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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-30 15:22:05 -0700 |
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diff --git a/75755-h/75755-h.htm b/75755-h/75755-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..07a4c01 --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/75755-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8850 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + +<head> + +<link rel="icon" href="images/img-cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + +<meta charset="utf-8"> + +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Janet--A twin, by Dorothy Whitehill +</title> + +<style> +body { color: black; + background: white; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +p {text-indent: 1.5em } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.contents {line-height: 1.5 } + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 200%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center } + +p.t4b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 60%; + text-align: center } + +h1 { text-align: center } +h2 { text-align: center } +h3 { text-align: center } +h4 { text-align: center } +h5 { text-align: center } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +p.thought {text-indent: 0% ; + letter-spacing: 2em ; + text-align: center } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +.smcap { font-variant: small-caps } + +p.transnote {text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.quote {text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.capcenter { margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0 ; + margin-bottom: .5% ; + margin-top: 0; + font-weight: normal; + float: none ; + clear: both ; + text-indent: 0%; + text-align: center } + +img.imgcenter { margin-left: auto; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-top: 1%; + margin-right: auto; } + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75755 ***</div> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-front"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-front.jpg" alt="She jumped and looked up and directly into the grey eyes of the mysterious boy. (<i>See Page 68</i>)"> +<br> +She jumped and looked up and directly into the grey eyes <br> +of the mysterious boy. (<i>See <a href="#p68">Page 68</a></i>) +</p> + +<h1> +<br><br> + JANET<br> +</h1> + +<p class="t2"> + A TWIN<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> + BY<br> +<br> + DOROTHY WHITEHILL<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> + ILLUSTRATED BY<br> + THELMA GOOCH<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> + GROSSET & DUNLAP<br> + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> + Copyright, 1920,<br> + by<br> + BARSE & CO.<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> + MADE IN U. S. A.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> + CONTENTS<br> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + CHAPTER<br> +</p> + +<p class="noindent contents"> + I <a href="#chap01">A Glimpse of Janet</a><br> + II <a href="#chap02">On the Widows' Wale</a><br> + III <a href="#chap03">Mrs. Todd Intervenes</a><br> + IV <a href="#chap04">Janet's Kingdom</a><br> + V <a href="#chap05">Nor Like Other Girls</a><br> + VI <a href="#chap06">The Fair</a><br> + VII <a href="#chap07">A Stranger in the Kingdom</a><br> + VIII <a href="#chap08">Under Arrest</a><br> + IX <a href="#chap09">The Mysterious Owner</a><br> + X <a href="#chap10">Peter</a><br> + XI <a href="#chap11">Another Letter</a><br> + XII <a href="#chap12">Janet's Passenger</a><br> + XIII <a href="#chap13">The Greatest Surprise in the World</a><br> + XIV <a href="#chap14">A Long Day</a><br> + XV <a href="#chap15">The Day at Last</a><br> + XVI <a href="#chap16">A Day Together</a><br> + XVII <a href="#chap17">At The Rectory for Tea</a><br> + XVIII <a href="#chap18">A Full Cup of Happiness</a><br> + XIX <a href="#chap19">Twins Indeed</a><br> + XX <a href="#chap20">Good-By</a><br> + XXI <a href="#chap21">Conclusion</a><br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +ILLUSTRATIONS +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-front">She jumped and looked up and directly into the gray eyes +of the mysterious boy</a> ... <i>Frontispiece</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-051">For a long minute there was silence, and then Mrs. Page +did something she was rarely ever seen to do; she +smiled</a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-135">"You're not teasing me, are you?" she asked, and her +voice trembled</a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-197">A keen observer might have thought it odd that he chose +the blue chiffon dress to rub against instead of the +white one</a> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap01"></a></p> + +<p class="t2"> +JANET, A TWIN +<p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER I +<br><br> +A GLIMPSE OF JANET +</h3> + +<p> +It was an every-day sort of a looking road, +broad and dusty and flat. It ran straight +across the landscape and ended abruptly in a +merger of blue sky and sparkling sea. On either +side of it sandy soil dotted with clusters of +dwarfed scrub oaks stretched out into limitless +space. There was an uninteresting sameness +about its sunny dustiness that discouraged all +hope of adventure. +</p> + +<p> +But on a late September afternoon it was the +setting of a little scene that marked the turning +place in the life of Janet Page. +</p> + +<p> +The drowsy quiet was broken first by the short, +excited bark of a dog, a crackle of leaves and a +snapping of twigs in the scrub oak, and then +several things happened in quick succession. +</p> + +<p> +A long snake scuttled into the road, a wiry little +Irish terrier bounded after it, followed by a whirling +fury of starched petticoats, long slender legs +and an immense red bow. +</p> + +<p> +This was Janet. +</p> + +<p> +A tiny cloud of dust curtained them all for a +minute; when it settled, it disclosed a rigid tableau. +Janet held the dog's collar in one strong little +brown hand, and with the other and the aid of +one foot she grasped the snake. +</p> + +<p> +"Do something!" she demanded excitedly, as +she turned angry eyes toward a fat, roly-poly +figure that still remained partially hidden by the +scrub oak, watching the scene with an expression +of fear and distaste in his pale blue eyes. +</p> + +<p> +This was Harry Waters. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you want me to do?" he asked sulkily. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was too much occupied to look at him, +but her voice expressed the contempt she felt. +</p> + +<p> +"You might take Boru," she suggested. +</p> + +<p> +Harry made a wide detour and, snatching the +dog, retreated hurriedly back to the side of the +road. +</p> + +<p> +"You're not going to kill him," he said nervously, +and he pointed a trembling finger at the +wriggling snake. +</p> + +<p> +For answer, Janet picked up a large stone. +Harry turned his face away. He wanted to put +his fingers in his ears so that he would not hear +the soft thud that followed, but the frantic dog +made that impossible. +</p> + +<p> +"Come on back," Janet said at last; "he's +quite dead, and I've thrown him into the bushes, +so you won't even have to look at him." Her +voice sounded very grown up and patronizing, and +Harry justly resented it. +</p> + +<p> +"Now look here, Janet Page," he exploded; +"you needn't put on airs. It's not such a big +thing to kill a snake anyway," he finished lamely. +"I could have done it only I didn't see any sense +in it; even if it had bitten Boru, it wouldn't have +hurt him any." Harry was trying hard to justify +an act that he hardly understood himself. He +was a nice boy, two years Janet's senior, and until +to-day he had never let her forget his advantage. +</p> + +<p> +He tried to assert it now. +</p> + +<p> +"You see, I'm older than you are and I've got +lots more sense. I knew that a snake like that +couldn't really hurt a dog and so I just—" He +paused, and under Janet's cool gaze he blushed +very slowly, right up to the roots of his hair. +</p> + +<p> +"Why don't you tell the truth?" she asked +quietly. "You know you are afraid of snakes." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, what if I am?" Harry shifted his feet +uncomfortably. "I can't help it, can I? +Anyway, your grandmother says—" +</p> + +<p> +"Never mind what my grandmother says," +Janet interrupted angrily. "I know it all by +heart. She says you are a very mannerly little +boy; that's because you never forget to take off +your hat when you go into her room. And she +says you're respectful; that's because you always +say 'yes, ma'm; no ma'm; thank you, ma'm,' and +she says you always look tidy, and that's because +you never climb trees and always wear shoes and +stockings, no matter how hot it is, and—" +</p> + +<p> +"Can't help it if my mother makes me, can I?" +Harry blazed out. +</p> + +<p> +Janet paused to consider. +</p> + +<p> +"No, I don't suppose you can," she said at last; +"only somehow I wish you were different." Her +gaze traveled slowly from his round-toed boots to +his neatly brushed hair; a dreamy look came into +her eyes, and the little flecks of gold in the +soft-brown iris caught the sun's rays and glistened. +She sighed profoundly. +</p> + +<p> +"But if you couldn't kill a snake," she said, +speaking more to herself than to him, "why, you +couldn't ever kill a dragon, you see; nor ride a +coal-black charger, nor fight for your lady's +favor—" Her brow wrinkled in a puzzled frown, +but it cleared almost at once. "I was forgetting," +she laughed; "you wouldn't want to anyway, +so it doesn't matter; that is, not so very +much." +</p> + +<p> +She looked around her for Boru; he was busily +investigating the remains of the snake in the +bushes, but at her whistle he trotted obediently to +her heel, and together they walked off down the +road. +</p> + +<p> +Harry, after a miserable minute of indecision, +followed. +</p> + +<p> +They walked in silence, Janet a little ahead, +until they reached the road that ran along the +waterfront and passed the white gate of the old +Page house. +</p> + +<p> +"Aren't you going to go with me any more!" +Harry asked forlornly. +</p> + +<p> +Janet stopped and looked at him. +</p> + +<p> +"Maybe." +</p> + +<p> +"When?" +</p> + +<p> +"Don't know." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I don't care if you don't; you're just +a girl anyway." Harry's lip trembled ever so +slightly and he turned on his heel and hurried +off, trying to hold his head high. +</p> + +<p> +Janet swung on the gate for a few minutes and +watched him until a bend in the road hid him from +view, then she went up the long flight of stone +steps. +</p> + +<p> +The Page house crowned the terrace above. It +was big, somber and very old. To Janet it seemed +to be very tired, too, as though it had waited and +watched a long time for the sea, whose waves beat +incessantly on the shore below, to yield some secret +now long forgotten by the living world. +</p> + +<p> +Four stern columns guarded the square porch +and the old-fashioned, ivory-white door with its +leaded fan lights and heavy knocker. Janet +slipped noiselessly into the wide hall that reflected +the glow of polished mahogany and soft afternoon +sunlight. Just as she tiptoed across the thick rag +rugs and was half way up the stairs, the big +grandfather clock boomed three, and as if in echo +to it a voice, quavering but still clear and +penetrating, called: +</p> + +<p> +"Is that you, Janet?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet had a sudden and unheard of wish not to +answer, but she conquered it and replied at once: +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, grandmother, it's me." Before the +words had had time to float down the stairs she +was conscious of her mistake. "Drat the +personal pronoun anyway," she said to herself; "now +I will catch it." +</p> + +<p> +"Janet, I called you," the voice came again, and +Janet started guiltily. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm coming, grandmother," she answered, +and walked primly back downstairs. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Page's room was on the first floor at the +back of the house away from the sea and overlooking +a trim little garden. An old-fashioned +sleigh bed stood between the windows, and in the +very middle of it a little old lady, wearing an +immense cap, sat propped up against half a dozen +pillows. +</p> + +<p> +This was Mrs. Page, Janet's grandmother. She +was perhaps the most feared and certainly the +most respected woman in Old Chester, and +although she had been bedridden for as many years +as Janet could remember she took a lively interest +in the affairs of the community, and no important +step was ever taken until Cap'n Page's widow +was consulted. Her advice had a way of sounding +very much like a command. +</p> + +<p> +Janet knew the room by heart. She could have +told the location of everything in it with her eyes +blindfolded, so she wasted no time in looking about +her but went straight up to the bed and sat down +on the low chair, where all Mrs. Page's callers +sat. It was placed so that she could see them +without twisting her neck; a thing she particularly +disliked having to do. +</p> + +<p> +"You called me, grandmother?" +</p> + +<p> +Two steely blue eyes opened slowly, and seemed +to bore into the soft depth of Janet's brown ones. +</p> + +<p> +"I did; there can be no doubt of that; nor, I +may add, of your reply." +</p> + +<p> +For perhaps the first time in her life Janet +interrupted her. +</p> + +<p> +"I know I said me instead of I, but I was thinking +of something else and I forgot," she exclaimed +impatiently. +</p> + +<p> +"And may I ask what you were thinking of?" +Mrs. Page inquired in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +Janet frowned and shook her head. "It's not +the slightest use to, for you'd never, never +understand. You see, it was something entirely +different from all this." She looked around the +immaculate room and shook her head again, this +time in despair. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Page lifted herself on to one elbow and +looked at her grand-daughter carefully for a full +minute. +</p> + +<p> +"Janet," she said severely, "what has come +over you?" +</p> + +<p> +There was a long pause, for Janet did not reply. +She was watching a butterfly out in the garden +and trying to decide what it was he was whispering +to that big floppy rose. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Page settled back into her pillows and +pulled the coverlet well up under her chin. +</p> + +<p> +"You may go," she said, pointing a bony finger +toward the door. "I am about to write to your +brother. I regret that I will have to tell him that +you are not only careless but rude." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, grandmother." Janet stood up, and +after she had carefully straightened the chair +upon which she had been sitting she walked quietly +out of the room. +</p> + +<p> +Once in the hall, with the door closed, a tiny +sigh escaped her. She leaned up against the old +clock and stared at a patch of sunlight on the rug; +Two big round tears rolled down her cheeks +unnoticed. +</p> + +<p> +Boru came over inquisitively from his place by +the stairs and licked her hand. She dropped to +her knees beside him and hugged him impulsively. +</p> + +<p> +"Come along, old fellow," she whispered. +"Let's go up to the 'widow's walk' and think it +all out. I guess grandmother is right; something +has come over me." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap02"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER II +<br><br> +ON THE WIDOWS' WALK +</h3> + +<p> +"But just what is it?" she mused a few +minutes later, as she settled herself +comfortably and pulled Boru's shaggy head +down to her knee. +</p> + +<p> +The "widows' walk" was Janet's favorite place +in which to think things out, for it was on the flat +roof of the house, away from any possible +interruptions. Martha, the old servant, had long ago +given up attempting the rickety stairs that led +to it. It was in itself a rather dangerous spot. +Many of the boards that went to make the platform +were broken or badly rotted from long +exposure to wind and rain. The railing that ran +around it was in the last stage of decay. But +there was something about it, perhaps the feeling +of being up among the tree tops, that made Janet +disregard its dangers. +</p> + +<p> +As a rule, she was content to sit and gaze out +to sea and "pretend." The name, "widows' +walk," opened up so many avenues of imaginings. +She often saw the ghosts of the poor distracted +women of long ago, pacing up and down, their +eyes always turned toward the sea, searching for +a familiar masthead. Old Chester had once been +a famous fishing village, and the roof of every +house along the shore was topped by some sort +of observatory. Sometimes it was a square glass +cupola, but more often it was a wooden walk, +such as crowned the Page house, and because in so +many, many cases the looked-for boats never did +return to harbor, these walks unhappily came to +be called "widows' walks." +</p> + +<p> +To-day, however, Janet had no time for fancy. +Something inside her head and her heart was +demanding to be put into words. +</p> + +<p> +"I wonder what is the matter with me!" she +said again. "I feel awfully different. I suppose +I'm unhappy. Am I, do you think!" +</p> + +<p> +If any one had accused Janet of talking to herself +she would have resented it hotly, but it was +characteristic of her to pour out her troubles to +the ever-patient and understanding Boru. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm lonely, for one thing," she confided as she +pulled one velvety soft ear. "Of course any one +but you would say that was silly, for I have Harry +to play with, and then there are the Blake +children." Two well-behaved, very clean and very +shiny girls filled her imagination for an +instant, but she dismissed them with a frown. +"They don't count, because they simply won't +play the way I want to. Harry is a boy, and I +do—no, I did like him a little better, but you +know, old fellow, that after the way he acted +to-day about the snake, I just—well, he is a +scare-cat and that's all there is about it." +</p> + +<p> +Boru's eyes, almost as brown as his mistress's, +looked up in solemn confirmation of her last remark. +</p> + +<p> +Her thoughts wandered for a minute and then +came back to the original idea. +</p> + +<p> +"I guess lonely isn't just exactly the word, +but it's something a lot like it. I want some one +to be with who is more like me—" She broke +off suddenly, "I wish I had a sister," she +whispered softly. Her arm tightened around Boru's +neck, and she buried her head in his shaggy coat. +Then quite suddenly she sat bolt upright, and her +eyes flashed. "I'm mad, too; mad all the way +through at everything and everybody except +you,"—Boru acknowledged the exception with an +affectionate lick—"and I think the person I'm the +very maddest at is my big brother Thomas. He's +not a bit the kind of a brother to have." She +jumped up suddenly, and the breeze coming in +from the water took the skirt of her gingham dress +and flapped it as it would a sail. +</p> + +<p> +"Boru, do you know what I am going to do!" +she demanded very seriously. +</p> + +<p> +Boru was a little surprised and disturbed at +being so unceremoniously upset but he cocked one +ear expectantly. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm going to write and tell him so," she +announced defiantly. +</p> + +<p> +Her determination did not leave her even when +she was seated at her big desk, where everything +was arranged in perfect order for letter writing. +Janet had written her brother at stated intervals +during her thirteen years, but each and every +letter had always been carefully read and +corrected by her grandmother. Stiff and formal +notes were the result. As for answers, she had +never received any, as far back as she could +remember, but a brief typewritten note reached her +grandmother twice a year and stated, rather than +said, that Thomas was well and that the ranch +in far-away Arizona was as successful as could +be expected under the conditions of the present +year. True, he never forgot to send his love to +Janet, but Janet, from early childhood, had had +a very decided idea about that sort of love. +To-day she meant to make that idea known. +</p> + +<p> +With a great deal of care and precision she +selected an especially clean sheet of paper and a +square and very businesslike envelope, put a new +gold pen in her penholder and set to work. The +first words she wrote were "Dear Thomas," then +she stopped. There were so many things she +wanted to say. She looked to Boru for inspiration +He was gazing thoughtfully at a fly that +was crawling along the floor; the instant it started +to fly he pounced on it. Janet laughed. "Thanks, +Boru; that is just what I'll do myself; I'll gobble +Thomas up all at once." She turned back to her +desk and wrote under the "Dear Thomas: +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +"I have been meaning to write to you for ever +so long and to say just what I wanted to, and so +I might as well tell you right away that grandmother +is not going to see this letter at all. It's +just from me to you, and I'm not going to be +particular about grammar or blots. The most +'special things I have to say are all questions, and +then some other things that are not very nice. +Perhaps I'd better start with those. The first one +is that I think you would be a lot nicer if you +called yourself Tom or Tommy, instead of +Thomas. Of course I don't know what you look +like, for the only picture we have of you is a baby +one that I know you would perfectly hate, but I +think you are short and frown a lot, and I hope +you haven't a beard but I'm afraid you have. I +just told Boru, that's my dog, but you probably +wouldn't like him, that you were not a bit what a +big brother ought to be, and I really don't think +you are, and I might as well say that you would +have been much more of a comfort to me if you'd +been a sister. +</p> + +<p> +"The questions I want to ask you are: What +do you do in Arizona, and are you ever coming +home, and do you ride horseback, and don't you +like to be with lots of people instead of just with +a few that some one else chooses for you, and +what would you think of a boy who was afraid of +snakes? If you say that he's a sensible boy—that's +what grandmother would say—I'll never +like you, never. +</p> + +<p> +"If I only knew you and you were nice like the +boys in the books I read, how many things we +could talk over! I could ask you about all the +things that really matter—the things that +grandmother won't even let me mention. Thomas, I'm +really not too young to be told things. I'd grow +up all in a minute if I could be with girls my own +age. But I don't expect you'll understand, so I +won't write any more. I've said some of the +things I wanted to and that makes me feel a little +tit better." