ry, and she laughed with delight.
He was dressed as an English squire of an early century. Quickly she
whispered to Dorothy.

"May I, oh, _may_ I?" she asked.

"Yes, oh, _do_," laughed Dorothy.

"I choose you, Uncle Harry," she cried, "oh, come quick."

Never too dignified to have a bit of fun, and always ready to please the
children, he hurried forward and entered the ring.

"As if I'd lose a moment in joining three such charming young ladies,"
he said, while the laughing children danced yet faster around the merry
four.

How handsome he looked as he stood among his little friends. A brave,
athletic young man he was, with a heart full of love for the children,
who returned his affection with interest.

"Now, Uncle Harry, it's your turn to sing," said Flossie. "Do you know
the verse you ought to sing?"

"I don't believe I do know the one which belongs in this game, but I'll
sing one of my own," he said with a laugh.

"You are so charming, all in a ring,
Hardly I know of which siren to sing,
Yet if I _must_ choose, then it shall be
Mollie, bright Mollie to come unto me."

His was a fine voice, and he sang his improvised verse to the music of
one of his favorite songs, "Beautiful Dreamer."

"Oh, I wish you had to sing ever so many verses," Jeanette said
impulsively, and he bowed to her earnestly spoken compliment.

They had paused for a moment to rest, and for a time their hands were
unclasped. Patricia thought that this was just her chance. She touched
Arabella's arm.

"Come," she whispered, and Arabella followed.

It happened that no one noticed that the two had left their playmates,
and soon they were flying around in a circle, singing their verses, and
choosing as before.

The conservatory was brightly lighted, and the perfume of the flowers
was rich and heavy. The fountain plashed in its shallow basin, and it
seemed like a glimpse of fairyland. Patricia looked about to see if any
one had followed them, but no one was near.

"Now this is what I'm going to show you," she said. "You see that one
lovely fountain?" Oh, yes, Arabella saw that.

"Well, there's _two_ fountains, and _I_ know where the other one is.
I'll let you try to find it first, and if you can't find it, I'll show
it to you."

"How do _you_ know where it is?" questioned Arabella.

Patricia looked very important.

"I know, because I _do_ know," she said.

Arabella looked into this corner, and peeped into that, and be