said it so it sounded like Anna. And Lily said she'd
seen you riding with father. I wish you'd walk down there," coaxingly.

"I'll see if mother will let me." Hanny sprang up.

"And put on a nice white apron," said Jim.

"They're too old for Hanny," began Ben, looking up from his book.

"Why, Lily's only eleven. And anyhow----"

Jim didn't know just how to explain it. Lily had begged him that
afternoon to bring his little sister down. To tell the truth she was
very ambitious to know the Underhills. They must be somebody, for they
kept horses and a carriage, and owned their house.

"Do you know," said Belle May as they watched Jim going up the street,
"I half believe the little girl who stood on the stoop that day is Jim's
sister."

"That little country thing! I never thought of it. But I don't suppose
she really heard."

"If she _did_--what will you do?"

"Do?" Lily tossed her head. "Why, I shall act just as if I never said it
or had seen her before or anything. You don't suppose I'm a goose in
pin-feathers, do you? I want to get acquainted with them. Of course I
shall ask both boys to my birthday party. I should only ask the nice
people in the street."

Margaret threw her pretty pink fascinator round Hanny's shoulders. She
didn't need any hat this warm summer night. Hanny was very proud to walk
down the street with her brother, who knew so many girls already. Jim
wasn't a bit afraid of being called a "girl boy." Quite a number of
people were sitting out on their stoops. It was the fashion then. Some
of the ladies were knitting lace on two little needles that had sealing
wax on one end, so the stitches could not drop off. There was much
pleasant chatting. The country ways of sociability had not all gone out
of date.

They walked down to the lower end, where the houses were rather
irregular and getting old. Two or three had a small grass door-yard in
front. Two girls were walking up and down with their arms around each.
Jim knew in a moment who they were, but he loitered behind them until
they turned.

"Oh!" exclaimed Lily Ludlow in well-acted surprise. "Are you out taking
a walk?"

"Yes," answered Jim, quite as innocently as if the matter had not been
arranged a few hours ago. "And this is my sister. And this is Lily
Ludlow, and this Belle May."

Alas for Hanny! Lily Ludlow was the girl who had called her "queer" and
laughed. The child's face flushed and there was a lump in her throat.

"You don't go