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +She hesitated over the ending, and finally +decided just to sign her name. Then without +reading over what she had written, lest her resolve +weaken, she folded up the paper and put it into +its envelope. +</p> + +<p> +Boru's tail thumping on the floor made her +conscious of steps outside her door, and she hastily +finished writing the address and slipped the letter +into her pocket just as Martha opened her door. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, Miss Janet, not dressed for your tea, +and it almost six o'clock, and Mrs. Waters with +your grandmother and wanting to see you! Tut, +tut!" Martha shook her gray head in real +despair. She was a kindly old woman, who had +served faithfully all her life, but because it was +so simple for her to do what was expected of her +always she had never understood how hard it was +sometimes for others; but she was never cross and +usually contented herself with saying, "Tut, tut!" +in her mild old voice at all Janet's failings. +</p> + +<p> +"What does Mrs. Waters want me for?" Janet +asked. A vision of Harry's mother retailing the +afternoon's adventure with the snake made her +heart sink. +</p> + +<p> +"I couldn't say, my dear," Martha replied +placidly. "Your grandmother sent me to get you. +Here now, brush up your hair a bit. Are your +hands clean?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet submitted to being tidied up, and then +hurried downstairs to her grandmother's room. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Waters was seated in the visitor's chair, +her back to the door, but she turned around as +Janet entered and smiled a welcome. Mrs. Page +spoke: +</p> + +<p> +"Janet, what is all this I hear about your knowing +how to take care of sick dogs?" she inquired +crossly. +</p> + +<p> +Janet hesitated. She did know a good deal +about the care of all animals, but she was at a +loss as to how to explain her knowledge to her +grandmother. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, do you or don't you know anything about +them?" Mrs. Page insisted impatiently. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, I do know about them." Janet's reply +came so quickly that it surprised herself. +</p> + +<p> +Her grandmother looked at her for a long +minute and then nodded her head. "Very well; go +with Mrs. Waters and do what you can for her +dog," she said sharply, and then to indicate that +the interview was at an end she turned her back +on her visitors. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Waters took Janet's arm and hurried out +of the room. She was a timid little woman, very +easily silenced, and she still spoke in a half +whisper when they were out of the house. +</p> + +<p> +"It's Roy, my dear, our English setter; he has +hurt his paw, and the veterinary is away," she +explained. +</p> + +<p> +Janet gave a mighty sigh of relief. Harry had +not told tales. She smiled at his mother reassuringly. +</p> + +<p> +"Poor old fellow. I hope I can do something +to help him." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I'm sure you can. Harry says you are +wonderful with animals," Mrs. Waters replied. +"Roy is such a valuable dog," she added. +</p> + +<p> +They reached the Waters' cottage, just off the +main street of the little village, and Janet followed +Mrs. Waters around to the barn. Before the door +was opened, she could hear the low moan of an +animal in pain. Once inside, she knelt down +beside Roy and patted him. He gave her the +affectionate welcome, always awarded a true dog +lover. +</p> + +<p> +She examined his paw and found the trouble +to be a deeply embedded splinter. +</p> + +<p> +"May I have a darning needle? she asked. +Mrs. Waters hurried to the house to get it. Janet +busied herself filling a basin with clear spring +water, and she took the towel from its roller on +the kitchen porch. +</p> + +<p> +"Here it is, my dear," Mrs. Waters said, "and +a bottle of peroxide. You don't mind if I don't +stay, do you! I'd be sure to faint." +</p> + +<p> +Janet smiled. "No indeed. I can get along +quite well alone," she said, and knelt to her task. +</p> + +<p> +For the next few minutes she was absorbed in +her work. The splinter was in deep, and it was +hard to make Roy lie still. She was about to +give up in despair when a voice, almost at her +elbow, said: +</p> + +<p> +"Here, let me help." +</p> + +<p> +She turned quickly, startled, and saw a boy +about fifteen, very shabbily dressed in old blue +overalls and a torn straw hat. His hair, burnt by +the sun, was almost red, and his eyes were a clear +gray. Janet was too astonished to speak, but +with a nod she accepted his offer to help, and they +worked in silence until the splinter was out and +the wound carefully bathed. +</p> + +<p> +"I guess I'll let him lick it," Janet said, putting +aside the bandage Mrs. Waters had given her. +The boy nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"Best way," he said. "Do you know horses +as well as dogs!" he inquired slowly. +</p> + +<p> +"No, we haven't any, you see," Janet replied, +as she gathered up the things and started for the +house. +</p> + +<p> +"Too bad." The boy spoke with a drawl that +had nothing of laziness in it but a good deal of +dreamy calculation. He leaned over and patted +Roy. "Good night, old fellow," he said, and +without a word more to Janet he disappeared as +quietly as he had come. +</p> + +<p> +Janet went on into the house, wondering who +he could be, but for some reason she did not ask +Mrs. Waters, perhaps because that good lady was +too busy thanking her. +</p> + +<p> +"I think you are so clever, dearie," she said +warmly. "I wonder where Harry can be. It's +dark, and he ought to see you home." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, don't bother Harry," Janet protested. +"I'll run all the way and I'll be there in no time. +I'll be down to see Roy to-morrow." +</p> + +<p> +As soon as she was out of sight of the cottage +she did run. It was quite chilly, and the salt +wind in her face made her blood tingle, and all +the worries of the day faded away with the last +glow of the sunset. It was not until she was +undressing for bed, several hours later, that she +remembered her letter. Her time had been taken +up thinking about the strange boy who had come +so quietly to her aid. When she went to the +pocket of her dress to look for it, it was not there. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap03"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER III +<br><br> +MRS. TODD INTERVENES +</h3> + +<p> +"What are you in such a hurry with +your breakfast for, child?" Martha, +her hands on her big hips, stood +in the doorway between the dining-room and the +kitchen, and looked at Janet with mild curiosity. +</p> + +<p> +It was a gray, misty morning, with a salty taste +and feel to everything. Janet looked up from +her place where, with the assistance of Boru, +she was finishing the last strip of bacon on her +plate. +</p> + +<p> +"I want to go over to the Waters' to see how +Roy is," she explained only half truthfully, for +her thoughts were almost entirely centered on the +hope of finding the letter she had lost the night +before. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, dearie me, that's no reason for bolting +your food," Martha protested, but she let the +matter drop and went back into her kitchen. +</p> + +<p> +Without waiting to stop at her grandmother's +room, Janet hurried out of the house and started +for the village. She kept her eyes on the road, +but the Waters' cottage was reached without a +sign of the missing white envelope. +</p> + +<p> +Harry was lurking in the doorway of the barn, +and Janet called a cheery greeting to him. There +was no sign of the boy with the torn straw hat. +</p> + +<p> +"How's my patient" she asked. +</p> + +<p> +"Ah, he's all right." Harry was still a little +resentful, for he was thinking of the snake. Janet +had completely forgotten it. +</p> + +<p> +Roy, at the first sound of her voice, got up from +his place in the hay and wagged his tail. Janet +knelt and inspected the paw. +</p> + +<p> +"It's a whole lot better, isn't it, old fellow?" +she asked as she patted him. "Keep it clean and +don't walk on it," she advised seriously. +</p> + +<p> +Harry, watching her, laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"You'd think Roy was a human being to hear +you go on. He doesn't know what you're talking +about," he said. +</p> + +<p> +Janet did not reply, but she smiled into the +dog's eyes, and Harry had an uncomfortable +feeling that they were both laughing at him. +</p> + +<p> +As she talked, Janet made a careful search for +the letter but it was nowhere to be seen, and with +a sinking feeling at her heart she realized that +some one must have found it. But whom? She +knelt on the floor beside Roy, and the thought +worried her brain. If Mrs. Waters had it she +would, of course, take it to Mrs. Page and +then—she shrugged her shoulders. It was foolish to +worry over it anyway, until something happened. +It would be a simple matter to write another, but +somehow the spirit that had prompted her to +revolt the day before was gone. +</p> + +<p> +"What are you doing anyway?"—Harry interrupted +her musings. She gave a characteristic +little shrug and jumped up. +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing much," she replied, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +Harry had been doing some thinking himself +for the last few minutes, and he had come to the +decision that it never paid to get mad at Janet, +for no matter how cross you acted she never even +bothered to notice you. So it was with a very +different tone of voice that he asked as she started +for home: +</p> + +<p> +"Do you care if I go along with you?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, come on if you want to," Janet replied, +and together they walked down the path. +</p> + +<p> +"Let's stop at the post office," Janet suggested, +her thoughts, in spite of her determination to +forget it, still on the letter. +</p> + +<p> +As they neared the little, low, red-brick building +almost covered by dark green ivy that served as +post office and general store for Old Chester, they +noticed a horse and cart with bright yellow wheels +drawn up at the curb. The harness was new and +shining, and the horse, a beautiful sorrel with +slender legs, tossed his head impatiently. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, who does that belong to?" Janet exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +"Dunno," Harry was not particularly interested. +"Guess it's Mrs. Todd's. I heard mother +talking about her last night. She is visiting at +the rectory, 'cause she's a cousin or something of +Mrs. Blake's." The door of the post office opened +and he lowered his voice. "Here she comes now." +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked up and saw a tall, mannish-looking +woman, dressed in a rough serge suit and +heavy boots, coming toward them. She had on a +soft gray felt hat without any trimming, and she +carried a market basket over her arm. Her eyes +were small but they were so very blue and +penetrating that Janet felt they must be making holes +in the back of her head. +</p> + +<p> +"Hello, whose children are you?" she demanded +rather than asked as she put her basket into the +cart She turned to Harry. "You're Harry +Waters. I know but you." She scrutinized +Janet, and suddenly her face softened and she +put one big hand on her slender shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +"You're a Page," she said. "The Pages all +have straight short noses. Wait a minute and let +me think. Haven't you a sister?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet shook her head and smiled. It was a +merry smile, for she suddenly realized that she +liked this queer, outspoken woman very much. +</p> + +<p> +"No, I haven't a sister," she replied. "I wish +I had. I have a brother and a grandmother, and +I think that's all, except Boru." She looked +down at the dog who was sniffing at the stranger's +skirts. "Your horse is a beauty," she added +shyly. +</p> + +<p> +"Like him? So do I. Suppose you drive me +home; that is, to the rectory. I am staying there, +and my name is Ann Todd. Here you are! +Jump in, Harry. If you can wind up those fat +legs of yours you will just fit in the back." +</p> + +<p> +Janet had hard work not to show her surprise, +for it was even greater than her delight. She +had never, in all her short life, met any one who +out off their sentences as though they were +clipping threads and who made up their minds so +quickly. +</p> + +<p> +They reached the rectory before she could think +of anything to say, and then all she could stammer +was, "Oh, thank you ever so much; it was simply +thrilling." +</p> + +<p> +Alice and Mildred Blake were sitting in the +tiny little flower garden, both busy with yards of +green bunting which they were sewing together +in long strips. They looked up in surprise as they +saw Janet and Harry. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Janet, will your grandmother really let +you; isn't that wonderful!" they exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was utterly bewildered. "What are you +talking about!" she demanded. "Will my +grandmother let me do what!" +</p> + +<p> +Alice and Mildred looked at each other in +confusion, and then at Mrs. Todd. +</p> + +<p> +"We thought—" Alice began. +</p> + +<p> +"Cousin Ann and mother said—" finished Mildred. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd laughed heartily at their embarrassment +and put her arm around Janet. +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps I can explain," she said. "The girls +are talking about the church fair. Their mother +said something last night about your grandmother's +never letting you take any part in it, +and I said that I would undertake to see that you +came this year, and so I will." Her jaw snapped +with such decision as she said these words that +Janet almost jumped. +</p> + +<p> +"That's awfully nice of you," she replied +politely, "but grandmother's mind is rather hard +to change. I never try." +</p> + +<p> +"Why won't she let you?" Alice asked timidly. +</p> + +<p> +"I hardly remember,"—Janet laughed. "It's +so long since I ceased to come. I was ten then +and I thought it would be such fun, but—well, +I didn't, and I've never asked since. I think +being out late was one of the reasons." +</p> + +<p> +"Humph!" was all Mrs. Todd had to say, but +a few minutes later she offered to drive Janet +home. +</p> + +<p> +"And I'll stop in and say 'how do you do,' too, +while I'm there," she decided. +</p> + +<p> +On the way, as they bowled along the soft sandy +road, Janet worried a little. It was luncheon +time, and her grandmother never saw visitors +until after three o'clock, but it would be quite +useless even to try to explain this to Mrs. Todd, +for in her own way she was just as positive and +determined as the eccentric Mrs. Page. +</p> + +<p> +"Grim as ever,"—Mrs. Todd laughed as the +house came into view. "It's twenty years since +I opened that front door but, bless my soul, I know +that everything is going to be just the same." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, did you ever live here!" Janet looked +at her companion in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"I did, and I was in this house almost as much +as I was in my own. Your father and I were +the best of friends." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh!" was all Janet had time to say, before +Martha appeared at the door. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd nodded to her and tied the horse to +the garden gate and walked slowly up the narrow, +moss-grown walk, a whimsical smile on her thin +face. +</p> + +<p> +Martha was speechless, and Janet had to laugh +as she watched her curl one end of her apron into +a hard little knot. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Martha,"—Mrs. Todd held out her hand—"don't +look as though you had seen a ghost." +</p> + +<p> +Martha managed to say something, but she was +quite powerless to stop the visitor from striding +into the house and walking unannounced into +Mrs. Page's room. +</p> + +<p> +Janet sat down on the stone seat in the garden +and waited. Boru stretched out on the path at +her feet and panted after his run. Not a sound +came from the house. +</p> + +<p> +Janet did not try to imagine what was going +on in her grandmother's room. She was +conscious that a big change had come into her life, +and she dimly realized that in the future she +would spend more time in thinking than she had +ever spent before. It seemed as though she was +conscious of the world around her, and instead of +just accepting it she felt that she was a part of it. +</p> + +<p> +"Janet Page," she said aloud, and stared hard +at the old sun-dial. Suddenly Boru barked, and +she jumped as though she had been wakened from +a dream. The dog rushed to the corner of the +garden, and Janet looked up just in time to see +the rim of a torn straw hat disappear over the wall. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap04"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER IV +<br><br> +JANET'S KINGDOM +</h3> + +<p> +Janet did not have time to investigate +further, for at that moment Martha beckoned +her mysteriously into the house. It was +plain to be seen that the old servant was greatly +disturbed. +</p> + +<p> +"What's the matter!" Janet inquired in a +whisper, for she caught some of the suspense. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Miss Janet, whatever shall we do?" Martha +exclaimed. "Mrs. Todd walked into your +grandmother's room, and they have been arguing +ever since. Your grandmother will have a turn +I know, and yet I don't dare to interrupt them. +What shall I do?" +</p> + +<p> +It was a proof of the Great Change to be consulted, +and Janet smiled with something like pride. +</p> + +<p> +"I shouldn't do anything if I were you," she +replied quietly. "Perhaps they are not arguing +any more. They may just be talking; they're old +friends, you know." +</p> + +<p> +Martha shot a quick glance toward the closed +door. "Old friends," she said, and then, thinking +better of it, she did not finish the sentence, but said +instead, "Sit down to your luncheon, child, do; it's +getting cold and there's no reason to wait." +</p> + +<p> +Janet nodded and went into the dining-room. +She took a long time over her chops and sweet +potatoes, but she finished without hearing the door +to her grandmother's room open. +</p> + +<p> +Martha was almost in tears. "Your grandmother +has had no luncheon," she protested. +"Dearie me, what shall I do?" +</p> + +<p> +"Take my advice and wait until she calls you," +Janet advised. "You know she doesn't like to be +disturbed. I'm going out," she added. "No, +Boru, you can't come to-day; stay home, like a +good dog." +</p> + +<p> +Boru buried his head in his paws and with a +very mournful expression watched her leave. He +knew that there was one mysterious place to +which he was never allowed to accompany his +mistress, and he resented it. He was right in +guessing that she was going there to-day. +</p> + +<p> +Janet left the house by the door that led to +the steps and down to the sea road. The water +looked sparkling blue and inviting, and she +hurried along until she came to a small dock, very +much the worse for age. She untied a row boat +and found two broken oars that were hidden in +the tall grass beside the road. There was no one +in sight as she pushed off, and only a few sails +were visible flapping smartly out beyond the harbor. +</p> + +<p> +Her cheeks were flushed as she sent the old boat +skimming over the water, for she was on her way +to her secret kingdom. Though she had sailed to +it many times there was always the chance of +discovery, and that added zest to the adventure. +</p> + +<p> +The point of land toward which she was heading +was quite a distance off, and looked to be +rather a desolate island. It was, in reality, +however, a part of the mainland, for the bay came in, +and the land around it was shaped like a big hook. +There were a few fishing huts along the shore, and +farther inland low farms nestled into the hills. +</p> + +<p> +Janet chose a certain cove to land in and pulled +her boat safely up on shore, and then she started +off at a brisk walk. At this particular point of +the beach the sand dunes were very high, and she +was screened from sight except from the water +front. She walked for about a quarter of a mile +and then began to climb. Up above her on a +rising knoll of ground a little way beyond the +sand dunes was an old gray house. It was large +and very rambling, but it was tumbling down. +The roof sagged at one end, and the two big +chimneys were crumbling to ruin. There was not +a sign of life anywhere about it or in the many +ramshackled farm buildings that evidently +belonged to it. All the windows were boarded up +but one, a very small one that led into the cellar. +Janet pushed it open gently and slid down as +far as she could and then dropped. It was very +dark and very musty. She groped her way to the +rickety stairs as quickly as she could. The door +at the top opened with a groan as she pushed, and +she was in a long, low-ceilinged kitchen. Rain +had come down through the leaky roof and rusted +the stove, the furniture was covered with dust, and +a forlorn china cup with its handle broken lay +dejectedly on one corner of the table. +</p> + +<p> +Janet glanced hurriedly about her, to make sure +that no one had been in the room since she had, +and then hurried into the front hall. Some heavy +pieces of furniture were partly covered by torn +and dirty sheets; they looked like ghosts in the +dim light that filtered in through the boarded +windows. Janet, in spite of the many times that she +had passed them, could not repress a shiver, and +she gave a sigh of relief as she closed the door of +another room behind her. She was in her kingdom +at last, and she surveyed it with sparkling +eyes. It was a long room with a low ceiling that +ran the length of the house. In the center along +one side was a huge fireplace. Each one of the +six windows had a broad window seat. There +was very little furniture, and none of it was +covered by dust sheets. In consequence, the stuffing +was coming out of several of the chairs and a +puddle of water had sopped into the big horsehair +sofa. The only human looking thing in the room +was a pair of gloves on one end of the table. They +were badly mildewed and they looked very limp +and lifeless, but they had belonged to some one +of the mysterious owners of the house, and Janet +always nodded to them with mock respect. It was +the books that made the room a kingdom. Rows +and rows of them lined the walls from floor to +ceiling. Some of them were damp and moldy but they +were all readable, and that was all that mattered +to Janet, though she sometimes cried over a +broken binding and patted it quite as she would +have stroked a hurt puppy. