veil.

"Mrs. Colter, this is Miss Crosby's fy-an-see," introduced Tottie.
"And, Barbara, this is goin' to be your Uncle Felix."

Hull sat, and Barbara came to him, putting out a shy hand. "Ah! So
this is the little niece!" he exclaimed. "Well! Well!--When did you
come down, Mrs. Colter?"

"Left Poughkeepsie at six-thirty this mornin'. And now I must be
runnin' along--to see if I can find that pickle fork."

Barbara had been studying the newcomer more frankly. Emboldened by his
smile, she brought forward the nosegay. "See what I've got for Aunt
Clare," she whispered.

Hull patted the crumpled blossoms. "You're a thoughtful little body,"
he declared. And as Mrs. Colter started out, "Could I trouble you, I
wonder?" He got up. "I mean to say, will you buy something for the
little niece?"

"Oh, ain't that nice of him!" cried Mrs. Colter, appealing to Tottie.

Hull was going into a pocket to cover his confusion at being praised.
"A--a pinafore, for instance," he suggested, "or a--a----"

"A coat," pronounced Tottie. "Look at that one! It's fierce!"

With the grave air of a little old lady, Barbara interposed. "I need
shoes worse," she declared. "See." She put out a foot.

"Yes, shoes," agreed Hull. He pressed a bill into Mrs. Colter's hand.
There were tears in her mild eyes. She did not trust herself to speak,
but nodded, smiling, and hurried away. He sat again, and drew the
child to him.

Tottie, leaned against the mantelpiece once more, observed the two with
languid, but not unkindly, interest. "I wonder why the kid's father
and mother don't do more for her," she hazarded.

Hull frowned. "It makes my blood boil when I think how that precious
pair have loaded the child onto Miss Crosby," he answered.

"Pretty bony," agreed Tottie.

"And she's so brave about it--so uncomplaining. Why, any other girl
would have put her niece into an orphanage."

The rooming-house keeper grinned. "Well, she did think of it," she
said slyly. "But they turned her down. Y' see, Barbara--ain't a'
orphan."

Now Barbara lifted an eager face. "My mother's in Africa, and my
father's in Africa," she boasted.

"Out o' sight, pettie, out o' mind."

Hull took one of the child's hands in both of his. "You've got a
mighty fine auntie, little girl," he said with feeling. "Just the best
auntie in the whole world."

Barbara nodded. "And I love her," she answered, "best of everybody
'cept my mother."

Tott