people. Mamma wanted me to come this afternoon."

There was something exceedingly pleasant in her straightforward
manner.

"I don't care much for parties myself," said Carl, "but if you want to
get acquainted you must not stick in a corner."

"What must I do?" Dora asked, smiling.

"Well, to begin with, you make friends with somebody who knows
somebody else, and so on. It is very easy."

"Then I have begun with you, though I do not know your name."

"Very well, here goes! My name is Carl Hazeltine, the girl over by the
oak tree is my sister Louise, the boy with her is Isaac Ford--the one
who is laughing I mean; next to him is Elsie Morris, and that fellow
coming this way is Aleck Hazeltine, my cousin, and--"

Dora put out her hand appealingly. "I can't possibly remember so many,
and I haven't told you my name. It is Dora Warner."

"We used to have a cat named Dora," Carl remarked gravely, taking a
small round glass from his pocket and composedly surveying his
necktie, "a nice, white, meek little pussy cat."

"I had a dog once, when we were in London, named Carl--o. He was a
curly dog and ever so vain when we tied a ribbon on his collar," was
the prompt response. Then they both laughed merrily, and Carl asked
with friendly interest, "Were you really in London!"

"Yes, we were there last winter."

"Wasn't it great fun?"

"No, for papa was ill, and mamma always with him, so I was lonely."

Something in Dora's tone made Carl notice that her sash was black.

"So I suppose her father is dead," he thought, but could think of
nothing to say, and jumping up suddenly was off like a flash.

Dora thought her new acquaintance a funny one, but his friendly manner
had made her feel cheerful again.

She saw him coming back presently, accompanied by a little girl with
soft dark eyes and a sweet face which she recognized at once.

"This is my sister Bess," he announced.

Bess sat down beside her, saying gravely, "Carl says you don't know
anyone. Wouldn't you like to come and play with us? We are going to
begin a new game."

Dora was quite ready. "Only I am afraid I shall not know how," she
said.

"That won't make the least difference, for we haven't any of us played
it before. It is very easy--just throwing bean-bags," and, taking her
hand in a friendly clasp, Bess led her toward a gay group that was all
in an uproar over some of Aleck's nonsense.

"Here comes that odd-looking girl," whispered Elsie to Helen. "J