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, my darlings, I have come back to you," +she said as she slipped to her knees before a +corner bookcase, "and I want you to be very kind to +me and take me far, far away to—" She let her +hand wander over the backs of the books until it +rested on one, "Greece," she finished, as she read +the title. +</p> + +<p> +She made herself as comfortable as possible +in one of the window seats, and for an hour she +was so engrossed in the old fables and the stirring +tales of the gods that she forgot the time. It was +only when the light through the chink of the boarding +grew too dim to see that she realized with a +start that it was getting late. +</p> + +<p> +"And I never looked up about Roy's paw in that +animal book!" she exclaimed. Had Mrs. Page +heard her, she might have understood where she +had learned so much about the care of dogs. +</p> + +<p> +Janet hurriedly put her book back and went to +the bookcase across the room to find what she +wanted. +</p> + +<p> +"That's funny," she said. "I thought I left +it—why, I did; here's the place where it belongs." An +empty hole on the bottom shelf confronted her, +and looked as if the smiling row had lost a tooth. +</p> + +<p> +Without exactly knowing why, Janet was frightened. +She had looked upon this room as so +particularly hers for so long that there was +something uncanny in the thought that some one else +had dared to trespass. +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps I put it back somewhere else." She +tried to comfort herself with this thought, but she +could not get rid of the queer feeling that some +other hands were touching her loves, and that +other eyes were seeing into her enchanted pages. +</p> + +<p> +She puzzled over it as she rowed home, but it +was impossible to come to any conclusion. +</p> + +<p> +Martha was waiting for her in the hall; her +face was even whiter than it had been earlier in +the day. +</p> + +<p> +"Miss Janet, you're back, thank goodness; +your grandmother has been calling for you all +afternoon." +</p> + +<p> +"When did Mrs. Todd leave!" Janet enquired. +</p> + +<p> +"She hasn't left at all," Martha gasped. +"She's sat in there the whole blessed day. Only +an hour ago she came into my kitchen as smiling +as you please, and said she and Mrs. Page would +have a cup of tea and some toast and jam. I took +it in, and, well, Miss Janet, it's beyond me; indeed +it is!" +</p> + +<p> +"But, Martha, why shouldn't they have tea? +Grandmother always has it for her guests." Janet +laughed. +</p> + +<p> +Martha sighed profoundly. +</p> + +<p> +"If you knew all that I know of those two and +then to see them smiling and laughing together," +Martha shook her head, unable to give vent to her +feelings in mere words. +</p> + +<p> +Janet raced upstairs and changed her dress, +and in a very few minutes she was knocking at her +grandmother's door. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, it's you, is it, dear child!" Mrs. Todd +called as she entered. "I was hoping you would +get back in time to drive me home." +</p> + +<p> +"Ann, don't presume too far," Mrs. Page said +tartly. "Janet, where have you been?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet decided that the change in her +grandmother was not as great as Martha had led +her to suppose, so she answered as she +always did. +</p> + +<p> +"I have been out most of the time." +</p> + +<p> +"To whom are you speaking!" Mrs. Page inquired. +</p> + +<p> +Janet sighed and blushed a little; it was not like +her grandmother to find fault before people. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm sorry, 'I have been out most of the time, +grandmother,'" she corrected, but a second later +she almost laughed aloud for she was sure she had +heard Mrs. Todd say "fiddlesticks" under her +breath. +</p> + +<p> +"I wanted you all afternoon," Mrs. Page went +on. "However, we will let that pass. Mrs. Todd +wishes you to help this year at the church fair +and I have given my consent under one +condition—that you are home here by nine o'clock." +</p> + +<p> +"Ten," corrected Mrs. Todd crisply. +</p> + +<p> +"What did you say, Ann?" Mrs. Page's eyes +flashed. +</p> + +<p> +"I said ten," Mrs. Todd repeated. "Ten was +the hour we agreed on. And now I must be going, +as my eyes are not what they used to be and these +new roads puzzle me. I must ask you to let Janet +drive me home." +</p> + +<p> +For a long minute there was silence, and then +Mrs. Page did something she was rarely ever seen +to do; she smiled. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-051"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-051.jpg" alt="For a long minute there was silence, and then Mrs. Page did sometning the was rarely ever seen to do; she smiled."> +<br> +For a long minute there was silence, and then Mrs. Page <br> +did sometning she was rarely ever seen to do; she smiled. +</p> + +<p> +"You are a very smart woman, Ann Todd, and +I'm a very old one. Have your own way, but +remember your promise," she said. +</p> + +<p> +The drive through the twilight was wonderful, +for Mrs. Todd let Janet do the driving while she +sat back and talked. +</p> + +<p> +"You're a funny youngster," she said when +they were half way to the village. "You haven't +asked me a single question." +</p> + +<p> +"About grandmother, do you mean?" Janet +laughed. "I didn't have to. You see, you made +her let me go and that's all that matters." +</p> + +<p> +"Aren't aren't you curious to know how?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet shook her head. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I'll tell you. I bullied her. +</p> + +<p> +"Your grandmother is a very remarkable woman," +she added after a silence that lasted until +they were turning into the driveway of the +rectory grounds. +</p> + +<p> +"I think she is too," Janet said loyally, "and +every one is sure to like her when they know and +understand her." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd got out at the carriage block. "Bless +the child," she said almost tenderly, but a second +later, as she was going up the steps, she said in +her usual brisk manner, "Come 'round to-morrow +and see me; we'll have a chat." +</p> + +<p> +Janet gave the horse over to the hired man and +walked slowly home. She was so absorbed in her +thoughts that she reached the end of the garden +wall before she knew it. +</p> + +<p> +The sound of an automobile made her hurry to +the side of the road. Motors were not very +common in Old Chester, for it was away from the +beaten track and the roads were very bad. Janet +was a little ashamed of her interest in them, but +she could never resist staring at them. The one +that was approaching now had powerful searchlights, +and she watched them, fascinated. It +looked as though they were sweeping right on to +her very feet. Suddenly they fell across the +corner of the garden wall. It was only for a minute, +but it was long enough to illuminate a patch of +ground and to bring out into sharp relief a torn +straw hat and a thick book bound in dull blue, +embossed with a gold dog. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap05"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER V +<br><br> +NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS +</h3> + +<p> +"My dear, you look tired out!" Mrs. Blake +exclaimed the next morning, when +Janet, very flushed and blown, presented +herself at the rectory. "What have you +been doing?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, it's an awfully windy morning, but I'm +not really tired," Janet replied. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it's blowing a gale and it must be hard to +walk," Mrs. Blake agreed. "It's bad enough +down here, but it must be dreadful up at your +house. I can't be glad enough that we are not on +the shore; the sound of the waves would depress +me so," she added as she gave a little shudder and +held the door open for Janet to come in. +</p> + +<p> +Janet did not bother to tell her that she had +battled with those same waves in a leaky boat not +half an hour ago, for she knew Mrs. Blake would +not understand the importance of replacing a +certain book in a certain shelf, nor would she see +anything funny in the sight of a torn straw hat lying +beside a pair of old gloves. But Janet had a very +vivid imagination, and she had rowed over that +morning to the Kingdom in order to replace the +animal book and further to confuse the mysterious +boy, she had left his hat on the library table. Her +only regret was that she would not be there to see +his expression when he found it. There could be +no doubt now that he knew the secrets of the +deserted house—the hat and book proved it. But +Janet, remembering the look in his gray eyes and +the way he had patted Roy, could not find it in +her heart to be angry. +</p> + +<p> +A bright fire burned in the rectory living room, +and Alice and Mildred were sitting beside it. +They were still working over the green bunting. +</p> + +<p> +Janet's heart sank. She hated to sew, for her +fingers, in spite of Martha's patient teachings, +insisted on acting like thumbs. +</p> + +<p> +"What would you like to do, my dear?" Mrs. Blake +inquired sweetly. "Will you help the girls +or would you rather do something else?" +</p> + +<p> +"I'll do whatever you like," Janet said +hesitatingly, "but I think perhaps I could do +something else better than I could sew. I'm not very +good at sewing, you see." +</p> + +<p> +Alice and Mildred looked up in shocked surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"Don't you like to sew?" Mildred said incredulously. +</p> + +<p> +Janet flushed. "No, I don't," she said bluntly. +</p> + +<p> +"How odd!" Mildred and Alice exclaimed +together. "We love it." +</p> + +<p> +"Daughters!" Mrs. Blake warned, for she had +caught the suggestion of scorn in their voices, and +she was quick to notice Janet's flush. +</p> + +<p> +At that moment the door from the dining-room +opened, and Mrs. Todd entered. Her cheeks were +flushed, and her narrow little eyes seemed brighter +than ever. +</p> + +<p> +"Morning everybody," she greeted, smiling at +Janet. "You look very cozy in here, but you also +look very stuffy. What's the matter, Janet!" +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing, only I'm afraid I'm not going to be +much of a help," Janet confessed. "I don't like +to sew, you see." Janet always said "you see" +when she was embarrassed. +</p> + +<p> +"Neither do I,"—Mrs. Todd laughed. "Had +to do too much of it when I was a child." +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps we can find something else for Janet +to do," Mrs. Blake interposed. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, of course, we can. Come with me, +Janet. We'll rig up the fishing pond." +</p> + +<p> +Janet waited until she was well away from the +library before she asked what a fishing pond was. +She was used to doing all the explaining and all +of the leading when it came to playing with other +girls, she had played so seldom with them, and +this new and scornful attitude of the Blakes made +her unreasonably angry. She knew that if she +were competing in climbing trees or rowing—anything +that took courage—she would be their +superior. But when it was a question of sewing, +she had to admit herself beaten. The thought +made her very unhappy, for above everything +else in the world Janet wanted to be like other +girls. Not the Blake girls, but the girl heroines +she had read of and dreamed of as friends in her +Kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd noticed the worried expression on +her face and did her best to dispell it by giving +her something else to think about. +</p> + +<p> +"A fish pond," she explained in answer to her +question, "is a very easy way of making people +spend money. You put up a screen and sell little +wooden fish poles for ten cents. The buyer goes +fishing over the screen and some one ties a +present to the end of the line." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd watched Janet closely, and laughed +with delight as the frown deepened on her +face. +</p> + +<p> +"Well?" she inquired, "what do you think of +it!" +</p> + +<p> +"Not very much," Janet answered truthfully. +"Isn't there a better way?" +</p> + +<p> +"I should think there would be,"—Mrs. Todd +chuckled. "If you can suggest one we'll change +it and surprise them all." +</p> + +<p> +"Why not let them really fish?" +</p> + +<p> +"In water! What would you have them catch? +Pincushions and tidies wouldn't be improved by a +ducking." +</p> + +<p> +Janet thought for a minute. They were in the +Sunday-school rooms, and she was sitting perched +up on the high platform. +</p> + +<p> +"Why can't they catch things that come from +the sea!" she suggested. +</p> + +<p> +"What, for instance!" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, shells and coral and fishes and stones. +They are every bit as sensible as pincushions and +so much prettier." +</p> + +<p> +"No doubt about that,"—Mrs. Todd laughed—"but +where shall we get them?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, we have just loads of them up in the attic; +queer old shells from all over the world that my +great-grandfather, I think it was, brought home +with him." +</p> + +<p> +"But, my child, you can't give those away," +Mrs. Todd protested. +</p> + +<p> +"Why not?" +</p> + +<p> +"Your grandmother—" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, she wouldn't mind; she can't bear them. +You know, she hates anything that reminds her +of the water." Janet looked at her companion +wonderingly. +</p> + +<p> +"Queer, isn't it?" she said. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd looked at her with a peculiar light +in her steely eyes. "Not under the circumstances," +she said softly, but though Janet waited +she did not say any more. +</p> + +<p> +"I asked grandmother once, oh, long ago, if I +might play with those shells,"—Janet returned +to the subject in hand—"and she said I might do +anything I liked with them as long as I kept them +out of her sight." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd seemed to consider the idea. Finally +she said, +</p> + +<p> +"Well, bring them along with you this afternoon, +and if they are of no value we'll use them +and surprise the neighborhood." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +"They certainly are beauties," she said, when +after luncheon Janet had returned with a box full +of queer old shells and rough bits of coral. +</p> + +<p> +"They must have come a long way, to judge +by the looks of them." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I think my great-grandfather used to +sail all the way 'round the world," Janet replied. +"Do you think they will do?" +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd looked at her. "Do, child! Why, +they will cause so much excitement that our booth +will be by far the most popular. The only reason +I hesitate is that I am afraid that some day you +will be sorry you were so generous." +</p> + +<p> +"But how silly,"—Janet laughed. "These are +only a few of what we have. There are heaps +left in the attic." +</p> + +<p> +"Settled,"—Mrs. Todd laughed. "And now, +Miss Original, will you please tell me what other +ideas you have lurking in the back of your brain?" +</p> + +<p> +"Now you're teasing,"—Janet laughed. +"There's nothing else to think of, except the pond +itself, and that ought to be easy. A big tub of real +sea water with pebbles and sand banked around +it, and perhaps we could borrow some of +Mrs. Blake's palms. She has so many, and, oh, well, +we can make it look—now, you're laughing at +me." +</p> + +<p> +"Not a bit of it," Mrs. Todd denied emphatically. +"I am laughing with you, and there's all +the difference in the world between the two. But +I would like to know just where you got all your +imagination." +</p> + +<p> +For a minute Janet was tempted to tell the +secret of the Kingdom, but with a start she realized +that it was no longer just her secret alone +and that in telling it she would almost be guilty +of betraying a confidence. +</p> + +<p> +The Sunday-school room was gradually filling +up with people. Janet knew them all and bowed +politely to each in turn. For the most part the +women from the farms, who were bringing in their +donations of pies and cakes, stared at her with +ill-concealed curiosity. Although she did not know +it, Janet was often the topic of conversation and +gossip at sewing bees. Women with daughters +often spoke of her as "that poor lonely child," +and thought of her as different from other girls. +It was a decided shock to see her in eager +consultation with Mrs. Todd—a most important +person—her cheeks ablaze and her eyes sparkling, +and having quite as good a time as any ordinary +girl; and acting for the most part with far less +affectation than their own children. +</p> + +<p> +But though Janet did not show it, she was +conscious of the eyes upon her, and it did make +her uncomfortable. She was very much relieved +when Mrs. Todd stopped in the middle of a +sentence and said: +</p> + +<p> +"Stuffy; let's go out and see about finding our +landscape." +</p> + +<p> +Once outside, Janet drew a breath of relief. +Harry Waters was passing, and she hailed him +with so much enthusiasm that he decided that he +was forgiven and he responded joyfully. +</p> + +<p> +"Want to help me this afternoon?" Janet +inquired. "I want a big box of sand, and Mrs. Todd +says we may drive her horse and cart to the shore. +You get a box," she directed in her old manner. +</p> + +<p> +Harry was too delighted to be back into favor +again to make any objections and dashed off at +once. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd nodded her head slowly and laughed. +"Boys are better fun than girls, eh?" she inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Heaps," Janet replied, as she disappeared +into the barn to assist in the harnessing of +Durward, Mrs. Todd's horse. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap06"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER VI +<br><br> +THE FAIR +</h3> + +<p> +The Sunday-school room was packed with +people, but to an observant eye it was +noticeable that the greatest number were +in the corner under a silk canopy that looked like +an Arab's shelter. Hanging beside it on the wall +was a sign, printed in orange and blue, that read, +</p> + +<p class="t3"> + COME AND FISH<br> + IN THE INDIAN OCEAN<br> + A SURPRISE FOR EVERYBODY<br> + 10 CENTS A LINE<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +Beyond the tent a group of high palms pointed +the way to the beach, where a huge tub filled with +water and reflecting myriads of little pebbles was +surrounded by a stretch of sand. Sticks with +strings and hooks attached stood ready, and to +one side a mysterious mound covered by a silk +scarf invited the curiosity of the passersby. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd stood a little to one side and kept +looking at her watch. Mrs. Blake came over to +her, and it was plain to be seen that they were +both worried. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you suppose is keeping her?" Mrs. Blake +exclaimed. "It is after four o'clock, and +we must begin with the pond. Really, I think it +is most inconsiderate of her to keep us waiting. +Of course, if Mrs. Page has changed her mind—" +</p> + +<p> +"Mercy Page never changed her mind in her +life," Mrs. Todd snapped. "It is something very +different than that, and I have a strong suspicion +what it is." She looked at a group of giggling +girls who were whispering to each other in one +corner, and had one of them turned at just that +moment they would have wanted to run away, +for Mrs. Todd looked very stern and forbidding. +</p> + +<p> +"Let some one else start it," she said. "I'll +help them; she may come after all; who knows." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +But Janet at that particular moment was rowing +with all her might, and she was rowing in the +opposite direction from the church fair. +</p> + +<p> +Something glistened in both of her eyes and +she stopped every now and then to brush it away. +Nothing in the world could have induced her to +turn around. +</p> + +<p> +She was hurt and very angry, and the one +thought in her confused little mind was to forget +there ever was such a thing as a church fair. +</p> + +<p> +This is what had happened. Harry and she +had been busy in the early part of the afternoon +putting the finishing touches to their work, when +Janet found she wanted a pair of scissors. A +number of girls were decorating a booth across the +room and she went over to borrow theirs. She +was hidden from them by a curtain of bunting. +Just as she was about to speak, she heard one of +them say, +</p> + +<p> +"I don't care if she is Janet Page, I don't like +her. She's not a bit like other girls." And +another voice answered, "I don't either; she's so +bossy." "Plain stuck up," a third voice added. +</p> + +<p> +Janet flushed crimson and fled. Harry remembered +that she looked awfully queer, he said, when +he told Mrs. Todd later, "She said she was going +and not another word," he finished. +</p> + +<p> +Janet had indeed gone. She felt as though the +world was falling about her ears. Try as she +could, she could not keep the hot tears from coming. +</p> + +<p> +The brisk row did her good, and she started +up the sand dunes with her usual expectant step. +By the time she was in sight of the house, she was +laughing at herself. +</p> + +<p> +"I may be different but I am not as bad as all +that, and besides I don't like those girls any +better than they like me, so we're even." +</p> + +<p> +She decided to read about Mr. Micawber in +"David Copperfield." He always cheered her up +when she was downhearted. +</p> + +<p> +The quiet of the old house soothed her feelings. +She walked slowly around to the cellar window +and opened it softly. Just as she was about to +slip through it, a piece of tin hit her sharply on +the nose. +</p> + +<p> +<a id="p68"></a> +She jumped and looked up and directly into the +gray eyes of the mysterious boy. He was sitting +on the edge of the sloping roof not fifteen feet +above her. +</p> + +<p> +"Hurt you?" he called down. +</p> + +<p> +"Not much," Janet answered, rubbing her nose, +for it smarted. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it did; it's bleeding. Say, I'm awfully +sorry. Wait a jiffy and I'll be down." +</p> + +<p> +He slid near the edge and jumped to the ground +almost beside her. +</p> + +<p> +They looked at each other and then burst out +laughing. Janet held her handkerchief up to her +face and regarded him over the corner of it. +</p> + +<p> +"What were you doing up there?" she inquired. +"You nearly scared me to death." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I was kind of scared myself," the +mysterious boy admitted. "I was fixing the roof up +a bit. It leaks onto the books now you know, +and I just happened to look down at you, I was +so surprised that I let the tin drop. +</p> + +<p> +"I found my hat," he added after a minute, and +grinned sheepishly. +</p> + +<p> +"Whatever made you leave it by our fence?" +Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you see me jump over your wall the other day?