boy. I am two and twenty."

"Quite an old man! I'll see you very soon again, and maybe I can give
you--your answer. Kurt goes to town early in the morning. Meet me in the
pergola near the garage. Good night!"

By way of the kitchen and back stairs she reached her room undetected.

"Dear old Jo! Poor Kurt!" she thought sleepily, as she stretched herself
luxuriously to rest. "It's a very small, very funny old world, and the
thief is certainly getting in deep waters."

On the trail to Westcott's, Jo was chuckling to himself.

"The little thief! If she isn't the slickest little lass I ever saw!"

In the library, oblivious to time and place, Kurt still lingered, his
dream-like memories trying to learn the tune that Pan was piping on his
reeds.

CHAPTER VIII

At the breakfast-table Pen found at her plate a little bunch of flowers,
clumsily arranged and tied.

"From Jo," informed Betty--"The Bulletin," as her father was wont to call
her. "He came just after Uncle Kurt started for town."

Pen smiled as she took up the little stiff nosegay. She held it lightly
for a moment, looking down at the blossoms. There was a mute appeal in the
little messengers from the boyish lover. Something infinitely tender
stirred in her heart for a second, bringing a tear to her eye, as she
mused upon his boyish faith in love.

She put the flowers in the glass of water beside her plate, and gave her
attention to the prattle of the children.

After breakfast she pinned the little nosegay to her middy and went down
to the pergola.

Jo saw her coming and hurried forward to meet her, his eyes brightening
when he saw the flowers.

"Thank you, Jo. They are very pretty."

"Thank you for wearing them."

"I asked you to come here this morning, Jo, so you would do me a favor."

"You know I would."

"Will you mail this letter for me? I wrote it last night after you left,
and you are the only one I can trust. And--Jo--will you please not read
the address?"

He put the letter in his pocket.

"You can trust me."

"You had better go, because I hear the rattle that can be made only by
Kurt's car. He must have come back for something. You can go around the
bend here."

"Say, Penny Ante, I don't like this deceiving him--"

"Just a bit longer, Jo," she said persuasively. "Mrs. Kingdon said to wait
until her return."

He followed her instructions, and she returned to the house.

"It's a great possession," she thought musingly,