loving mother to that of an
ungracious father--a parent she had never before known. A child of
eleven is likely to form strong affections and passionate dislikes."

"Do you know," said Mary Louise, "it shocks me, this hatred of her
father. It seems so unnatural. I wish we could bring them to understand
one another better, Gran'pa Jim."

"That might prove a difficult task, my dear," he replied with a smile,
gently stroking her hair the while, "and I do not think we are
justified in undertaking it. How many times during our travels, Mary
Louise, has your impulsive and tender heart urged you to assume the
burdens of other people? You seem to pick up a trail of sorrow or
unhappiness with the eagerness of a bloodhound and I have all I can do
to call you off the scent. One small girl can't regulate the world, you
know, and in this case we are likely to see very little of Alora Jones
and her artist father. We will be nice to them during the few days we
are here, but we must soon move on or we'll never get home for your
birthday, as we have planned."

Mary Louise sighed.

"You're almost always right, Gran'pa Jim," she admitted; "but in all
our European travels I've not met so interesting a person as Alora, and
she's an American girl, which draws us still closer together. I'm going
to make her promise that when she's of age and her own mistress she
will let me know, and come to us for a visit. Wouldn't that be all
right, Gran'pa?"

He assured her it would be quite proper and that he also admired Alora
and was sorry for her.

On Sunday forenoon they went to the cathedral and in the afternoon took
a boat to the blue grottoes. In the evening there was a concert in the
hotel. All that day the two girls were arm in arm and chatting
together, developing their mutual liking, while the old Colonel trudged
along in their wake and was generally ignored in the conversation. On
Monday they planned an excursion to Capri, "For you won't mind if we
don't get you home until after dinner, will you?" asked Mary Louise.

"Not at all," said Alora. "I want to make the most of this vacation."

"Her father may mind, however," suggested the Colonel.

"I don't care whether he does or not," retorted the girl, tossing her
head. "He has no consideration for me, so why should I consider him?"

"I don't like that attitude, dear," said Mary Louise frankly. "I--I
don't wish to be snippy, you know, but you should not forget that he is
your father."