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I was bringing it to you then—" +</p> + +<p> +"And my dog barked at you." +</p> + +<p> +"No,—that is, he did, but that isn't what scared +me. Your dog and I are great friends. It was +the woman that came out of the house. I couldn't +explain before her so I bolted." +</p> + +<p> +"Explain what?" +</p> + +<p> +"I wanted to show you something about taking +a splinter out of a dog's paw and a way to put on +a bandage so that it won't come off." +</p> + +<p> +Janet laughed, and he joined in. +</p> + +<p> +"I was after the same book the other day and +I couldn't imagine who had taken it and then I +found it beside your hat and I knew you must +come here too." +</p> + +<p> +"Have you been coming long?" +</p> + +<p> +"Two years." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I've been here six months, but I found it +the first week I was here." +</p> + +<p> +"Where do you live?" Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +The boy pointed down the hill. "At Vicker's +farm," he answered. "I'm staying there all this +winter." He laughed self-consciously. "I'm +supposed to be weak or something, so Doc sent me +here." +</p> + +<p> +"Who's Doc?" Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"He was Dad's best friend, and now I guess +he's mine. He sort of looked out for me after +Dad—after Dad went." +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked up at him quickly, for his voice +had trembled. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm sorry," she said softly. "Let's go in +and look up that part in the animal book." +</p> + +<p> +She started to slide into the cellar, but he +stopped her. +</p> + +<p> +"I know a better way than that. Come around +here." He led her to the old porch and took +down two boards from one of the windows. Janet +crawled through and found herself in the Kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, that is a lot better. Wonder why I never +thought of it. It saves going through the spooky +kitchen, and I just perfectly hate that ghostly +hall." +</p> + +<p> +They sat down together on the floor and were +soon engrossed by the book before them. From +discussing dogs and horses they turned to other +subjects, and before she realized it Janet was +telling him why she had not gone to the fair. +</p> + +<p> +She looked at him after she had finished. He +was frowning. +</p> + +<p> +"It was rough, I'll grant you," he drawled +slowly, "but you should have stayed and faced +the guns. There's never any sense in running +away." +</p> + +<p> +Janet felt very much ashamed of herself all at +once, and a dozen reasons why she should have +stayed rushed into her mind. +</p> + +<p> +"It was cowardly of me," she exclaimed, "and +I'm going back this very minute." +</p> + +<p> +"Good for you; it won't be much fun, but you'll +be glad you did it, I guess. Say," he added after +a pause, "will you be back to-morrow?" +</p> + +<p> +"Will, if I can." +</p> + +<p> +"And, say, you don't mind about my coming +here, do you?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet had crawled through the window but she +called back over her shoulder, "No, I'm glad." A +red head appeared in the opening. +</p> + +<p> +"My name's Peter Gibbs," he called. +</p> + +<p> +"Mine's Janet Page." +</p> + +<p> +"Good night, Janet." +</p> + +<p> +"Good night, Peter." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +As the people came back to the Sunday-school +room after the supper that had been served in the +gymnasium, many of them were astonished to +see Janet with Harry by the tent. Mrs. Blake +was particularly so. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, Janet, where have you been? We were +so worried about you!" she exclaimed. "And +what have you done to your nose?" +</p> + +<p> +"I cut it, Mrs. Blake," Janet answered, "and +I am sorry to be late." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, you poor child; what a pity. It doesn't +matter at all about your being late." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Janet, we thought you were lost, but I +see you've found yourself,"—Mrs. Todd came up +and interrupted her cousin. Janet looked at her +blue eyes and knew she understood something of +what she had gone through. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, Mrs. Todd," she replied gravely, "I +think I have." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap07"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER VII +<br><br> +A STRANGER IN THE KINGDOM +</h3> + +<p> +Janet halted in her climb up the steep bank +at the back of the deserted house and +smiled down at the ground. The perfect +outline of a bare foot made a path ahead of her +straight to the steps of the porch. +</p> + +<p> +It was one of the warm, golden days that come +sometimes in the fall, as though the summer, +being sorry to go, sent it to bid a last regretful +good-by. +</p> + +<p> +A week had passed since the fair, and during +that time Janet had made many trips to her +Kingdom and she and Peter had become fast friends. +They read their favorite books aloud to each other +and played a game of "pretend" that would have +been impossible to two people who had not both +understood the meaning of loneliness. +</p> + +<p> +To-day Janet found Peter deep in a thick, +uninteresting-looking book, but as she appeared in +the window he closed it and jumped up. +</p> + +<p> +"Good morning, Princess," he greeted. "I +thought you were never coming, I chopped wood, +fed the chickens and did all I could think of so +that I wouldn't be missed." +</p> + +<p> +"I couldn't get away a minute sooner,"—Janet +made a comical face. "Mrs. Blake came to see +grandmother yesterday, and of course she had to +tell her that she was so surprised to learn that I +didn't like to sew. Grandmother didn't say much, +but this morning she made me hem some dish +towels, for of course she knows I can sew passably +well when I want to. Now she'll show them to +Mrs. Blake the next time she comes." A note of +affection crept into her voice as she added, +"Grandmother's like that." +</p> + +<p> +"What are you reading?" she inquired a minute later. +</p> + +<p> +"A book about sheep," Peter replied. "It's +kind of dull, but I like it. I imagine sometimes +that I—" He hesitated and blushed. +</p> + +<p> +"What?" Janet encouraged. +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing, anyway you'd laugh at me if I told +you." +</p> + +<p> +"I would not!" +</p> + +<p> +"Well—" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, what?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, it's just a crazy notion of mine, but I like +to think sometimes that I own this place, and then +I plan what I'd do with it, and one of the plans +is to turn it into a sheep farm,"—he laughed +nervously—"I guess I'd better stop dreaming though +and get to real work now." +</p> + +<p> +Janet noticed that he laid stress on the word +"now," and she looked at him inquiringly. He +pretended not to notice her. +</p> + +<p> +"Peter," she said finally, "it isn't nice to be +mysterious. What <i>is</i> the matter with you?" +</p> + +<p> +Peter ran his fingers through his red hair but +he did not reply. Instead, he put the big book +back on its shelf and went over to the window. +</p> + +<p> +"It's awfully dark in here, don't you think? +And it's so bully out of doors. Let's go fishing," +he suggested. +</p> + +<p> +Janet nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"All right; we won't catch anything but it will +be fun anyway. Come ahead." +</p> + +<p> +Peter led the way toward the shore and up to +a dark green canoe. Janet was properly excited; +she had never been in a canoe before. None of the +girls she knew were at all interested in boating +except to go off in sailing parties for picnics, and +because the bay was very often rough and always +dangerous none of the boys were allowed to have +them. She smiled as she remembered Mrs. Waters' +terror when Harry, the summer before, +had screwed up his courage to ask for one. Yet +here was Peter acting as though the most ordinary +thing in the world was to go fishing in one. +</p> + +<p> +"What a beauty!" she exclaimed. "Is it yours?" +</p> + +<p> +Peter shook his head. "No, I found it over in +our barn and I asked Mr. Blunt if I could use it. +He didn't think much of the idea, but he said if +I could make it watertight I could have it and +welcome. A summer boarder left it here a couple of +years ago. Here you go; let me help you in. +Sorry I haven't any pillows," he apologized. +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked up at him and laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"What under the sun would I do with a pillow?" +she exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +"Stick it behind your back, of course. It makes +it lots easier. That is, most girls tuck 'em in all +around, and they seem to like it." Peter sometimes +gave Janet a feeling that he was years and +years older than she by the way he talked of +things, people and places. +</p> + +<p> +"How do you know?" she inquired as she settled +herself gingerly on the floor of the canoe. +</p> + +<p> +"Seen them, by the dozens." +</p> + +<p> +"Where!" +</p> + +<p> +"Any place where there are canoes and +girls,"—Peter grinned. "Dad and I always +paddled wherever and whenever we could, and we +used to laugh sometimes." +</p> + +<p> +"What at?" Janet was making no effort to +hide her curiosity. +</p> + +<p> +Peter was busy turning the canoe around and +did not answer at once. Janet watched him, +fascinated. He paddled so softly and yet with so +much strength that they skimmed along over the +water as though they were flying. Once out into +the bay and headed for the mouth of a small +creek, where Peter decided was the place to fish, +he returned to the subject. +</p> + +<p> +"When I said just now we laughed," he +explained, "I was thinking of last summer. Dad +and I took a trip up the Delaware River and of +course we passed lots of summer places on the +way, and we'd see fellows, about eighteen, out +with girls all dressed up and sitting all packed in +with pillows. They looked all right, but I would +hate to have had them with us in some of the +storms we pulled through and some of the rocks +we had to pass." +</p> + +<p> +"I see,"—Janet laughed, then she said hurriedly, +"Peter, what an exciting life you have had. +I wish you'd tell me some more about it." +</p> + +<p> +Peter shrugged his shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +"Not so very," he said; "you see there was +only Dad and me, and Dad was a civil engineer +and he had to be on the go most of the time. +Wherever there was a bridge being built or a +railroad put through or a dam built he was always +there, and so naturally I was too. That is, I +shouldn't say naturally, because lots of people, +especially women, thought it was very strange, +but Dad said I was all he had left and he wasn't +going to have me shut up in a school where he +could never see me, so along I went, and I tell +you I had some grand old times. But it's all over +now and I guess I'll go to work." +</p> + +<p> +"Where!" Janet asked softly. +</p> + +<p> +"Out West, I guess. I like it out there, and +Dad knew a lot of ranch men that would give me +a job. Dad always wanted me to be an engineer, +but that was before—" In spite of himself his +voice broke a little, and he paddled with extra zeal. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Peter, I'm sorry." Two big tears stood +in Janet's eyes. "I wish I hadn't asked you so +many questions and started you remembering." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I'm always doing that anyway,"—Peter +tried to laugh. "And I wanted to tell you about +Dad anyway. Do you still feel like fishing?" he +inquired, abruptly changing the subject. +</p> + +<p> +"Not 'specially," Janet admitted, "I'd rather +just paddle." +</p> + +<p> +"Want me to teach you how!" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, would you!" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course. Here, wait a minute and we'll land +and change places. I wish I had another paddle, +then you could paddle bow." +</p> + +<p> +The exchange of seats was made and the lessons +began. Janet was an apt pupil, and Peter, +remembering his father's instructions of long ago, +did as well as instructor. Black clouds rolled up +in the west without their noticing them, and it +was not until a faint peal of thunder sounded +that they realized that a storm was coming up. +</p> + +<p> +"Queer at this time of year, isn't it?" Peter +asked, as Janet made for the bank and he took the +paddle again. +</p> + +<p> +Janet shook her head. +</p> + +<p> +"We have pretty bad ones sometimes in the fall; +sort of breaking up of summer, the fishermen say, +and to-day has been hot, you know." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, there's no time to lose for it's coming +fast. That creek's a bad place; the trees hide +the sky." Peter took long firm strokes, and they +were soon out into the bay. +</p> + +<p> +It was not long before the storm broke. A +zig-zag of lightning and a sharp growl of thunder, +and then the rain—great drops of it. The canoe +bobbed up and down, but Peter managed to send +it forward with every stroke. Janet, though she +would never have admitted it, was thoroughly +frightened, and Peter, kneeling in the stern, very +calm and even smiling, began to assume in her +eyes the guise of a hero. +</p> + +<p> +After several strenuous minutes that seemed +like as many hours they landed just below the +deserted house. +</p> + +<p> +"Let's go up and wait until it stops," Peter +suggested as he turned the canoe over. "You +can't possibly row home in this." +</p> + +<p> +Janet nodded, and they trudged up the hill. +They were laughing when they reached the +window. Once in the Kingdom with the rain shut +out, they felt very secure. Peter pointed up to +the ceiling. +</p> + +<p> +"It doesn't leak any more, thank goodness." +</p> + +<p> +Janet felt her nose and smiled. "Then I +don't suppose I ought to mind this," she said. +"It's still black and blue, and nobody can +understand how I ever managed to cut it just there." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you can't expect me to say I'm sorry." Peter +laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"You might say that you wished we had met +under different conditions," Janet suggested, but +Peter wouldn't agree. +</p> + +<p> +"It was just right the way it was," he insisted. +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose so; anyway we'd never have had +such fun together if we had been introduced. Just +imagine, 'Janet, I want you to meet Mr. Peter +Gibbs'; how silly it sounds." +</p> + +<p> +"Instead of 'Your royal highness, Princess of +the Enchanted Kingdom, allow me to introduce +myself, Lord Carrot Tops. My calling-card is a +piece of tin, Bingo! Of course I didn't say all +that but I thought most of it." +</p> + +<p> +Peter laughed and Janet joined in. +</p> + +<p> +"Anyway the tin calling-card part is true," she +said. +</p> + +<p> +They both laughed on heartily and then stopped +short, their eyes on the doorway of the room. +</p> + +<p> +A short fat little man, wearing a heavy gold +watch chain and an old fashioned soft black hat, +stood frowning at them. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap08"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER VIII +<br><br> +UNDER ARREST +</h3> + +<p> +"Here's a pretty kettle of fish!" he +exclaimed, bobbing his head up and +down; "what do you mean breaking +into some one else's house like burglars? Don't +tell me you were hiding from the rain for I won't +believe you." +</p> + +<p> +Neither Peter nor Janet made any attempt to +tell him anything. They were both too startled. +They stood frozen to the spot on which they stood. +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing to say, eh?" the old man went on in +his excited, squeeky little voice. "Well, that's +just as well. You'll come along with me now, +both of you." +</p> + +<p> +"Are you the owner of this house?" Peter was +himself again, and Janet marveled at the quiet +manner in which he spoke. +</p> + +<p> +"Never you mind about that; you'll soon enough +know." The old man bustled toward them. Peter +stepped in front of Janet. +</p> + +<p> +"Are you the owner of this house?" he +demanded again. +</p> + +<p> +"Now look here, young fellow, don't give me +any of your impertinence, but come along quick." The +quieter Peter's voice got the more excited +grew the little man. "What are your names, eh? +Tell me that," he squeaked. +</p> + +<p> +"We will do nothing of the kind," Peter said +firmly. +</p> + +<p> +"What, what, what! You tell me at once and +no more nonsense," the old man fairly spluttered. +</p> + +<p> +"We refuse to tell our names to any one but +the owner of this house." By now, Peter was +thoroughly enjoying himself, and he winked ever +so slightly at Janet. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was chuckling to herself, but not at Peter. +She was wondering what would happen if she +did tell her name. From past experiences she +knew that from blustering the old man would +apologize and offer to take her home. But he might +insist on arresting Peter, and loyalty made her +keep silent. +</p> + +<p> +The old man was getting very angry at Peter; +he even stamped his foot and his big gold chain +jingled. +</p> + +<p> +"You come straight along and tell the owner +then," he exploded, "and you'll be sorry you +didn't tell me first. I can promise you. I'm a +sheriff, and you are both under arrest. Now then, +what have you got to say?" +</p> + +<p> +Peter and Janet looked at each other, and Peter +laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"We have nothing to say until we see the +owner," he said. +</p> + +<p> +The sheriff turned on his heel. They followed +him through the hall and out of the back door, of +which he had the key. A buggy was standing in +the woodshed, and they all got in. The rain had +stopped and soft mud spattered them as they +drove along. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm awfully glad he isn't the owner," Peter +whispered in Janet's ear. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, so am I," she agreed, "but of course I +knew he couldn't be and look like that." +</p> + +<p> +The sheriff did not notice them in any way. His +ridiculous little fat face tried to look grim, but +only succeeded in looking funny. He was thinking +very hard and wondering if the owner would +approve of his actions. He had not bothered to +explain, when he said he was a sheriff, that he was +a retired one, without the slightest right in the +world to make an arrest. +</p> + +<p> +"Where does the owner live?" Peter inquired, +breaking a silence that had lasted a mile. +</p> + +<p> +"Never you mind where," the sheriff retorted; +"all that concerns you is that you will find the +owner at my house to-day." +</p> + +<p> +Peter and Janet exchanged glances. +</p> + +<p> +"We're in for it," Peter whispered, "but it +can't be very bad, and anyway we will see him +at last." +</p> + +<p> +"I'm almost sorry," Janet sighed. "He was +always such a thrilling mystery to me. Do you +suppose those are his gloves on the library +table?" +</p> + +<p> +Peter did not have time to reply, for they were +turning in at the gate of a big farm, and the +sheriff whipped up his horse to make a gallant +approach. +</p> + +<p> +Once on his own land he regained his assurance, +and he opened the door of the tool house as though +it were a dungeon cell. +</p> + +<p> +"You'll wait in here," he directed. +</p> + +<p> +There was nothing else to do, so in they went, +and Janet heard the key grate in the rusty lock +with a queer sinking feeling. But a look at +Peter's face made her swallow her fears and +manage a little laugh. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you suppose will happen next?" +she asked. +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing very terrible," Peter assured her. +"You see, we never did any harm to anything, +and if we explain about the books, it ought to be +all right." +</p> + +<p> +"That will depend on the owner,"—Janet's +voice sounded frightened in spite of herself. +"If he is nice, he will understand, and I suppose +he is if he owns the Kingdom; still, why doesn't +he live in it?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, that's the mystery,"—Peter laughed. +"We will find out soon enough. Mr. Sheriff is +probably telling all about us now, and I guess he +is not saying anything to help our case much." +</p> + +<p> +Janet was silent for a minute, then she drew a +long heartfelt sigh. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Peter, do you realize that we can never +go to the Kingdom again? It isn't enchanted any +more; it's just a house that belongs to a man that +probably has a bald head and whiskers." +</p> + +<p> +"I hadn't thought of that," Peter said gravely. +</p> + +<p> +The door opened, and the little man stood +before them again. +</p> + +<p> +"Come with me," he said, and led the way to +the house. +</p> + +<p> +"He's not nearly so starchy," Janet whispered; +"maybe he is nice after all." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course he is," Peter assured her. +</p> + +<p> +They passed through a big clean kitchen, full +of shiny pots and pans, and then into a dark +little hall. +</p> + +<p> +"Wait here," their guide directed, as he shoved +them into a little room that looked like an office. +</p> + +<p> +They waited, and a minute or two later the door +opened. +</p> + +<p> +It would be hard to say just what either Peter +or Janet imagined the owner of the deserted +house to resemble. Janet, when she thought of +the place as belonging to any one but herself, +usually pictured a modern King Arthur who +would admit her claims as princess without +hesitation. Peter knew that it was a house that his +father would have loved, and he thought of the +owner as a quiet gray-haired man in consequence. +They were neither of them prepared to see a +woman. +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd!" Janet after a stupefied second +fairly shouted the name, and it was Peter's turn to +be astonished. He looked from one to the other +and blushed a little; he realized it might be +difficult to explain to a woman, for Peter knew +nothing about women. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd did not say anything. She stood in +the doorway and laughed and laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"Is it really your house?" Janet stammered, +and she nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it's my house, and perhaps you can tell +me, for Mr. Simpson's benefit, what you two were +doing in it." +</p> + +<p> +Peter looked at Janet, and she started the +explanation. +</p> + +<p> +"We weren't doing anything just when he +found us," she said, "except waiting for the rain +to stop, but this wasn't the only time we've been +there. You see, I found it first, oh, ages ago, and +I used to row over and read in the Kingdom—I +mean the library—" +</p> + +<p> +"What did you call it?" Mrs. Todd interrupted. