e very fierce,
are they not, Rosebud? especially the big ones that sometimes try to
worry you. How they can ever want to worry such a pitty-itty, dear,
naughty growly-wowly, snarley-warley as you, is quite beyond my
comprehension; but then, you see, we live in a world of puzzles, you and
I, Rosebud, and so it's of no use being puzzled, because that does no
good, and only worries one. Don't it, deary sweety petty? Well, you
can't answer of course, though I _know_ that you understand every word I
say."

Miss Peppy suddenly shrieked, for the "sweety petty" bit her with
sufficient force to show that he was not in a mood to be played with,
and would do it harder next time.

Just then the colonel entered, and Rosebud at once received him with a
tornado of maddening yelps, so that for at least five minutes it had the
entire monopoly of the conversation, and Miss Peppy was obliged to say
good-morning in dumb show. At the same time, the colonel frowned
fiercely at Rosebud, and said something which Miss Peppy could not hear
because of the noise, but which, from the abrupt motion of the lips, she
suspected must be something very wicked indeed.

When the darling creature at last consented to hold its tongue, the
colonel said--

"Are you aware, Miss Stuart, that your nephew has been out all night?"

"No, colonel, I was not aware of it," said Miss Peppy with a slight
elevation of her eyebrows; "I wonder at it, for although he often goes
out all night to ride wild horses into the sea, and save drowned people,
and things of that sort, he never goes out without telling Niven, and
saying whether or not he's likely to be back soon. Besides, he always
has the door-key in his pocket, when he doesn't forget it, which is
pretty often. Perhaps he had _your_ door-key in his pocket, but after
all, even if he had, that wouldn't alter the fact that he's been out all
night. But maybe he's in bed--did you look?"

"Yes, I looked, and he has evidently not lain on the bed at all last
night."

"Under it?" suggested Miss Peppy.

The colonel smiled slightly, and said that it had not occurred to him to
look under the bed.

At that moment the door burst open, and Bella's maid, rushing in, flung
herself on her knees at the colonel's feet, and, clasping her hands,
cried in piteous tones--

"Oh! sir, please, mercy please."

"Are you mad, girl?" said the colonel, with a look of mingled
displeasure and anxiety.

"Oh, sir, no sir, but,"--(