olonel's ideal of what a little girl
should be, as she sat in one of the high, stiff chairs, enjoying her
strawberries. Her dusty little toes wriggled around in the curls on
Fritz's back, as she used him for a footstool. Her dress was draggled
and dirty, and she kept leaning over to give the dog berries and cream
from the spoon she was eating with herself.

He forgot all this, however, when she began to talk to him.

"My great-aunt Sally Tylah is to our house this mawnin'," she announced,
confidentially. "That's why we came off. Do you know my Aunt Sally
Tylah?"

"Well, slightly!" chuckled the Colonel. "She was my wife's half-sister.
So you don't like her, eh? Well, I don't like her either."

He threw back his head and laughed heartily. The more the child talked
the more entertaining he found her. He did not remember when he had ever
been so amused before as he was by this tiny counterpart of himself.

When the last berry had vanished, she slipped down from the tall chair.

"Do you 'pose it's very late?" she asked, in an anxious voice. "Mom Beck
will be comin' for me soon."

"Yes, it is nearly noon," he answered. "It didn't do much good to run
away from your Aunt Tyler; she'll see you after all."

"Well, she can't 'queeze me an' kiss me, 'cause I've been naughty, an'
I'll be put to bed like I was the othah day, just as soon as I get home.
I 'most wish I was there now," she sighed. "It's so fa' an' the sun's so
hot. I lost my sunbonnet when I was comin' heah, too."

Something in the tired, dirty face prompted the old Colonel to say,
"Well, my horse hasn't been put away yet. I'll take you home on Maggie
Boy."

The next moment he repented making such an offer, thinking what
the neighbours might say if they should meet him on the road with
Elizabeth's child in his arm.

But it was too late. He could not unclasp the trusting little hand that
was slipped in his. He could not cloud the happiness of the eager little
face by retracting his promise.

He swung himself into the saddle, with her in front. Then he put his
one arm around her with a firm clasp, as he reached forward to take the
bridle.

"You couldn't take Fritz on behin', could you?" she asked, anxiously.
"He's mighty ti'ed too."

"No," said the Colonel, with a laugh. "Maggie Boy might object and throw
us all off."

Hugging her basket of flowers close in her arms, she leaned her head
against him contentedly as they cantered down the avenue.

"Look!