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, that was just my name for it. I always +thought of it as 'The Enchanted Kingdom' +because of all the wonderful books first and then +because it was so old and deserted and spooky." Janet +looked at Peter and he nodded encouragement. +</p> + +<p> +"I only met Peter the other day; it was the very +day of the fair. I came over because—" +</p> + +<p> +"I know; go on about Peter," Mrs. Todd put in. +</p> + +<p> +"He was fixing the roof, and he dropped a +piece of tin down on my nose, and then, well, of +course we began to talk, and he said he had found +the books, too, and so we went into the Kingdom, +and it was Peter that made me go back to the +fair in spite of—" Janet stopped, confused. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd surveyed the two before her. There +was nothing left of her laughter but the tiniest +twinkle in her bright blue eyes. She snapped +open her old-fashioned watch, looked at the time, +and snapped it shut again. +</p> + +<p> +"It's late," she said. "Janet, I'll drive you +home. Where do you live?"—she turned to +Peter. +</p> + +<p> +"At Blunt's farm. I work there," he +answered her. +</p> + +<p> +"Humm, well, you won't have far to go. Good-by. +I'll see you again, and thanks for mending +my roof," she added, as Peter hurried to the door. +</p> + +<p> +He smiled at her over his shoulder. Janet went +with him as far as the gate. +</p> + +<p> +"It's funny, isn't it!" she laughed; "and of +course she understands." +</p> + +<p> +"Guess she does," Peter admitted. "Good-by." +</p> + +<p> +"Until next time," Janet added. +</p> + +<p> +"Maybe," Peter hesitated and then finished, +"Do you remember asking me what the matter +was this morning? Well, it's this. Doc is going +to Europe, and I won't let him leave me any money +'cause I know he needs it all himself, so I've got +to get work, and I think I'll be starting soon." +</p> + +<p> +"But, Peter, I'll see you before you go," Janet +exclaimed in dismay. +</p> + +<p> +"Maybe," Peter drawled as he had done the +first time she had ever seen him. "Anyway +good-by for now." +</p> + +<p> +Janet watched him walk down the road until the +twilight shadows swallowed him up. There was +something that felt like a lump in her throat. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap09"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER IX +<br><br> +THE MYSTERIOUS OWNER +</h3> + +<p> +"And now, you amazing child, tell me all +you know about Peter." Mrs. Todd +let her horse trot along unguided +through the dusk and settled back in her seat, with +a look of amused expectation on her face. +</p> + +<p> +Janet plunged into a recital of Peter's life, or +at least that portion of it that she knew, and +before very long the amusement changed to +interest and then to pity. Mrs. Todd was a splendid +listener and a very understanding woman. +</p> + +<p> +"What kinds of books does he like to read?" +she asked, when Janet paused for breath. +</p> + +<p> +"Everything in the library," Janet told her. +"He laughs just as hard at 'Alice in Wonderland' +as he does over 'Robinhood and his Merrymen,' +but of course he likes Robinhood best, especially +the part about Little John. He likes the 'Idyls +of the King' too, and he just eats up history. +To-day I found him reading a stuffy old book about +sheep. I think he would like to raise, or do +whatever it is you do to, sheep, but of course he can't +now because of Doc." +</p> + +<p> +"And who is Doc?" Mrs. Todd inquired. +</p> + +<p> +Again Janet explained as best she could, and +this time it was Mrs. Todd's eyes that were wet. +</p> + +<p> +"Hum," she said after a little pause, "perhaps +sheep would be a good idea, I never thought of it +myself. I'll talk to Peter about it." +</p> + +<p> +Janet sighed a long, happy sigh. +</p> + +<p> +"It's the most perfect fairy tale that ever came +true," she said. "Of all the people in the world +that I would have chosen to be the mysterious +owner of the Enchanted Kingdom, you would be +the first, only I simply can't understand why I +never knew or why you never lived in it." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd sighed too, but hers was not a happy +sigh. +</p> + +<p> +"My dear child," she said, "that is a very long +and a very disagreeable story, but perhaps I can +tell you enough of it for you to understand why +I left my home and Old Chester. +</p> + +<p> +"When I was not so very many years older +than you, say about eighteen, your grandmother +decided that I was to marry your father Tom, and +my parents thoroughly agreed to the plan. Your +father and I, however, did not. In fact I might +say that we thoroughly disapproved. We were +the very best of friends, but we were both in love +with other people; Tom with your beautiful +mother and I with Mr. Todd. You know quite +well how your grandmother acts when anybody +goes against her wishes, so I need only say that +my father was just about as stubborn and they +had both determined on the match. Now then! to +make a very long story short, I ran away with +Mr. Todd, and that made them both, your grandmother +and my father—my mother, bless her dear +heart, understood—very angry. Your grandmother +said that I was never to enter her house +again. I never did until the other day when I +went with you. My father was just as severe +and told me that I could never come home with +my husband. Well, of course, there was never +any idea of my returning without him, and so we +stayed away and traveled in every country under +the sun and had the happiest three years imaginable, +and then he died." There was a long pause +before Mrs. Todd continued her story. +</p> + +<p> +"I went home after that with my baby boy and—oh, +my dear child, you will think this a very +dismal tale, but it's best to finish it. My baby +died the next year, and I left the house, I thought, +forever. It was mine for my father had died the +year after my marriage and left it to me, but for +so many years I had been unhappy there that I +determined never to come near it again. That +was thirty years ago and I have just come back. +</p> + +<p> +"To-day I determined to go and see how the +old place looked, I was afraid it would be in ruins. +On my way I stopped in at the Simpsons and +there my courage failed. So, I sent Mr. Simpson +up to look at it and see if there was any chance +of repairing it. I thought perhaps if it were +patched up and swept out and tidied a bit it would +not be as hard to return. Now I know I was a +very silly and sentimental old lady, and I will go +myself to-morrow morning and see about hurrying +up the work of repairs. With two caretakers I am +sure it has not suffered too much." Mrs. Todd +stopped as shortly as she had begun and picked +up the reins and chirruped to the horse, as though +to say the conversation was finished now and forever. +</p> + +<p> +Janet knew it was, and without quite +understanding it she realized the effort it had taken +to tell it. She wanted to say something to +Mrs. Todd, but she knew there was nothing that could +be put into words, so she sat silent for the rest +of the drive. This was the second "story" she +had heard that day, and the combination of the +two opened up a world beyond Old Chester and +gave her a sudden glimpse of life, its sorrows, +its struggles, its joys and, above all, its victories. +The knowledge made her restless, but it made her +happy and above all expectant. +</p> + +<p> +If big things happened to the Mrs. Todds and +the Peters in the world, surely big things would +come to her. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd stopped at the garden gate of the +Pages and held out her hand. +</p> + +<p> +"Good night, child," she said. "Don't think +too much of all I have told you, or, if you do, +remember this: no matter how much sorrow there +is in this old world of ours, there is never a +minute of it that is not worth the living. And now, +good night; go to your Enchanted Kingdom whenever +you like, it is more yours now than it ever +was." +</p> + +<p> +Janet held the big firm hand tight, but all she +could find to say was "thank you." There were +a hundred questions that she wanted to ask, and +she finally found the words for the most important +of them all. +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd," she asked softly, "did you know +my mother?" +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd looked at her intently for a long +time and then she looked at the light that always +burned in Mrs. Page's room. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, my child, I did, and I loved her; but +then everybody did with the exception of—" she +hesitated; "no, that's not quite fair, so I won't +finish. Some day, with your grandmother's +permission, I will tell you all I can about her, and +now hurry in and eat your dinner or Martha will +be having one of her nervous spells." +</p> + +<p> +Janet laughed, and squeezed Mrs. Todd's hand +a little harder before she let it go. +</p> + +<p> +"All right," she promised, "I just suddenly +realized that I am as hungry as a bear." +</p> + +<p> +Then Mrs. Todd did something that would have +surprised her friends. She leaned out of the +carriage and kissed Janet. +</p> + +<p> +Martha was on the verge of a nervous spell, +Janet found her looking out of the front hall +window. She tiptoed up behind her and said "boo." +</p> + +<p> +"Miss Janet, you're home at last; wherever +have you been!" Martha exclaimed. "I have +been worried to death over you out in that storm." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, but I wasn't out in all of it,"—Janet +laughed. "I've been driving with Mrs. Todd." +</p> + +<p> +"I might have known that," Martha said, +exasperation written large on her face. "Ann +Hitchens was always one to upset things. Here +we've been living in peace for years and the +minute she comes back, oh, deary me, everything's +a-flutter and topsy-turvy, I wish she'd go away +again, I do indeed." +</p> + +<p> +"But she won't," Janet replied happily. "She +is never going away again, and I am so glad I +could dance." +</p> + +<p> +Martha sniffed, and when Martha sniffed it +was never necessary for her to put her meaning +into words. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, don't dance into your grandmother's +room," she advised. "Walk like a little lady and +go at once. She has been worrying about you +all afternoon." +</p> + +<p> +Contrary to all expectations, Mrs. Page had +nothing to say about the lateness of the hour. She +greeted Janet as usual, told her to wash her hands +and eat her dinner; then she turned her face to +the wall, her way of saying good night. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was about to leave the room, but +something made her pause at the foot of the bed. +</p> + +<p> +"Grandmother," she said slowly. +</p> + +<p> +"Well!" Mrs. Page sat up and looked at her. +</p> + +<p> +"Grandmother," Janet began again, "I am +sorry if I worried you by being out late." +</p> + +<p> +"Who told you I was worried?" Mrs. Page demanded. +</p> + +<p> +"Martha," Janet said. +</p> + +<p> +"Martha talks too much," Mrs. Page snapped. +"I was worried, but you are back now so don't +talk any more about it." +</p> + +<p> +Janet left the room, closing the door very softly +behind her. In the hall she studied the grandfather's +clock with apparent interest, but it is a +question whether she saw it at all. She was +realizing for the first time in her life that her +grandmother was a very old lady. +</p> + +<p> +Martha called her, and she went in to her dinner. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap10"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER X +<br><br> +PETER +</h3> + +<p> +Martha was cleaning house; rugs were +hanging in the kitchen yard and clouds +of dust testified to the strength of her +arm. Indoors all the chairs were turned over, +and white sheets covered the rest of the furniture. +Janet and Boru fled to the "widow's walk" to +escape. +</p> + +<p> +"I hate house cleaning," Janet complained; "if +I ever have a house of my own I will go away on +a trip and not come back until there's enough +dust to make things look comfy again." Boru, +who had a marked respect for Martha's broom, +folded his paws over his nose and looked sympathetic. +</p> + +<p> +"I wonder what will happen to-day," Janet +went on; "everything has been so exciting for the +last few weeks that I love to wake up in the +morning. I wonder if it wasn't all a dream about +Mrs. Todd and that absurd little man and Peter. I +don't really believe that I ever paddled that canoe +yesterday at all." +</p> + +<p> +A whistle interrupted her musings, and she +leaned over the railing and saw Harry Waters +at the garden gate. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you want?" she called. +</p> + +<p> +It was a little time before Harry could locate +her, but when he did he beckoned. +</p> + +<p> +"Come on down." +</p> + +<p> +"All right, wait a minute,"—Janet sighed. +Harry was not the form of excitement she would +have chosen for the day, but he was better than +talking to Boru or listening to Martha's beating +the rugs. +</p> + +<p> +"Hello," she greeted when she had joined him +in the garden. "How's Roy?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, he's all right. He caught a rabbit the +other day." Harry bragged as though the credit +were his. +</p> + +<p> +"I think that was horrid of him. That's just +the trouble with those hunting dogs,"—Janet +flared up—"they are always catching some poor +little animal that never did anybody any harm. +If Boru ever did such a thing I would whip him +good and hard, I can tell you." Boru hung his +head; no doubt the memory of countless innocent +rabbits weighed heavily on his doggish conscience. +</p> + +<p> +"Ah, shucks," Harry grumbled; "that's just +like a girl. They make a fuss and even kiss a +dog if it gets a splinter in its paw, but the minute +one does something worth while they want to whip +it." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I don't like to think of a little dead +bunny. They're so soft and snuggly,"—Janet +defended herself; "and I don't care who knows +it." +</p> + +<p> +"Scared!" The word was hardly out of +Harry's mouth before he regretted it. +</p> + +<p> +Janet eyed him with so much scorn that words +were unnecessary. +</p> + +<p> +"If I were you, Harry," she said at length, +but Harry interrupted her. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I know what you're thinking of, but that's +different," he protested; "my mother says so. +Anyway, I didn't come over here to argue," he +finished crossly. +</p> + +<p> +Janet wanted to ask him what he had come over +for, but she was just a little ashamed of the way +she had been acting. After all, Harry was an +old friend of hers, and it wasn't his fault that +he was fat and always complaining. She gave +herself a little shake and smiled. +</p> + +<p> +"It is silly to scrap; let's go for a walk," she +suggested. +</p> + +<p> +"All right, if you want to," Harry agreed, "but +I came over to tell you that there's a letter for +you at the post office, and Miss Clark says you +haven't been for mail for over a week, and there +are some letters for your grandmother and a +newspaper. I'd have brought them to you but the old +crosspatch wouldn't let me. She said I'd lose +them on the way, and she was responsible for the +U.S. mail. I don't think much of Miss Clark +any—" Harry stopped rambling, and stared at +Janet. "Now what have I done!" he demanded. +</p> + +<p> +Janet marched off down the road, and he followed. +</p> + +<p> +"Gee, but you're queer lately!" he grumbled. +</p> + +<p> +Janet stopped to look at him. Her cheeks were +bright red, and her eyes danced with excitement. +</p> + +<p> +"Harry Waters," she said, "if I were a dog +I think I'd bite you." +</p> + +<p> +The rest of the way to the village Harry had +hard work keeping up with her. +</p> + +<p> +At the post office, Miss Clark insisted on asking +innumerable questions about Mrs. Page. +</p> + +<p> +"You didn't come for the mail for such a long +time that I said to my sister last night, 'I wonder +if Mrs. Page has had a turn,' so this morning I +told the Waters' boy to tell you that there were +several letters in your box—" +</p> + +<p> +"May I have them, please,"—Janet tried politely +to stem the tide, but Miss Clark did not +even notice the interruption. +</p> + +<p> +"Time was when one letter a week was all most +folks looked for, but, lands sakes, nowadays with +all these advertisements and picture postcards, +your box is full before you know it. Did you say +your grandmother was sick?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, she is quite well, thank you. Er—may +I—?" Janet tried again, and Miss Clark did walk +over to the box. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, that's a blessing," she said over her +shoulder. "I do think that when a body must lie +abed all day that they ought to have good health +except for that. Now when my aunt Lucy— Why, +I do declare—" Miss Clark interrupted +herself this time—"I clean forgot to tell you there +was a letter for you. It's from your brother. +Now that seems odd; he always writes to your +grandmother, but this certainly is for you. I +can't imagine why it slipped my mind. I've been +thinking about it all week." +</p> + +<p> +"May I have it, please?" Janet held out her +hand, and with apparent reluctance Miss Clark +gave her the little bundle of letters. She took +them, said a hasty thank you, and escaped from +the post office before there was time for any more +conversation. +</p> + +<p> +She studied the envelope with its Arizona +postmark and made sure that it was directed to her. +Then she tore it open to find a penciled note inside +that read: +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="noindent"> +"<i>Dear little Firebrand sister of mine:</i> +</p> + +<p> +"I am almost everything that you accused me +of being, except my appearance, and that is a +little better than you feared. To prove it to you +I am going to come in person to see you and then +we can talk over all those worrying things you +spoke of. Until I get there please try and think +a little better of me than you have through all +your short, little life, and please believe that I +am heartily ashamed of myself, but that I +solemnly promise to make up for it in the future. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + "Your affectionate big brother,<br> + "TOMMY."<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +Janet read the letter over three times and then +she sat down on the carriage block and read it +again. +</p> + +<p> +Harry watched her and shook his head. He +had no doubts now that Janet was anything but +an ordinary, and by ordinary he meant queer +and unreasonable, girl. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, what's the matter!" he asked again, this +time very forlornly. +</p> + +<p> +"Matter?" Janet's laugh rang out happily. +"Not a single thing in all this wide wide world, +Harry!" she exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +"Then what are you crying about?" he demanded. +</p> + +<p> +Janet brushed away the two big tears that had +filled her eyes, and jumped up. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm not crying, silly," she denied hotly. +"Anyway you wouldn't understand. I'm going +home. Good-by." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I'm darn glad I can't," was Harry's +parting, and he walked off in the opposite direction. +</p> + +<p> +Janet read her letter all the way home. It was +such a surprise, for she had quite given up all +hopes of ever finding the letter she had written +a month before. She had never entertained the +idea of receiving an answer, and such an answer, +full of every sort of promise. And he was +coming, and coming soon. She consulted the +postmark and found that the letter had been in the +post office six days. +</p> + +<p> +The sight of Martha still patiently beating rugs +was unbearable. She hurried into the house and +took the rest of the mail to her grandmother. As +she handed them to her, she saw to her surprise +that one of them was from her brother. Perhaps +he was writing to tell her that he was coming +home, and that would make it unnecessary +for her to mention her letter. +</p> + +<p> +"A letter from your brother," Mrs. Page said +solemnly. "Please wait, Janet, and I will read +you what he says." She opened the letter with +her customary precision and read it first to +herself. Apparently she thought better of her +promise to read it aloud, for she folded it up and put +it back into its envelope. +</p> + +<p> +"Your brother is well," she said at last, "and +he is coming home. This letter is a week old +so that I imagine he will be here before long. +Please tell Martha not to make so much noise in +the hall and don't say anything to any one about +Thomas's proposed visit." +</p> + +<p> +"But, grandmother, why in the world not!" +Janet could not help saying. +</p> + +<p> +"Because I dislike gossip," Mrs. Page snapped. +"When he comes all the village will know it; that +will be soon enough." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, grandmother." Janet left the room, but +she forgot to tell Martha not to make so much +noise. The house was unbearable, and she +decided that even if she could not share her secret +with Mrs. Todd, it would be a comfort to go and +see her and talk about the Enchanted Kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +She was hardly on her way with the idea fixed +in her mind when she heard horse's hoofs coming +toward, and after a minute she saw Mrs. Todd +in her carriage. She stopped her horse at sight +of Janet, and beckoned to her. +</p> + +<p> +Janet jumped in beside her. +</p> + +<p> +"I was just coming to see you," she said. +"Have you been over to your house this morning!" +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd was plainly upset about something. +She was frowning, and there was not a spark of +fun in her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"No, child, I haven't," she answered. "I went +over to find Peter early this morning, and the +Blunts told me he had gone away. They said he +had told them that he was going west and that he +could not leave any address, but he left a letter +addressed to Dr. Peabody in Boston. Now I +happen to know Jack Peabody. He was a very dear +friend of my husband. Of course I haven't seen +him in years but I am going up to Boston this +afternoon and give him Peter's letter, and +between us we ought to be able to find the boy. It's +dreadful to think of his hunting for work and with +no money." +</p> + +<p> +"I think it's splendid," Janet said shyly. +</p> + +<p> +"That's because you are a silly, romantic child +with your head full of story-book nonsense," +Mrs. Todd said briskly. "What I wanted to see you +about was to ask you if that foolish boy gave you +any hint as to where he was going." +</p> + +<p> +"No, indeed, he didn't," Janet said. "I didn't +even dream he was going. Oh, Mrs. Todd, do you +think you really can find him!" she asked suddenly. +</p> + +<p> +"There, there, child, don't worry your head +about it," Mrs. Todd comforted. "Of course we +can. Peter's hair is too red to allow him to run +away unnoticed." +</p> + +<p> +Janet tried to smile, but it was difficult. The +more she thought of Peter's going, the more she +realized how much she would miss him, and half +the joy in her brother's return was lost when she +realized that she could not introduce him to Peter. +</p> + +<p> +"Do you think you could manage Clinker,"—Mrs. Todd +was speaking—"if you do I wish you +would drive over to Simpsons' this afternoon and +give him a letter for me." