to."

"You bet you won't!" exclaimed Farnsworth. "I'm glad you've given it
up of your own accord, Zaly, for if you hadn't I'd have to forbid it,
anyway! I can't allow you to do such things."

"And I don't want to. It wasn't as nice as I thought it would be, and
yet,--it _was_ fun!" She smiled as thoughts of her daredevil stunts
passed through her mind.

"Tell us all about it!" cried Ray Gale. "I'm awfully interested, and
_I'm_ sorry you're going to quit! By George, Farnsworth! if you'd seen
our Azalea in that picture of the cyclone!"

"Never mind!" Azalea interrupted him, "I'm all over that foolish idea."

"I should hope so!" exclaimed Elise, with a withering glance. "The idea
of anybody being in such company as you must have been--"

"Not at all," Azalea declared; "I wasn't mixed up with anybody
unpleasant at all. In fact, I talked to no one but the Bixbys and Mr.
Merritt. Mrs. Bixby was most kind and looked after me as a mother might
have done,--though I never knew a mother's care."

The pretty face grew sad, and the whole attitude of Azalea was so
penitent and full of resolve to be more like the people she admired that
all of Patty's lingering resentment fled away. She put the baby in her
father's arms, and she flew over to Azalea and gave her an embrace of
full and free forgiveness and affection.

"It's all right, Zaly," she said, smiling at her, "you _did_ cut up
jinks with my baby,--but when you came home to look after her,--even
when you thought I was here,--and when you put up such a great game to
rescue her from the enemy's clutches,--and succeeded,--well,--_I'm_ for
_you_!"

Patty spoke so whole-heartedly there was no doubt of her sincerity, and
Azalea looked grateful and pleased,--yet, she looked troubled too.

"Oh, Patty, you're too good to me," she said, "you don't know--I don't
deserve your faith and loyalty."

"Oh, I 'spect you do," and Patty caressed the shining brown hair.

"No,--I'm all unworthy--"

"I suppose you mean about that sampler business," put in Elise, with an
unkind look on her face. "I think you ought to confess that,--while
you're confessing."

Farnsworth gave a reproving glance at Elise, but he said, "Out with
it, Zaly,--let's clean off the slate while we're about it. What's the
sampler business that sticks in Elise's throat?"

He sounded so sympathetic and helpful that Azalea spoke up bravely.

"I did do wrong, Bill, but I didn't realise _how_ wrong when I was doing