hat now," cried Michael triumphantly, pointing, "that dog mayn't
be handsome, but he hain't got a bad bone in his body, if he does look
like the Evil One hisself."

This episode absorbing all their attention, nobody heard or saw Alexia
Rhys, running lightly up over the terrace. "Oh, my! what _are_ you
doing? And where's Polly?" she asked of Mrs. Whitney.

It being soon told, Alexia, who evidently had some exciting piece of
news for Polly, ran into the house.

"Polly," she called. "Oh, Polly Pepper, where _are_ you?" running over
the stairs at the same time.

But Polly, as we have seen, was not in her room.

"Now then," Mother Fisher said at sound of Alexia's voice, "as we've
finished our talk, Polly, why, you must run down and see her."

But Polly clung to her mother's neck. "Do you think I ought to go next
Saturday morning out shopping, Mamsie, after I've been so naughty?"

"Indeed, you ought," cried Mrs. Fisher, in her most decisive fashion.
"Dear me! that would be very dreadful, Polly, after we put it off for
you, when we thought you had gone down to the Salisbury School. Why, we
couldn't get along without you, Polly."

So Polly, with a happy feeling at her heart that she was really needed
to make the shopping trip a success, and best of all for the long talk
with Mamsie, that had set many things right, ran down to meet Alexia,
brimming over with her important news.

"Where _have_ you been?" demanded Alexia, just on the point of rushing
out of Polly's room in despair. "I've looked everywhere for you, even in
the shoe-box." And without waiting for a reply, she dragged Polly back.
"Oh, you can't possibly guess!" her pale eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Then tell me, do, Alexia," begged Polly, scarcely less wrought up.

"Oh, Polly, the most elegant thing imaginable!" Alexia dearly loved to
spin out her exciting news as long as possible, driving the girls almost
frantic by such methods.

"Well, if you are not going to tell me, I might as well go back again,
up in Mamsie's room," declared Polly, working herself free from the long
arms, and starting for the door.

"Oh, I'll tell, Polly--I'll tell," cried Alexia, plunging after. "Miss
Salisbury says--I've just been up to the school after my German
grammar--that Mr. John Clemcy and Miss Ophelia have invited the whole
Salisbury School out there for next Saturday afternoon. Think of it,
after that smashed vase, Polly Pepper!"

Polly Pepper sat down on the shoe