xtremely pretty, Kathleen almost startlingly so. But what about the
gloveless little hands and the untidy neck and throat?

"Please," said Kathleen, "we have come to see my aunt, Miss O'Flynn. She
is here, isn't she?"

The man said he would inquire, and went to the bureau.

"Yes," he said after a minute's pause. "Will you come to the
drawing-room, young ladies?"

He conducted the children down some wide passages covered with thick
Turkey carpets, opened the folding doors of a great drawing-room, and
left them to themselves. There was a minute or two of agonized terror on
the part of Ruth, of suspense and rapid heart-beating as far as Kathleen
was concerned, and then a deep, mellow, ringing voice was heard, and
Miss Katie O'Flynn entered the apartment.

"Why, I never!" she cried. "The top of the morning to you, my honey! God
bless you, my darling! Oh, it is joy to kiss your sweet face again!"

A little lady, all smiles and dimples, all curls and necklaces and gay
clothing, extended two arms wide and clasped them round Kathleen's neck.

"Ah, aunty!" said Kathleen, "this is good. And I ran away to see you. I
did, darling; I did. I have got into the most awful scrape; nobody knows
what will happen. See me--without gloves and without a necktie. And this
dear little girl, one of my chosen friends, Ruth Craven, has come with
me."

"Ah, now, how sweet of her!" said Miss O'Flynn, turning to Ruth.--"Kiss
me, my darling. Why, then, you are as welcome as though you were the
core of my heart for being so kind to my sweet Kathleen.--Come to the
light, Kathleen asthore, and let me look at you. But it isn't as rosy
you are as you used to be. It's a bit pale and pulled down you look. Do
you like England, my dear? If you don't like it all at all, it's home
you will come with me to the old castle and the old country. Now then,
children, sit by me and let's have a talk. We'll have a good meal
presently, and then I have a bit of a thought in the back of my head
which I think will please you both. Sit here anyway for the present, and
let us collogue to our hearts' content."

Miss Katie O'Flynn and her two young charges, as she told the girls she
considered them, drew a good deal of attention as they sat and talked
together. The little lady was not young, but was certainly very
fascinating. She had a vivacious, merry smile, the keenest, most
brilliant black eyes in the world, and a certain grace and dignity about
her which seemed to