hisself; isn't he, father?"

"Good gracious, child, no! He is a little boy!"

"No, no, father! You are awfu' mistook. Mother called him a star. I'll
show you him up in the sky if it really comes to be a starful night.
May I, father?"

"Some time, my darling; but now you must hurry in, for I have to get
ready for dinner. Kiss me, Di. Good-night. God bless you, little one!"

"B'ess you too, father," said Diana. "I love 'oo awfu' well."

She raised her rosebud lips, fixed her black eyes on her parent's
face, kissed him solemnly, and trotted away into the house. When she
got close to it, a great sob came up from her little chest. She
thought again of the dead Rub-a-Dub, but then the chance of his having
a public funeral consoled her. She longed to find Iris.

Full of this thought, her little heart beating more quickly than
usual, she rushed up the front stairs, and was turning down the
passage which led to the nursery, when she was confronted by a short,
stout woman dressed in black.

"Now, who is this little girl, I wonder?" said a high-pitched, cheery
voice.

"It is not your little girl; and I am in a hurry, please," said Diana,
who could be very rude when she liked. She did not wish to be
interrupted now; she wanted to find Iris to tell her of the sad fate
of Rub-a-Dub.

"Highty-tighty!" exclaimed the little lady, "that is no way to speak
to grown-up people. I expect, too, you are one of my little nieces.
Come here at once and say, 'How do you do?'"

"Are you the aunt?" asked Diana solemnly.

"The aunt!" replied Mrs. Dolman. "I am your aunt, my dear. What is
your name?"

"Diana. Please, aunt, don't clutch hold of my hand; I want to find
Iris."

"Of all the ridiculous names," muttered Mrs. Dolman under her breath.
"Well, child, I am inclined to keep you for a moment, as I want to
talk to you. Do you know, you rude little girl, that I have come a
long way to see you. Of course, my little girl, I know you are sad at
present; but you must try to get over your great sorrow."

"Do you know, then, about Rub-a-Dub?" said Diana, her whole face
changing, and a look of keen interest coming into it.

If Aunt--whatever her other name was--should turn out to be interested
in Rub-a-Dub, and sorry for his untimely end, why, then, Diana felt
there was a possibility of her squeezing a little corner for her in
her hearts of hearts. But Mrs. Dolman's next words disturbed the
pleasant illusion.

"You are a poor little o