ark uniforms of a charity
school, walked sedately around, arm in arm, under the watchful eyes of the
attendant nuns. Then some soldiers passed on foot, and a little while
after, some more dashed by on horseback, and she remembered that Tours was
the headquarters of the Ninth Army corps, and that she might expect to
meet them often.

Not till the tolling of the great cathedral bell reminded her that it was
time to go back to the hotel, did she think again of Howl and Kenny and
Fidelia. By that time her walk had put her into such a pleasant frame of
mind, that she could think of them without annoyance.

CHAPTER VIII.

WITH BETTY AND EUGENIA

When the Little Colonel reached the hotel, the omnibus was leaving the
door to go to the railroad station, a few blocks away. Thinking that Betty
and Eugenia might be on the coming train, she went into the parlour to
wait for the return of the omnibus. She had bought a box of chocolate
creams at the cake shop on the corner to divide with Hero.

Fidelia had wandered down to the parlour in her absence, and now seated at
the old piano was banging on its yellow keys with all her might. She
played unusually well for a girl of her age, but Lloyd had a feeling that
a public parlour was not a place to show off one's accomplishments, and
her nose went up a trifle scornfully as she entered.

Then she caught sight of herself in the mirror over the mantel, and her
expression changed instantly.

"For mercy sakes!" she said to herself. "I look like one of the proud and
haughty sistahs in 'Cindahella,' as if I thought the earth wasn't good
enough for me to step on. It certainly isn't becoming, and it would make
me furious if anybody looked at me in such a cool, scornful way. I know
that I feel that way inside whenevah I talk to Fidelia. I wondah if she
sees it in my face, and that's what makes her cross and scratchy, like a
cat that has had its fur rubbed the wrong way. Just for fun I believe I'll
pretend to myself for ten minutes that I love her deahly, and I'll smile
when I talk to her, just as if she were Betty, and nevah pay any attention
to her mean speeches. I'll give her this one chance. Then if she keeps on
bein' hateful, I'll nevah have anything moah to do with her again."

So while Fidelia played on toward the end of the waltz, purposely
regardless of Lloyd's presence, Lloyd, sitting behind her, looked into the
mirror, and practised making pleasant faces for Fidelia's benef