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, I think I could drive him," Janet replied. +"I'll just let him walk and I'll be awfully +careful of him." +</p> + +<p> +"Very well, then, that's settled." Mrs. Todd +spoke with her usual briskness, and a little of +the laughter returned to her eyes as she added, +"It will be a sorry dose for our friend the +ex-sheriff, but I think it will do him good." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap11"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XI +<br><br> +ANOTHER LETTER +</h3> + +<p> +At two o'clock Janet was waiting in front +of the rectory. She was to drive +Mrs. Todd to the station and then go on to +Simpsons' and deliver the letter. Alice and +Mildred came out on the steps to see them off, and +their faces mirrored their thoughts. Mrs. Todd +had never let them drive Clinker, and they could +not understand why Janet should be allowed the +privilege. There was an air of mystery about +their cousin's sudden departure, and Janet +holding the reins and watching Clinker's ears +importantly added to it. +</p> + +<p> +"When are you going to bring the carriage +back?" Alice inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I won't be late," Janet answered evasively. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd's "Hurry along now, child, or we'll +miss the train," put a stop to further questions. +</p> + +<p> +"I do hope you won't be away very long," Janet +said softly when they were on their way. "Something +exciting, that I can't tell you about, is going +to happen, and I think I will simply die if +you are not here." +</p> + +<p> +"Mercy, child, you sound mysterious,"—Mrs. Todd +laughed. "Why can't you tell me about it?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet did not reply; it would sound so rude to +say, "Grandmother won't let me." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd understood her silence and laughed +again. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I can see that I'll have to come back and +find out for myself then," she said; "when is it +going to happen?" +</p> + +<p> +"Soon, I hope," Janet told her. "It can't happen +too soon for me." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Todd considered for a moment. "Of +course I haven't the slightest idea when I will +come back. It all depends on when we find that +boy. Oh, but I shall give him such a talking to +when I find him. Why couldn't he have waited +until to-morrow and saved all this fuss?" +</p> + +<p> +"It was really to save fuss that he ran away," +Janet reminded her. "Poor Peter! I just hate +to think that maybe he's hungry, but just the same +it was a splendid thing for him to do." +</p> + +<p> +"Splendid, fiddlesticks!" Mrs. Todd ejaculated, +as they drew up to the station platform. +</p> + +<p> +She said good-by very briskly, and Janet +watched her, preceded by a porter carrying her +bags, get into the parlor car. Clinker did not +approve of the noisy engine, and she turned his +head and started off before the train pulled out. +</p> + +<p> +It was a long drive to the Simpsons', and she +let the horse set his own gait, and so it was well +over an hour later before they reached the +Simpsons' place. Janet, remembering the style in +which Mr. Simpson had driven in the day before, +touched up Clinker with the tip of the whip and +the cart swung into the gateway and rolled briskly +down the drive. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Simpson came out of the barn at the sound +of Clinker's hoofs, and was as startled as Janet +could have wished. +</p> + +<p> +"How do you do, Mr. Simpson!" she said in +her sweetest manner. "I have a letter for you +here from Mrs. Todd. She asked me to deliver +it to you." She held out the envelope, and +Mr. Simpson, after carefully wiping his hands on his +overalls and finding his glasses, took it from her. +</p> + +<p> +"Where's Mrs. Todd herself?" he asked sulkily. +</p> + +<p> +"She had to go to Boston, so she won't be able +to come over to the house to-day," Janet explained. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Simpson eyed her suspiciously, then he read +the letter. Janet watched his face, and at the +sudden change of expression, she could not +repress a smile. +</p> + +<p> +"Are you Widow Page's granddaughter?" he +inquired at last. +</p> + +<p> +Janet nodded and tried to look solemn. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you and that boy from Blunts' know all +the time that the owner of that house was Mrs. Todd!" +</p> + +<p> +This time Janet shook her head. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you have permission to go there when you +liked!" +</p> + +<p> +"No." +</p> + +<p> +"Did you know I weren't no real sheriff!" +</p> + +<p> +"No." +</p> + +<p> +"Weren't you scared!" The question was +asked with so much anxiety, that Janet could not +find it in her heart to disappoint the little man +before her. +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I was," she said. "I was frightened +to death. You see, you looked so very severe that +I thought at first you were the owner. It was +lucky for us, wasn't it, that Mrs. Todd did own +it, for of course she didn't mind a bit." +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Simpson stroked his chin slowly and tried +to hide the smile of satisfaction on his round face. +</p> + +<p> +"Waal," he said condescendingly, "I'm sorry I +scared you, though I must say neither of you +looked very frightened; but, you see, I had to do +my duty as a one-time officer of the State." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course," Janet agreed. +</p> + +<p> +"I hope you'll tell Mrs. Page that I am sorry +my duty lay in the direction it did," he continued. +"I wouldn't like to have her put out with me." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll tell her," Janet laughed, and added, as +she turned Clinker around, "I am going to the +house on the hill now, so please, if you happen in +as you did yesterday, ring the bell and let me +know you're coming. I'd hate to be frightened +that way ever again." +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Simpson was now thoroughly sure that he +was not the object of ridicule, and he beamed upon +Janet and all the autumn landscape. +</p> + +<p> +"Don't you worry, little lady," he chuckled; +"now that I know who you are I won't never +question your right to be any place in this county, +and any time I can do you a service you just call +on me and you'll find I'm your man." +</p> + +<p> +Janet thanked him graciously and drove off, +without giving herself away by even a smile. +Once on the road and out of earshot, however, she +laughed so heartily that Clinker pricked up his +ears and started to run. +</p> + +<p> +"There, there, old fellow, I didn't mean to +frighten you,"—she quieted him—"take your +time and do stop frisking. It would be too awful +for words if you ran away and dumped me anywhere. +Think what Alice and Mildred would say." +</p> + +<p> +Clinker obligingly settled into a trot, and they +were soon at the entrance to the Enchanted +Kingdom. Janet had never before approached it from +the land side, and she was surprised at the broad +sweep of driveway before her. The house and +barns looked more imposing from this side too. +</p> + +<p> +"It is truly a fairy castle," she said aloud. +</p> + +<p> +Clinker submitted to being tied under one of +the sheds, and Janet hurried around to the front +porch. Mrs. Todd had offered her the key +Mr. Simpson had, but she had said she would rather +go in the old way. +</p> + +<p> +Everything was very still, and somehow she felt +the loneliness of it all more than ever. The roof +seemed to sag dejectedly, and a few dead autumn +leaves swishing in the wind against the front door +added to the unnatural dreariness. +</p> + +<p> +She shivered a little before she slipped through +the window. She wanted more than anything else +in the world at that moment to hear Peter's cheery +"hello." +</p> + +<p> +Once in the library, she went straight to the +books and ran her hand over them as if to find +consultation in their worn backs. She finally +selected a little book bound in red. It opened +readily, more readily than usual, at a little poem. +Janet sat down on the floor and started to read +aloud to herself. There was something in the +rhythm that always comforted her when she was +lonely. Surely Mrs. Browning had understood +much when she wrote "Little Ellie." Janet read +it idly: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> + "Little Ellie sits alone<br> + 'Mid the beeches of a meadow,<br> + By a stream-side on the grass.<br> + And the trees are showering down,<br> + Doubles of their leaves in shadow<br> + On her shining hair and face.<br> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> + "She has thrown her bonnet by<br> + And her feet she has been dipping<br> + In the shallow water's flow;<br> + Now she holds them nakedly<br> + In her hands all sleek and dripping<br> + While she rocketh to and fro."<br> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> + "Little Ellie sits alone,<br> + And the smile she has been using<br> + Fills the silence like a speech,<br> + While she thinks what shall be done<br> + And the sweetest pleasure chooses<br> + For her future within reach."<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +Many and many an afternoon Janet had read +the beginning of the little poem and then chosen +the sweetest pleasure for herself and lost the +rest of the day in dreams. +</p> + +<p> +She looked up from the pages with a sigh, then +her eyes fell on a folded piece of paper lying on +the floor beside her. She picked it up and opened +it. Idle curiosity gave place to excited interest +as she read: +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="noindent"> +"<i>Dear Princess:</i> +</p> + +<p> +"I am sorry to go away without another +good-by, but I must. Doc was coming here to see +me, and I knew if he talked to me I would give +in and that wouldn't be fair to either of us, and +Dad would never approve. I'm awfully glad you +know the owner of the 'E.K.,' for now I can +always think of you there. +</p> + +<p> +"I left the canoe on the bank below your house, +and I rowed your boat back. When I get a job +in the West I will write and tell you about it if +you want me to, and of course some day I will +see you again. +</p> + +<p> +"Good-by again, and thanks for being such a +good little pal. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +"PETER GIBBS." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +Janet's eyes were blurred long before she came +to the end of the letter, and as she finished +reading two big tears splashed on to the book in her +lap. +</p> + +<p> +She stood up and looked about the room forlornly; +the old gloves were gone from their accustomed +place on the table. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap12"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XII +<br><br> +JANET'S PASSENGER +</h3> + +<p> +Janet left the house by the cellar window +instead of the easier way. It would be +hard to explain her reasons, but it was +noticeable that when she had safely climbed out +and stood on the ground by the window, she leaned +over and picked up something and put it away +hastily in the pocket of her dress. A great many +years were to pass before she showed it to +another soul. +</p> + +<p> +"Come along, Clinker," she said briskly, as she +went to the shed. "It's high time we were +starting." She jumped into the cart, and Clinker, only +too delighted to start for home, set off at a brisk +pace. +</p> + +<p> +It was a long way by road back to the village, +and it was dusk before they neared it. As they +came within sight of the railroad station Janet +heard a train pulling in, and remembering +Clinker's dislike for locomotives she slowed up to wait +until it left the station. +</p> + +<p> +It was the train from Boston, and she could +not help wishing that Mrs. Todd and Peter were +on it. +</p> + +<p> +When the last puff of the engine was lost in the +distance, she drove past the station very slowly. +Of course there was no sign of Mrs. Todd or +Peter, and she drove on, disappointed in spite +of herself. A short stretch of wood made the +road quite dark ahead of her for a way. Clinker +pricked up his ears as they entered it but Janet +did not pay any attention to him and was therefore +thoroughly startled when a voice, coming +apparently from nowhere, called: +</p> + +<p> +"Wait a minute there, will you!" +</p> + +<p> +She pulled Clinker to a sudden stop and waited. +A man walked out of the shadows and came up +to the cart. +</p> + +<p> +"I beg your pardon," he said, taking off his +hat. "I didn't see it was a lady driving." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, but what difference does that make?" +Janet answered awkwardly. "Won't I do?" +</p> + +<p> +The man laughed and showed a set of the +whitest teeth Janet had ever seen. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, as a matter of fact," he explained in +his low voice, "I was going to ask for a lift." +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked at him for a minute and decided +she liked him, and therefore it would not be +necessary to treat him the way she usually treated +strangers. +</p> + +<p> +"Why can't I give you one?" she asked, +laughing too. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, now, that's mighty nice of you, and I'm +very much obliged," he said. "My bag is a little +too heavy to make walking any fun." He got +in with surprising quickness, and Janet started +Clinker by a word. +</p> + +<p> +"That's a mighty fine horse you've got there," +he said quietly. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, isn't he a beauty! His name's Clinker," +Janet replied. "He doesn't belong to me, though. +I only wish he did." +</p> + +<p> +They were out of the wood by now, and she +turned to look at her passenger. He was, to judge +from the way he had to pull his knees up, a very +tall man and certainly he was handsome. His +face was burned a dark tan, and his eyes were +set far apart and deep in his head. His hat covered +most of his hair, but Janet knew it was brown +like his eyes. There were lines at his temples +that proved, if proof were necessary, that he +laughed a good deal. He had big broad shoulders +and nice long lean hands, that looked as though +he could do almost anything with them. +</p> + +<p> +"Well?" he asked, laughing, and Janet realized +she had been staring. +</p> + +<p> +"I really couldn't help it, you see," she +apologized, very much confused. "Why, I've +forgotten to ask you where you wanted to go?" she +added. +</p> + +<p> +"To a hotel if there is one," the man replied. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, but there isn't," Janet laughed. "We +have a boarding house where most every one stays. +The post mistress keeps it, but I'm afraid you +won't like it very much." +</p> + +<p> +The man considered for a minute or so, and then +smiled and shrugged. +</p> + +<p> +"Then I must take the chance of being mistaken +for a tramp in these dusty clothes and go straight +home." +</p> + +<p> +"Where's home?" Janet inquired. "I don't +like to be inquisitive, but we are almost to Main +Street now." +</p> + +<p> +"Not at all, I didn't realize I hadn't introduced +myself. I'm Tom Page; perhaps you know my +little sister Janet." +</p> + +<p> +Whatever Janet did no one will ever know, but +Clinker, and he showed his disapproval of it by +almost jumping over the shafts. If Tom had not +caught the reins and made him come to order he +might have succeeded in running away. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, well, what happened?" he inquired, +when Clinker was walking quietly again. "I +didn't see anything to frighten the animal, did +you?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I did it," Janet gasped. "Can't you see! +I'm Janet, and you—oh, I know I'm dreaming." +</p> + +<p> +"You!" It was Tom's turn to be surprised. +"Why, you can't be. Janet is just a youngster +and you are a very grown up young person." +</p> + +<p> +"But I'm Janet just the same, and, well—how +do you do, Tom; I'm very glad to see you." She +held out her hand. +</p> + +<p> +"Bless your heart!" Tom put his arm around +her and in spite of Clinker gave her a hearty kiss. +"What luck for us to meet like this!"—he laughed—"and +I had pictured it so differently, and you +are just about fifty times as nice as I thought you +were going to be." +</p> + +<p> +"Well," Janet sighed happily, "you certainly +are heaps nicer than <i>I</i> thought you were going +to be." +</p> + +<p> +They turned the corner by the rectory, and +Clinker, without asking any one's permission, +turned in at the gate. +</p> + +<p> +"We will have to leave the horse here," Janet +explained. "He belongs to Mrs. Todd. I was +just doing an errand for her." +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd." Tom was thoughtful. "I seem +to remember her—oh, yes,"—and he laughed. +"I'd like to meet her." +</p> + +<p> +"But she's in Boston," Janet replied. "She's +only visiting at the rectory." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you'd better let me out anyway," Tom +suggested. "I don't want to meet anybody +to-night. You rustle along, and I'll wait here." He +jumped out, and Janet hurried to the barn, +where the hired man was waiting to unhitch +Clinker. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Blake came out on to the back porch. +</p> + +<p> +"Is that you, Janet?" she called. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, Mrs. Blake, I was a little delayed in +getting home. I hope you haven't been worried," +Janet replied. +</p> + +<p> +"Only a little uneasy," Mrs. Blake confessed; +"won't you come in and see the girls?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, not to-night, thank you. I must really +hurry home." Janet spoke with so much concern +that Mrs. Blake did not urge her, and after a +hurried good night she was able to join Tom. +</p> + +<p> +"It's quite a long walk home," she apologized. +"I wish I could have driven all the way. Won't +you let me help you with that bag!" +</p> + +<p> +Tom laughed his hearty, good-natured laugh, +and caught his little sister by the arm. +</p> + +<p> +"You little featherweight! I could carry you +and the bag and never know you were there. But +we'll take it easy, and that will give us more time +to talk. First of all, how is grandmother?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, she's well; that is, of course, she is in +bed always, but I think she feels all right +otherwise," Janet replied. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, of course. I was forgetting. Let me +see, who else is in the house?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, just Martha and me; that's all." +</p> + +<p> +"Any friends? Your letter sounded as though +you were lonely." +</p> + +<p> +"I am sometimes," Janet confessed; "that is, +I used to be. Lately I haven't had time because +there's been Peter and Mrs. Todd." +</p> + +<p> +"Who's Peter?" Tom inquired. "The boy +that was afraid of snakes?" +</p> + +<p> +"Certainly not," Janet denied hotly; "that was +Harry Waters." +</p> + +<p> +Tom started to ask a question, thought better +of it, and said instead: +</p> + +<p> +"How about girls?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet did not reply at once. Her own mind was +far from made up on the subject, and it was +difficult to answer Tom. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't know any girls, really," she replied +slowly. "The ones I have met didn't like me +much, and I didn't like them. When I wrote that +letter to you I thought I wanted a girl friend +more than anything else in the world, but now I +guess boys are better; anyway, they don't say +mean things behind your back." +</p> + +<p> +"All girls are not alike, little sister of mine. +There are lots of girls in the world that are just +like you and you'd like them, even better than +you like boys." +</p> + +<p> +There was a long pause, and finally Janet said: +</p> + +<p> +"Tom, do you remember what I said in my letter +about wishing you were a sister instead of a +brother?" +</p> + +<p> +"Even to the exact words,"—Tom laughed. +"You said that I would be much more of a +comfort to you as a sister. That's what made me +come on at once. I wanted to prove that brothers +are some use in the world." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't tease," Janet begged. "I only reminded +you of it so that I could say I was sorry." +</p> + +<p> +"But you would like to have a sister too, +wouldn't you?" Tom asked anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, of course,"—Janet laughed. "I'd like to +have one too, but not in place of you." +</p> + +<p> +"Then <i>that's</i> all right,"—Tom gave her arm a +tight squeeze. "Isn't that our house?" he +inquired, as the light from Mrs. Page's room +twinkled in the distance. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, yes, but how did you know?" Janet +asked, surprised. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I was ten years old before I left for +school," Tom explained. "You were a tiny baby +then." +</p> + +<p> +Janet lapsed into another thoughtful silence. +</p> + +<p> +"Tom," she said seriously, "why didn't you +ever come back!" +</p> + +<p> +Tom's voice was very gentle as he answered +her: +</p> + +<p> +"That, little sister of mine," he said, "is one +of the many things I am going to tell you about +after I have talked to your grandmother." