o
could have sent you flowers?"

"There's the gardener at Fairholm," Beth ventured to suggest.

"Oh, ah, yes," said Mrs. Caldwell, handing the flowers to Beth without
further demur. The gift appeared less lovely, somehow, when she began
to associate it with the gardener's respectful compliments.

Beth took the flowers, and hid her burning face with them. This was
her first bouquet, the most exquisite thing that had ever happened to
her. She carried it off to her room, and put it in water; and when she
went to bed she kept the candle burning that she might lie and look at
it.

The following week a menagerie came to the place. Alfred and Dicksie
went to it, and their description filled Beth with a wild desire to
see the creatures, especially the chimpanzee. The boys were quite
ready to take her, but how was it to be managed? The menagerie was
only to be there that one night more, but it would be open late, and
they would be allowed to go because animals are improving. Could she
get out too? Beth considered intently.

"I can go to bed early," she said at last, "and get out by the
acting-room window."

"But suppose you were missed?" Alfred deprecated.

"Then I should be found out," said Beth; "but you would not."

"How about being recognised in the menagerie, though?" said Dicksie.
"You see there'll be lots of people, and it's all lighted up."

"I can disguise myself to look like an old woman," Beth rejoined,
thinking of Aunt Victoria's auburn front and some of her old things.

"Oh no, Beth!" Alfred protested. "That would be worse than the
whiskers."

"Can't you come as a boy?" said Dicksie.

"I believe I can," Beth exclaimed. "There's an old suit of Jim's
somewhere that would be the very thing--one he grew out of. I believe
it's about my size, and I think I know where it is. What a splendid
idea, Dicksie! I can cut my hair off."

"Oh no! Your pretty hair!" Alfred exclaimed.

"Is it pretty?" said Beth, surprised and pleased.

"_Is_ it pretty!" he ejaculated, lifting it with both hands, and
bathing his face in it; "the brightest, brownest, curliest, softest,
sweetest hair on earth! Turn it up under your cap. These little curls
on your neck will look like short hair."

They were all so delighted with this romantic plan, that they danced
about, and hugged each other promiscuously. But this last piece of
cleverness was their undoing, for Beth was promptly recognised at the
menagerie by some one with a sense