he had been looking forward to
telling Dale about Robin and her plans. But Robin stood firm.

"You see I may spoil everything and he'd think I was just stupid. I
don't want him to know--yet."

Robin walked back to the Manor with a light heart. Her world that had
always seemed so small, bounded on its every side by Jimmie, now
suddenly assumed limitless proportions and beautiful possibilities.
There was so much to be done and so much to think about. Tomorrow she
would see Susy Castle; maybe other boys and girls.

Lights were twinkling from some of the windows of the Manor. Robin
paused for a moment at the bottom of the long ascent to "love" the Manor
in its purple cloak of gathering dusk. That first Forsyth who had broken
ground for this gray pile had chosen well; the hill upon which the house
had been built stood apart from the other hills, loftily commanding the
village and valley.

"It looks just like a grand old lady holding off her skirts so's not to
touch anything," Robin thought, now, whimsically.

As though to crown her day's progress toward "being" a Forsyth, Robin
found a letter from her guardian awaiting her. Cornelius Allendyce had
written it keeping in mind his sister's advice not to notice a girl's
"foibles"--"it's one thing today and another tomorrow."

"... I am delighted that you are happy and finding so much to
occupy your time. Do not worry about your lessons. Not all
knowledge is confined within the covers of school books. (He had
read that somewhere and thought it came in very pat, now.) How
about some sort of a party. You ought to know the people of the
country before the winter sets in. Think it over and decide what
you want. I will double your allowance if you haven't enough. If
you need a club to make you happy, help yourself. Don't worry
about the Mills--let Norris do that. I'll run up to Wassumsic very
soon and answer as many questions as you may wish to ask. Until
then, I am

Devotedly yours,
CORNELIUS ALLENDYCE."

"Beryl--read this! I may use that old cottage. I believe my guardian'll
do everything I ask when he understands. He's a _dear_!"

Beryl came slowly down from her "clouds."

"Robin--listen to _this_ vibrato!"

CHAPTER XIII

SUSY CASTLE

The Forsyth Mills had built Wassumsic--in truth, Wassumsic _was_ the
Forsyth's Mi