nd joy in her pony had been freely
expressed. The mother's mental picture of the stiff, cold individual to
whose doubtful mercies she had confided her child at such short notice had
been softened by the references to him in Jewel's letters; and it was with
a shock of disappointment that she found herself repulsed now by the same
unyielding personality, the same cold-eyed, unsmiling, fastidiously dressed
figure, whose image had lingered in her memory. A dozen eager questions
rose to her lips, but she repressed them.

"Jewel must have had a glimpse of the real man," she thought. "I must not
cloud her perception." It did not occur to her, however, that the child
could even now feel less than awe of the stern guardian with whom she had
succeeded in living at peace, and who had, from time to time, bestowed upon
her gifts. One of these Mrs. Evringham noticed now.

"Oh, that's your pretty watch!" she said.

"Yes," returned the child, "this is Little Faithful. Isn't he a darling?"

The mother smiled as she lifted the silver cherub. "You've named him?" she
returned. "Why, it is a beauty, Jewel. How kind of your grandfather!"

"Yes, indeed. It was so I wouldn't stay in the ravine too long."

"How is Anna Belle?"

"Dear Anna Belle!" exclaimed the little girl wistfully. "What a good time
she would have had if I could have brought her! But you see I needed both
my hands to help carry bags; and she understood about it and sent her love.
She'll be sitting up waiting for you."

Mrs. Evringham cast a look toward Harry and his father. "I'm not sure"--she
began, "I hardly think we shall go to Bel-Air to-night. How would you like
to stay in at the hotel with us, and then we could go out to the house
to-morrow and pack your trunk?"

Jewel looked very sober at this. "Why, it would be pretty hard to wait,
mother," she replied. "Hotels are splendid. Grandpa and I had dinner at
one. It's named the Waldorf and it has woods in it just like outdoors; but
I thought you'd be in a hurry to see Star and the Ravine of Happiness and
Zeke."

"Well, we'll wait," returned Mrs. Evringham vaguely. She was more than
doubtful of an invitation to Bel-Air Park even for one night; but Harry
must arrange it. "We'll see what father says," she added. "What a pretty
locket, my girlie!" As she spoke she lifted a gold heart that hung on a
slender gold chain around Jewel's neck.

"Yes. Cousin Eloise gave me that when she went away. She has had it ever
since