e eyes, but she only
sat back farther on the seat and tightened her clasp on Evangeline. The
next time Rob sauntered within hearing distance, a discussion of
literature was in progress, Mary was asking:

"Have you ever read 'Old Curiosity Shop?'"

The flaxen curls shook slowly in the motion that betokened she had not.

"Nothing of Dickens or Scott or Irving or Cooper?"

Still the flaxen curls shook nothing but no.

"Then what have you read, may I ask?" The superior tone of Mary's
question made it seem that she was twenty years older than the child at
her side, instead of only two.

"I like the Dotty Dimple books," finally admitted Girlie. "Mamma read me
all of them and several of the Prudy books, and I have read half of
'Flaxie Frizzle' my own self."

"_Oh!_" exclaimed Mary, in a tone expressing enlightenment. "I _see_!
Nothing but juvenile books! No wonder that, with such mental pabulum,
you don't care for anything but dolls! Now when I was your age, I had
read 'The Vicar of Wakefield' and 'Pride and Prejudice' and
Leather-stocking Tales, and all sorts of things. Probably that is why I
lost my taste for dolls so early. Wouldn't you like me to read to you
awhile every morning?"

The offer was graciousness itself, but it implied such a lack on
Girlie's part that she felt vaguely uncomfortable. She sat digging the
toe of her slipper against the leg of the bench.

"I don't know," she stammered finally. "Maybe I can't come often. It
makes me wigglesome to sit still too long and listen."

"We might try it this morning to see how you like it," persisted Mary.
"I brought a copy of Longfellow out from the house, and thought you
might like to hear the poem of 'Evangeline,' as long as your doll is
named that."

Rob heard no more, for the game called him to another part of the court,
but Mary's plan was a success. When the Dinsmore carriage came, Girlie
announced that she wouldn't be over the next day, and maybe not the one
after that. She didn't know for sure when she could come.

Rob stayed to lunch. As he passed Mary on the steps, he stooped to the
level of her ear to say in a laughing undertone: "Congratulations, Miss
Stork. I see your plan worked grandly."

Elated by her success and the feeling of good-comradeship which this
little secret with Rob gave her, Mary skipped up on to the porch, well
pleased with herself. But the next instant there was a curious change in
her feeling. Lloyd, tall and graceful in her