da I'd have to give him back to
you."

"That was before I had Gift."

"And you wouldn't take Duke from me?" She sprang to her feet.

"Not for the world."

Suddenly Beth seized Duke, and danced around and around with him. "Oh,
goody. Duke, you old dear, we needn't stay awake nights worrying over
that part any more."

Mr. Brown hitched up and drove Beth back. On the way, she told him of
the fire, and how Duke had saved their lives. Duke and Gift were
following the carriage, and perhaps Duke was telling his son of his own
heroism, because Gift often barked as if excited over something.

Mr. Brown said he would like to see the ruins and so Beth drove with
him to the homestead. They found Mr. Davenport, Julia, Harvey, Maggie,
and Gustus out near the stables.

"Why Beth, where have you been?" cried her father.

She jumped out of the carriage and ran and threw herself into her
father's arms. "Papa, now that our house is gone, I was afraid you'd
take us back North to live. I don't want to go, but if I had to go, it
would have broken my heart to part with Duke, but now, I'll never,
never have to part with him, no matter what happens. Mr. Brown says
he's mine forever."

"Dear, I do not expect to go back North. Next fall, we'll build a fine
new house, and you shall be a little Florida lady the rest of your
life, if you wish."

"I'm to live South always," cried Beth, turning a radiant face toward
her friends.

"Three cheers for our little Florida lady," proposed Harvey. All
present joined in the hurrahing that followed. Gustus's voice rang out
the loudest of any.

Beth's face was radiant. The sun was shining once more for her. Her
two great fears had proved groundless. Duke was hers, and henceforth
she was to remain A Little Florida Lady.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE FLORIDA LADY***

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