this one for five dollars. He is
to be my very own and I am going to teach him tricks when he is old
enough. Isn't he a darling?"

"I should say he is! I wish he belonged to me." The black eyes grew very
wistful and the brown face unusually sober as she examined this new toy,
this live toy that could really play with its little mistress and