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap13"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XIII +<br><br> +THE GREATEST SURPRISE IN THE WORLD +</h3> + +<p> +Janet tiptoed down stairs and stole softly +out into the garden. It was very early in +the morning, and even Martha was still +asleep. But there was no sleep for Janet. Her +eyes had been wide open since the first streak of +pale light had fallen slantwise across her floor. +For hours she had tossed restlessly, and at last, +unable to stand it any longer, she had dressed. +</p> + +<p> +It was the morning after Tom's arrival. Janet +thought over the events of the night before and +frowned. As soon as they had entered the house +he had gone straight to his grandmother's room, +and she had not seen him since. She and Martha +had sat up until after ten and then, very much +against her will, she had gone to bed and listened +for a long time to the murmur of voices in the +room below. At first her grandmother's querulous +tones had predominated, but after a while +Tom's low rumble sounded comfortingly in her +ears, and she had slipped off to sleep. +</p> + +<p> +This morning, as she thought about it, she tried +to imagine all that had been said behind that +closed door, but she found it impossible. Why +there should be anything to discuss, she couldn't +imaging. Other people lived without an air of +mystery surrounding them, and at this moment +of Janet's life she envied those people with all +her heart. +</p> + +<p> +Once several years before she had asked her +grandmother to tell her about her mother and +father. Mrs. Page had told her there was nothing +to tell, and had forbidden her ever to speak +of the subject again. She had looked so gray +and sick as she said it that Janet had been +frightened, and she had never ventured to refer to it +again except to Martha, and all Martha could tell +her was that her mother had been a dear patient +saint and her father the finest man that ever lived. +Janet had tried to picture them from this description, +and up until a year before she had been contented. +Now she wanted to know more. Mrs. Todd, +too, had made her think. +</p> + +<p> +She looked up at Tom's window impatiently, +and as she looked the shade moved and Tom put +his head out. +</p> + +<p> +"Hello!" he called down softly. "I knew +you'd be up with the birds. Wait a jiffy, and +I'll be down with you." +</p> + +<p> +Janet threw him a kiss and told him to hurry. +She listened, smiling, as she heard him splash in +the bathtub. It was not many minutes before he +was beside her, and they were seated on the old +stone garden bench. +</p> + +<p> +"How is my little grown-up sister this morning?" +he inquired, as he kissed her. +</p> + +<p> +"Tommy, please tell me everything," Janet +begged. "I want to know so badly." +</p> + +<p> +"Poor youngster,"—Tom patted her shoulder +affectionately—"so you shall, but first let me have +a look at you, I hardly saw you last night." He +turned her face toward him and smiled down into +her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"Janet, what would you say if I told you that +you had a sister?" he asked slowly. +</p> + +<p> +"But—why, how silly! I wouldn't, believe +you,"—Janet laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"Not if I told you quite seriously?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet jumped up from her seat and faced her +brother. +</p> + +<p> +"Tommy, what do you mean?" she asked wonderingly. +</p> + +<p> +"Not only an ordinary sister," Tom continued, +"but a twin sister." He studied her anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was more bewildered than ever. +</p> + +<p> +"But I couldn't have, Tommy, and not know it." +</p> + +<p> +"It does sound unreasonable," Tom agreed, +"but it's true. Do you want me to tell you about +her?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet put her hands on his shoulders and looked +at him, still doubtful and a little frightened. +</p> + +<p> +"You're not teasing me, are you?" she asked, +and her voice trembled. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-135"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-135.jpg" alt=""You're not teasing me, are you?" she asked, and her voice trembled."> +<br> +"You're not teasing me, are you?" she asked, and her <br> +voice trembled. +</p> + +<p> +Tom stood up and put his arm around her, and +they walked slowly down the garden path. +</p> + +<p> +"No, honey, I'm not teasing you," he said +quietly. "Let me try and explain. +</p> + +<p> +"I will have to say some things about grandmother +that I would rather leave unsaid, but you +must try and understand that although she is a +very unreasonable and selfish old lady she did +what she thought was right." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course,"—Janet nodded her head. +</p> + +<p> +"I thought that you must know all about mother +and father, I never dreamed she would refuse to +answer your questions, and of course I knew you +would ask questions as soon as you began to think. +I've been a very selfish brother and I am heartily +ashamed of myself, I should have come home ages +ago, but we'll let that pass now. +</p> + +<p> +"You know Mrs. Todd?" he paused, and Janet +nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, a long time ago grandmother decided +that she was to marry father, but father was in +love with mother then; very, very much in love +with her." Tom smiled as he added, "And he +married her. Grandmother was furious, but she +adored father and before long she forgave him +and he and mother came here to live. I guess +grandmother had to like mother in spite of herself, +but she could never quite forgive her for not being +the girl she had chosen. I was born, and then +ten years later you and Phyllis came along." +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis, oh, what a lovely name!" Janet exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +"It was mother's name too," Tom told her, and +went on with his story. "One day when you were +just tiny tots father and mother went out for a +sail. It was windy, and grandmother tried to +persuade them not to go, but mother laughed at +the idea of danger and they went." Tom paused +and stroked Janet's soft hair. +</p> + +<p> +"They never came back, dear," he said gently. +After a little he went on: "When grandmother +heard it she almost lost her mind from grief, and +she was sick for a long time. When she got better +she had a fixed idea in her head that it was +mother's fault and she would not let any one +mention her name before her. Aunt Marjorie, +mother's sister, came down, and of course she +wanted to take you and Phyllis home with her, +but grandmother wouldn't let her. She let her +have Phyllis, because she had been named for +mother, but she kept you. Aunt Marjorie was +very angry and when she left grandmother told +her never to come back and never to write to you +or to me. Of course there was nothing for Aunt +Mog to do but to agree. However, she didn't +keep her promise, for she used to write to me at +school and send me all kinds of things to eat. But +I never saw her. Grandmother sent me away to +school, and because I was noisy in the house she +wouldn't let me come home for vacations. I was +glad of it, for some of the boys always took me +to their houses and I had a much better time. +After I finished college I went west and for a +while I was so busy on my ranch that I forgot +I had any sisters. I used to write to grandmother +now and again, as you know, and I sent my love +to you, you were quite right to object to that kind +of love," he added, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"But how could you tell I wasn't the horrid +prim thing that wrote those letters that +grandmother corrected,"—Janet was quick to defend +him against himself. "Did you ever write to +Phyllis!" +</p> + +<p> +"Only at Christinas and after a while I +stopped doing even that. She was just a little +kid and I was so far away. Aunt Mog writes me +whenever they move and change addresses. Bless +her heart, I shouldn't wonder if perhaps she'd +guessed that some day we would all want to be +together. You'll love Aunt Mog; she's a dear." +</p> + +<p> +Janet walked back to the bench and sat down +limply, her knees felt shaky. +</p> + +<p> +"A sister," she said softly. +</p> + +<p> +"A twin," Tom corrected her, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"It's the same thing, only better," Janet +answered, and then she laughed too. "Oh, Tommy, +I'm so happy I think I'm going to cry like an +idiotic baby." +</p> + +<p> +"Cry ahead, I won't look," Tom promised, but +Janet had too many questions to ask to waste +time crying. She swallowed hard, gave herself +a little shake, and no tears came. +</p> + +<p> +"Am I going to see Phyllis soon?" she inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Just as soon as I can get ahold of Aunt Mog +and arrange for them to come down," Tom +assured her. +</p> + +<p> +"Come down!" Janet exclaimed. "Will grandmother +let them?" +</p> + +<p> +Tom smiled a peculiar sort of a smile. "Grandmother +is going to <i>ask</i> them to come down," he +said quietly. +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked at him in amazement. It was +hard to imagine her grandmother's giving in to +anybody, but it was harder still to look at Tom's +mouth and imagine anybody not giving in to him. +</p> + +<p> +As they had talked, Martha had been busy about +the kitchen, and the sound of pots and pans and +running water reached the garden. Finally Tom +sniffed. +</p> + +<p> +"Muffins," he exclaimed, "and I am as +hungry as a bear. Come along and let's find +breakfast." +</p> + +<p> +Martha's excitement and bewilderment were +such that it is a wonder everything was not burned +for breakfast, but her ability as a cook was greater +than any temporary shock, and the breakfast +was delicious. +</p> + +<p> +Tom and Janet did it full justice. +</p> + +<p> +"It is such fun to have some one at the table +to talk to," Janet said, and Tom had a sudden +vision of her sitting alone year after year in the +big dining-room, and once more he called himself +a thoroughly selfish brother and choked a little +over his coffee. +</p> + +<p> +After breakfast Janet went to her grandmother's +door and knocked as she had always +done. It was all a little different this morning +and she hesitated a second on the threshold before +she went in. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Page, propped up as usual by countless +pillows, looked smaller and older than ever, and +any feeling of resentment that Janet may have +felt disappeared and an understanding sympathy +took its place. +</p> + +<p> +"Good morning, grandmother?" she said as usual. +</p> + +<p> +"Have you seen your brother?" Mrs. Page +asked a little shakily. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, grandmother, and he told me +everything." Janet spoke very gently. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, what have you to say about it? Come, +speak up," Mrs. Page fidgeted with the bed +clothes. +</p> + +<p> +"I haven't anything to say," Janet answered. +"Of course I am awfully glad really to know +Tom and I want more than anything in the world +to see my sister." +</p> + +<p> +"You do, eh? Very well, you shall; but if you +don't like her, don't blame me. I've tried to keep +you away from unhappiness but now you may do +as you like." +</p> + +<p> +Janet thought of the lonely yet happy years, +and she laid her hand on her grandmother's that +was nervously stroking the sheet. +</p> + +<p> +"I know you have, grandmother, and I am very +grateful, truly I am; and of course I will love +Phyllis," she added with a gay little laugh. +</p> + +<p> +Tom was waiting for her in the garden with +Boru. +</p> + +<p> +"Let's take a walk down to the village. I want +to send off a wire and then you can show me the +sights," he suggested. +</p> + +<p> +"I'll take you over to the big house on the +hill,"—Janet was eager to be off. "Get your hat +and let's start this minute. Oh, dear, I've so +many things to ask you and twice as many to tell +you." +</p> + +<p> +"Thirteen years' worth,"—Tom laughed, and +they set off. +</p> + +<p> +It was a glorious day, the wind blew the red-brown +leaves in graceful swirls, and the sunshine +melted everything to a misty gold. +</p> + +<p> +It was surely a never-to-be-forgotten day in +Janet's life. Tom told her thrilling stories of +the West and his own ranch, and in return she +confided all her secrets. He was interested, +especially in Peter, for he had heard of his father. +He blessed Mrs. Todd secretly for her interest +in Janet, and his wish of the night before to meet +her took on a new significance. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the day the "thirteen years" had +very nearly been bridged, and Tom's admiration +for his little sister was only equalled by her love +for him. +</p> + +<p> +"Do you know, Janet," he said half seriously, +as they climbed the steps from the shore, "I'm +not nearly as sorry as I was that I have neglected +you for so long. Left to yourself you have certainly +made a very acceptable little sister, and +think how badly I might have spoiled you." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, do stop blaming yourself," Janet cried; +"what is the use of thinking about anything that +is farther back than last night or perhaps two +weeks ago?" she corrected herself, thinking of +Peter and Mrs. Todd. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap14"></a></p> + +<h3> +XIV +<br><br> +A LONG DAY +</h3> + +<p> +Some one was tapping the knocker on the +porch below, and Janet stopped in her work +to listen. It was an unfamiliar sound, for +most callers came to the house by way of the garden. +</p> + +<p> +She tiptoed to the window and looked down. +Alice and Mildred Blake stood below her. She +could see the tops of their brown felt hats. A +minute later she heard Martha let them in, and +then call her from the foot of the stairs. +</p> + +<p> +She looked about her in dismay. She was getting +the front room ready for Phyllis and Aunt +Mog, and she did not want to be disturbed. +</p> + +<p> +"Miss Janet," Martha called again, and this +time Janet answered. +</p> + +<p> +"Just a minute, Martha; I'll be right down." She +flew to her room and brushed her tossled hair +and took off the huge apron of Martha's that she +was wearing. +</p> + +<p> +Alice and Mildred came forward to meet her +together. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Janet!" they exclaimed in chorus, "we +have just heard that your sister is coming. Isn't +it exciting! Miss Clark told mother, and she sent +us over to ask you if you wouldn't bring her and +your aunt—mother used to know her when they +were girls—to tea just as soon as they come." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, that's awfully nice of you,"—Janet was +a little taken back. "I'd be glad to." +</p> + +<p> +"When are they coming?" Alice queried. +</p> + +<p> +"To-morrow," Janet told them. "Tom went +to New York last Monday and he sent me a +telegram saying they would all be here to-morrow." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, so Miss Clark said." Mildred did not +try to conceal the fact that her sister's question +was asked purely to make conversation. The +date and hour had been circulated freely about +the village as soon as Tom's wire had arrived. +</p> + +<p> +"How is Mrs. Todd?" Janet asked, to save +Alice further embarrassment. +</p> + +<p> +The girls exchanged glances. +</p> + +<p> +"It's lucky you spoke of her or we might have +forgotten to give you a message she sent you in a +letter to mother," Mildred said. "She said to +tell you that you could drive Clinker any time you +liked and that she would be very glad to have you +exercise him." +</p> + +<p> +"How sweet of her!" Janet exclaimed. "She +knows I love to drive. I'll come this very +afternoon and take him out." +</p> + +<p> +"We have our own horse, you know." Alice +spoke with condescension, although Janet knew +quite well that only the rector ever drove the +ancient gray mare that kept Clinker company in +the rectory barn. +</p> + +<p> +"I was tired of driving long ago," Mildred +upheld her sister. "I wish father would buy an +automobile." +</p> + +<p> +"Do you?" Janet asked. "I don't believe I +could ever love an automobile." +</p> + +<p> +Mildred looked at her in surprise and turned +to her sister. +</p> + +<p> +"We must go, Alice," she said. "Good-by, +Janet; don't forget to bring your sister to tea." +</p> + +<p> +"No, I won't, and thank you ever so much." Janet +watched her visitors until they reached the +shore road below the house. She marveled at +the easy way in which they spoke of Phyllis and +called her "your sister" when she herself found +it so hard to grow accustomed to the relationship. +Finally she went back to her work. +</p> + +<p> +The room that Phyllis and her aunt were to +have was long and low ceilinged. It ran the +length of the front of the house. Six latticed +windows opened to the south and looked over the +bay below. It was a quaint room, hung in faded +chintz and furnished with heavy old mahogany. +Janet was doing her best to make it shine. +</p> + +<p> +"I'll put some asters in a bowl on the table," +she said to Boru, who was watching operations +from the doorway, "and then I think we will be +all ready. Are you going to like your new +sister?" she asked laughingly, as she dropped to +her knee beside him and rubbed her cheek against +his shaggy coat. "You must, you know, because +she's my twin, but you mustn't love her as much +as you do me." +</p> + +<p> +Boru got up and walked away, as though he +considered that the only way to answer such a +silly remark. +</p> + +<p> +Janet sat on the floor where he had left her +and cradled her chin in her hand and gave herself +up to sudden gloomy speculation. Suppose +Phyllis turned out to be like Alice and Mildred! +The very idea chilled her, and she stared dismally +at the pretty room. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't suppose she'll have to like me just +because she's my sister," she said aloud; "perhaps +she'll think I'm different too, or maybe she'll +think I'm countrified. Oh, dear, I almost wish +she were not coming." +</p> + +<p> +Boru came back and snuggled into her lap, and +they sat quiet, both busy with their own thoughts +until Martha interrupted them. +</p> + +<p> +"There you are, Miss Janet. I knew you'd +be tiring yourself out with all this fixing. Come +down to your lunch now; do, like a good child, +and let me do the rest." +</p> + +<p> +Janet got up slowly. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Martha, I don't feel a bit like eating," +she said dolefully. +</p> + +<p> +"And no wonder, working yourself to death, +poor lamb." Martha's arms comforted her as +they had done many times before, and from the +shelter of one broad shoulder Janet confessed +her fears. +</p> + +<p> +"Martha, what will I do if Phyllis doesn't like +me?" +</p> + +<p> +Martha may be said to have snorted in disgust. +</p> + +<p> +"Not like you!" she ejaculated; "but, my +lamb, she's bound to; she's your own mother's +daughter and so, tell me now, how could she do +anything else?" She offered this method of +reasoning as though it were sure to cast out any +doubts, and Janet gladly accepted it. +</p> + +<p> +"What a baby I am," she laughed, wiping her +eyes; "look at Boru; he's disgusted with me, and +no wonder." +</p> + +<p> +"Come now and have your lunch," Martha insisted; +"you'll see how hungry you are after the +first bite." +</p> + +<p> +Janet was hungry, and her spirits brightened +with every mouthful. +</p> + +<p> +"I wish it were to-morrow," she said, as she +lingered over her cantaloupe. "I think I will die +of suspense if I don't find something to do. I +thought I was going for a ride, but look, it's raining." +</p> + +<p> +"And a good thing too," Martha replied +emphatically. "I can't understand Mrs. Todd +letting you drive that horse of hers. Some day it +will run away and kill you, and then I wonder +what she will say." +</p> + +<p> +Janet laughed in spite of herself at so dismal +a picture, and got up from the table. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I won't die to-day, that's sure," she +said. "I wish I could think of something really +interesting to do." +</p> + +<p> +Martha thought for a minute, and then a smile +lit up her face. +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps I can find something that will +interest you," she said with some hesitation. +"Now that you know all about everything there +can't be any harm in it," she continued, lowering +her voice. +</p> + +<p> +"In what?" Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +Martha beckoned to her mysteriously and led +the way upstairs all the way to the big attic. It +was filled with old trunks and bits of broken +furniture and pictures, Janet had passed them many +times on her way to the "widow's walk" but she +had never been curious enough to give them a +second thought. +</p> + +<p> +She watched Martha with interest as she pulled +out a little old trunk from one corner. From a +bunch of keys that was hanging to one of the +rafters she selected the right one, and gave it to +Janet. +</p> + +<p> +"There now, open that and see what you find," +she said mysteriously. "Now I must get back to +my work," she added briskly and bustled down +the stairs, leaving Janet looking at the key in +her hand. +</p> + +<p> +Boru patted up the stairs and sniffed the trunk. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you suppose we will find, old fellow?" +Janet asked him, as she fitted the key in the +lock. +</p> + +<p> +At sight of the contents of the first tray she +gave a little exclamation of delight. It was filled +with soft silks and laces, now yellow with age. +Janet lifted them out gently and discovered that +they were dresses. Old-fashioned little things. +There was a pale yellow one and a robin's-egg +blue, made with hundreds of little tucks. +</p> + +<p> +Janet smoothed them out with reverent fingers, +for she knew they had belonged to her mother. +</p> + +<p> +The next tray held odds and ends, and Janet +sat down on the floor and lifted them out one by +one. Packages of letters that almost fell to +pieces as she touched them, silk stockings of +every color, and three pairs of tiny slippers. She +could hardly believe a foot was ever small enough +to fit them. +</p> + +<p> +She found a wooden box too, beautifully carved +and filled with dozens of sheer handkerchiefs and, +best of all, a pile of books. She read their titles +eagerly; "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austin, +Scott's "Lady of the Lake," Shakespeare's "As +You Like It" and a beautifully bound copy of +Mrs. Browning's poems. +</p> + +<p> +"Then mother loved 'Little Ellie' too!" she +exclaimed. There was something very wonderful +in the knowledge. +</p> + +<p> +She put the books to one side and went on with +her discoveries. Toward the very bottom she +found a chamois bag wrapped up in a yellow piece +of paper. Inside of it was a jeweler's black-leather +case. Janet's fingers trembled as she +opened it. +</p> + +<p> +Lying on a bed of blue velvet was a miniature +set in a gold frame, and as she looked she gave +a cry of astonishment. A face almost exactly +like her own smiled up at her. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother," she whispered softly. +</p> + +<p> +It was dusk before she left the attic, but when +she did go down stairs she went straight to Martha. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you know what was in that trunk?" she +asked. +</p> + +<p> +Martha nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"I put them there myself," she said. "Did +you have a happy afternoon?" +</p> + +<p> +For answer, Janet threw her arms around her +and hugged her tight. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap15"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XV +<br><br> +THE DAY AT LAST +</h3> + +<p> +"If it rains to-morrow I think I shall die," +Janet said as she got ready for bed that +night. +</p> + +<p> +She need have had no fears, for the next day +dawned clear, with just enough of autumn chill +in the air to whip the color into your cheeks. +Tom's telegram had said that they would arrive +by the same train that he had come by. +</p> + +<p> +Janet wished it had been an earlier one, but +the day passed more quickly than she had hoped. +In the morning she drove Clinker out into the +woods and came back with the cart full of +brilliant autumn leaves. +</p> + +<p> +As she drove back through the village it seemed +as though every one stopped her to ask when +Phyllis was coming. She told them all, and her +excitement mounted every time she uttered the +magic words but toward afternoon the fear that +had depressed her the day before returned and +she could not shake it off. She felt suddenly very +shy. When train time came it was all she could +do not to fly to the Enchanted Kingdom and hide, +as she had done on the day of the fair. She +walked up and down the platform in a fever of +excitement, and her hands were icy cold. +</p> + +<p> +Old Mr. Jenkins came out from the ticket office +to talk to her. +</p> + +<p> +"Quite a day for you, isn't it?" he asked with +evident interest. "Can't say as I ever heard of +another case quite like it. To have a twin sister +that you never saw and didn't even know you had! +I often wondered when you'd find it out." +</p> + +<p> +"Did you know all about it?" Janet asked in +surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"I should say I did." Mr. Jenkins nodded his +head to give further weight to his words. +</p> + +<p> +"I wonder why no one ever told me," Janet +said more to herself than to him. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Jenkins chuckled. +</p> + +<p> +"I kinda guess all the folks that knew about +it, knew your grandmother didn't want it told, +and perhaps you've noticed folks have a way of +doing things like she wants." +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose that was it," Janet agreed idly. +"Isn't that the train?" she asked a minute later +as a faint rumble became audible. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Jenkins consulted his watch. +</p> + +<p> +"Wouldn't wonder if it were," he said. "I'd +better be getting the mail bags ready." +</p> + +<p> +Janet couldn't very well ask him to wait, but +she watched his retreating figure with a sinking +feeling around her heart. At least he was +somebody to talk to, and anything was better than +being alone. She could feel her heart pounding, +and something in her throat seemed to interfere +with her breathing. +</p> + +<p> +Never did a train take so long to slow up and +finally stop, but Janet found herself suddenly +wishing that it would take twice as long. +</p> + +<p> +The first person to alight was Tom, and he took +time to wave to her before he turned to help down +a slender little lady dressed in pearl gray. Janet +started forward to meet them, and then stopped +short for she saw herself stepping off the train; +eyes, hair, straight little nose, even to the +solitary dimple in the left cheek. She was carrying +a basket and she was laughing at Tom. Then +she looked up and stopped too. +</p> + +<p> +The Page twins stared at each other. +</p> + +<p> +"Janet!" Phyllis was the first to regain the +power of speech. She dropped her basket into +Tom's arms and ran forward. +</p> + +<p> +The next thing Janet knew she was being kissed +and hugged. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, you adorable love!" Phyllis exclaimed +rapturously. "Isn't it all perfectly thrilling and +fairy-taleish? I could just eat you alive, I am so +excited. Please say right away that you are going +to love me or I shall die of misery." +</p> + +<p> +Poor Janet! She had never heard so many +adjectives in all her life and the speed with which +Phyllis rattled on dumbfounded her. Miss +Carter, Aunt Mog, came to her rescue. +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis, my love, do stop talking and give +some one else a chance to say how do you do to +Janet." She laughed. "Janet, my dear, I am +your Aunt Mog, and I am, oh, so very happy to +see you." +</p> + +<p> +Janet kissed her and murmured, "Thank you." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, don't I get a kiss, little sister of mine?" +Tom inquired in his deep, good-natured voice. +</p> + +<p> +At the sound of it Janet found her tongue. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course you do!" she exclaimed. "Oh, I +am so happy, I can't think of anything to say," +she confessed shyly. +</p> + +<p> +"You precious love, that's just exactly the way +I feel!" Phyllis could not keep still another +instant. "There are all sorts of funny little chills +miming up and down my back and—oh, for goodness' +sakes, Tommy, what are you doing to Sir +Galahad!" She snatched the basket away from +Tom and lifted out a huge tortoise-shell cat with +a big blue bow around his neck. +</p> + +<p> +Boru, who had been sniffing at Tom's side, gave +a sudden jump, and Janet caught him just in time +to save the cat. +</p> + +<p> +"Get down, sir," she scolded, "and don't you +dare to touch that cat. Do you understand?" Boru +slunk away with his tail between his legs. +</p> + +<p> +"Poor kitty, did he frighten you? I'm so +sorry,"—Janet stroked the ruffled fur +comfortingly. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis laughed. "What a time we will have +with those two!" she exclaimed; "but they'll +make friends sooner or later. Sir Galahad is +just as much to blame as your dog. He has no +manners when it comes to dogs. Go back in your +basket, you're in disgrace." +</p> + +<p> +"Let's make at least a start for home," Tom +suggested. "I'm hungry." +</p> + +<p> +"There's a wagon to carry up your bags," +Janet said, "but I'm afraid we will have to +walk." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, yes, let's do start. I'm simply crazy to +see the house and grandmother and Martha. +Here, Tommy, you carry puss, now that you have +no bags. I'm going to walk with Janet. You +and Auntie Mogs can bring up the rear." +</p> + +<p> +"You are going to do no such thing," her aunt +contradicted her smilingly. "I don't want Janet +deaf by the time we reach the house, and besides +I want to talk to her myself." +</p> + +<p> +She took Janet's arm and started off, and +Phyllis and Tom followed. +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis doesn't always talk as much as this," +she said as they walked along; "she is just +excited to-day." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, but I love it," Janet said quickly. +"She's—well she's everything she said I was." She +looked at her companion and smiled. Miss Carter +was a dainty little lady, Janet thought she +looked as though she had just stepped down from +a Dresden vase, her cheeks were such a soft shell +pink and her eyes such a delicate china blue. +Unconsciously she looked down at her feet; they +were nearly small enough to fit the slippers in +the trunk in the attic. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Janet, do tell me who lives in that cunning +little house!" Phyllis called. +</p> + +<p> +"The Waters," Janet told her; "that's Harry +looking out of the barn door." +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis laughed merrily. "Oh, but he's fat," +she cried. "Do you know him!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes." +</p> + +<p> +"Like him?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not much." +</p> + +<p> +"Why!" +</p> + +<p> +"Isn't he the boy who is afraid of snakes?" +Tom asked, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I don't blame him for that!" Phyllis +exclaimed. "I'm scared to death of the crawly +things myself, but I do think he is a little bit +too fat." She chattered on and succeeded in +monopolizing the conversation until they reached +the house. At the first glimpse of it she went +into ecstasies. +</p> + +<p> +"It's perfect," she announced from the garden +gate. "Oh, Janet, do love me so that I can stay +here always. There's a real sundial! Auntie +Mogs, do look. Tommy, you never told me about +it. And what ducky little white flowers!" +</p> + +<p> +In the hall she was equally enthusiastic over +the grandfather's clock and the big brass +warming pan. +</p> + +<p> +Martha met them at the door, arrayed in a stiff +white apron, her face shiny with soap applied +vigorously. +</p> + +<p> +Before she had a chance to speak, Phyllis was +shaking her hand. +</p> + +<p> +"You're Martha," she said. "I'm awfully +glad to know you." +</p> + +<p> +Martha turned to Miss Carter. "She said that +like Master Tom," she said. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Mog smiled. "Yes, she is very like her +father," she said. "I see it so often. It's queer, +isn't it! Janet is more like her mother." +</p> + +<p> +"She is, indeed, ma'm, even in her ways." Martha +spoke proudly, and she looked at Janet +affectionately. +</p> + +<p> +"Won't you be coming up to your room? You +must be tired." +</p> + +<p> +They all followed her upstairs, Phyllis leading +the way and once more carrying her cat. +</p> + +<p> +Tom brought up the rear, carrying the bags, +which had arrived a few minutes before from the +station. +</p> + +<p> +"I must change my dress before I see grandmother," +Phyllis said as she opened a big suitcase, +"but I won't be a minute, so stay and talk +to me while I wash in this adorable basin," she +said to Janet. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Mog took off her hat and with a smile, +which neither of the girls noticed, she slipped +from the room and joined Tom at the foot of +the stairs. +</p> + +<p> +"It's quite perfect, as Phyllis says," she +laughed, "and now suppose I go in and say 'how +do you do' to Mrs. Page." +</p> + +<p> +When the girls came down a few minutes later +they heard voices and Tom's hearty laugh. Janet +sighed with relief and opened the door softly. +</p> + +<p> +"Grandmother," she said in the hushed voice +she always used in that room, "here is Phyllis." +</p> + +<p> +Before Mrs. Page had had time really to look +at her other granddaughter, Phyllis had kissed +her warmly on both cheeks and was rattling on in +her joyful way. +</p> + +<p> +"Grandmother, isn't this fun!" she demanded. +"I'm so glad to see you. Why, only just imagine, +I never knew you existed until Tom came out of +the skies and told me about you and Janet. You +can imagine, can't you, how surprised I was, and +of course I've been simply crazy to see you ever +since." +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis dearest, be careful; I'm afraid you'll +tire your grandmother with so much chattering," +Aunt Mog admonished gently. +</p> + +<p> +"Let the child alone, Marjorie," Mrs. Page +snapped. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, but I'm sorry," Phyllis was contrite at +once, "I always forget, and you know you don't +look a bit sick, grandmother, even though you are +in bed. Here, let me shake up your pillows for +you. They don't look half puffy enough to be +really comfortable." She suited the action to +the word, and in the twinkling of an eye the +pillows were re-arranged to her satisfaction. +</p> + +<p> +"Keep still a minute, child," Mrs. Page said +not unkindly; "I want to look at you." +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis smiled down at her, and stood as still as +it was possible for her. +</p> + +<p> +"I wish you would all leave me now," Mrs. Page +said when she had studied each of +Phyllis's features in turn. "Come in and say +good night to me, child, when Janet comes." +</p> + +<p> +They left her, and the girls went into the +garden. Janet was too surprised to voice her +thoughts, but Phyllis did not seem even to know +that she had done anything out of the ordinary. +She dismissed her grandmother with "she's really +a love," and returned to more important subjects. +</p> + +<p> +By evening she knew all about the Enchanted +Kingdom, Peter, Mrs. Todd and the Blake girls, +and she had moved her suitcase into Janet's room, +"for—" she said—"what is the use of having a +sister if you can't sleep with her and talk over +things with her in the dark." +</p> + +<p> +Miss Carter and Tom, sitting in the living-room +before the fire, heard the buzz of their voices +late into the night. +</p> + +<p> +"How alike they are," she said, smiling. "And +yet how absolutely different." +</p> + +<p> +Tom nodded. "And to think they're both my +sisters; bless 'em, do you know, Auntie Mogs, +I'm a very proud man this night!" +</p> + +<p> +Auntie Mogs leaned over and patted his hand +in understanding. +</p> + +<p> +"They must never be separated again," she +said with decision. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap16"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XVI +<br><br> +A DAY TOGETHER +</h3> + +<p> +Janet kept her eyes tight closed the next +morning, long after she was awake. She +was afraid to open them lest the memories +that had crowded into her consciousness should +prove to be only dreams. Phyllis was dancing +inside of her eyelids, and she smiled at her and +closed her eyes tighter to keep her there. +</p> + +<p> +After a long while she turned over very quietly +and listened. Some one was breathing softly on +the other side of the big bed. She opened her +eyes very slowly and found herself looking +straight into Phyllis's merry ones. +</p> + +<p> +They both laughed. Janet from relief, Phyllis +from sheer joy. +</p> + +<p> +"I've been watching you for perfect hours. I +thought you were never going to wake up. I very +nearly pinched you," Phyllis exclaimed. "Isn't +it time to get up!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it's late, and, thank goodness, it's a +beautiful day," Janet replied. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis bounded out of bed and pulled all the +covers off of Janet. +</p> + +<p> +"Get up, you sleepy head, and I'll race you +getting dressed!" she challenged. +</p> + +<p> +Janet was up in a second and clothes flew in +every direction. Martha had left a big can of +hot water in the hall outside their door, and +Phyllis was giggling so hard when she tried to +pour it into the basin that she splashed some of +it on her bare toes. +</p> + +<p> +"Cricky, but that hurts!" she cried, sitting +down on the side of the bed to nurse it. Sir +Galahad got up from his basket by the window to +come over and see what all the noise was about, +and at the same time Boru pushed open the door +with his black muzzle. +</p> + +<p> +For an instant the two animals looked at each +other, then Boru growled and Sir Galahad arched +his back and hissed. Janet and Phyllis just +caught them in time to avoid a scrap. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Galahad went back in his basket, and the +lid was closed and Boru was shut out into the hall. +</p> + +<p> +"What under the sun are we going to do with +those two!" Phyllis demanded. +</p> + +<p> +"They will just have to get used to each other, +but I'm afraid it won't be easy," Janet replied. +"Boru hates cats." +</p> + +<p> +They finished their dressing and consulted Tom +at breakfast. +</p> + +<p> +"I tell you what to do," he suggested. "You +both go off somewhere this morning and leave the +live stock with me, when you come back they will +both be eating out of the same dish." +</p> + +<p> +Janet and Phyllis exchanged glances and shook +their heads doubtfully, but they decided to let +him try, after they had made him solemnly promise +not to let any harm come to either of them. +</p> + +<p> +"Where shall we go!" Phyllis demanded. +"Shall we take a walk!" +</p> + +<p> +"We might take a drive," Janet suggested. +"Mrs. Todd sent me word that I could have +Clinker whenever I wanted him." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course, that's the very thing!" Phyllis +enthused. "He is at the rectory, isn't he! Let's +go this very instant. I'm crazy to see those Blake +girls." +</p> + +<p> +Janet had an unhappy moment of doubt. Suppose +Phyllis liked the Blakes, what would she do +then? But she led the way to the village. She +only showed that she was worried by being a little +quieter than usual. As Phyllis talked all the way, +her silence was not noticeable. +</p> + +<p> +Alice and Mildred must have seen them coming +down Main Street, for they were at the gate to +meet them. Janet introduced them and waited. +She expected Phyllis to enthuse as she had been +doing ever since her arrival, but a surprise +awaited her. +</p> + +<p> +From the laughing, bright-eyed youngster +Phyllis changed all in the twinkling of an eye into +a quiet self-possessed girl. +</p> + +<p> +"How do you do? I'm very glad to meet you." She +shook hands with Alice and nodded carelessly +to Mildred. +</p> + +<p> +"We are going for a drive," she went on, still +walking toward the barn. "That is, Janet is +going to do the driving, and I am going to watch +her in real envy." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't you know how to drive?" Alice inquired. +"Mildred and I really don't care for it, +we've done so much of it." +</p> + +<p> +Janet watched Phyllis and waited, wondering +what she would say to such a silly snubbing. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis looked at both the girls before her and +a roguish grin tilted up the corners of her mouth, +and then she laughed. It was a merry little laugh, +but it made Alice feel very small and very +uncomfortable so that she would have given almost +anything not to have made her last silly remark. +</p> + +<p> +"Aren't you coming in!" Mildred asked hastily. +"We'd love to have you." +</p> + +<p> +"Not just now, thanks; we are going for a drive, +you see." Phyllis smiled and followed Janet into +the barn, where the hired man was already +harnessing Clinker. Alice and Mildred stayed and +talked until they were ready to go. +</p> + +<p> +"You'll stop in on your way back, won't you?" +Alice almost begged. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, thanks, we will if we have time," Phyllis +replied sweetly. +</p> + +<p> +Once on the main road and bowling along +briskly, she laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"No wonder you don't like them!" she +exclaimed. "Of all the sillies! Why, Janet, they +are what old-fashioned books call stuck up." She +laughed until the tears rolled down her +cheeks. "I wish we could have them at school +for about a month; they would learn so many +things, and how I'd love to help teach them." +</p> + +<p> +"If you think they're funny, what must you +think of me?" Janet spoke, without thinking and +regretted it at once. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis eyed her reproachfully. "I don't think +that's a very nice thing to say to your sister," +she said slowly. "How could I think you anything +but the most wonderful girl in the world +when I've been longing for you all these years." +</p> + +<p> +"Longing for me?" Janet queried in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, longing for you!" Phyllis returned with +spirit, "and that's more than you can say about me." +</p> + +<p> +"It's no such thing," Janet denied hotly. "I +have wanted a sister always. Why, I wrote Tom +and told him I wished he'd been a girl instead of a boy." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, you darling, did you really?" Phyllis +returned to her gay self in a flash. "Isn't it just +like a story? I wanting you, oh, so much, and you +wanting me, and now here we are. I don't see +what in the world we are fussing about, do you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Then let's stop," Janet said wisely. "Shall +I drive you to Mrs. Todd's house?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, do; I want to see the big room you were +telling me about. Auntie Mogs has a lovely +library, so you won't miss your Kingdom so very +much when you come to town." +</p> + +<p> +"Come to town?" Janet inquired. "But I'm +not going to town, am I?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course you are," Phyllis insisted. "I +heard Tommy and Auntie Mogs talking about it +on the train and again this morning. Gracious, +you don't suppose that now I've found you I'm +going to ever let you out of my sight, do you?" +</p> + +<p> +"But how can I go to town?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, why in the world can't you?" +</p> + +<p> +"But grandmother?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, don't worry about that. Tommy will take +care of it. Anyway you're coming, and we are +going to school together; and, oh, Janet,"—Phyllis +broke off impatiently—"aren't you the +least little bit excited about it?" +</p> + +<p> +"Excited! I could scream from excitement +only I'm breathless, and my mind is all upside +down," Janet replied, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, thank goodness!"—Phyllis was comforted. +"I was afraid you really didn't want to +come, and I was just having fits, for of course I +told all the girls about you, and they are nearly +as excited as I am. Where have you been going +to school? I asked Tommy, but he didn't know." +</p> + +<p> +"I've never been to school, real school, in my +life," Janet confessed. "Grandmother has +always had a tutor come every day from Swanet—that's +the next town to us. I don't suppose I +know very much and I'll probably be years behind +you, but perhaps I can catch up." +</p> + +<p> +"Years behind! Nonsense, I haven't any +brains," Phyllis said, "and I don't really care +very much. The girls at school that are really +brainy are awfully stupid; that is—oh, you know +what I mean." +</p> + +<p> +They were passing the Simpsons' house by now, +and Janet saw a familiar figure standing in the +roadway. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what do you suppose Harry Waters is +doing so far from home?" she inquired. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis looked and laughed. "Oh, that's the +fat boy we saw last night, isn't it?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, but I never knew him to walk as far as +this before,"—Janet was puzzled. +</p> + +<p> +"Let's give him a lift back," Phyllis suggested. +</p> + +<p> +Janet called, and Harry waved in reply, but he +did not come out to them. +</p> + +<p> +"He's bashful," Janet laughed. "I'll chase +him." She turned Clinker in at the gate, and +although Harry did his best to retreat to the barn, +they were soon beside him. +</p> + +<p> +"This is my sister Phyllis," Janet said. +"Don't you want to drive back with us?" +</p> + +<p> +Harry hung his head and mumbled something +about walking. +</p> + +<p> +"What are you doing over here anyway?" +Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing," Harry replied sulkily. +</p> + +<p> +"Good." Phyllis spoke for the first time. +"Then there is no reason why you can't ride home +with us; we were going on a little farther but we +can do that another day, can't we, Janet?" +</p> + +<p> +It was a new idea to Janet to put off going to +the Enchanted Kingdom for the sake of Harry's +company, but she nodded and let down the flap of +the cart and Harry jumped in without another +word. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis turned her back to the horse and talked +to him, though it must be admitted it was a +one-sided conversation, for Harry refused to say more +than "yes" or "no" in answer to her numerous +questions. +</p> + +<p> +Janet, who knew him better than he knew himself, +realized that he was angry, but she was too +much occupied with her driving to give any +assistance to Phyllis. +</p> + +<p> +When they reached the edge of the village +Harry insisted upon jumping down, and before +they realized it he was lost to view in the scrub +oak by the side of the road. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis turned around with an ejaculation of +amazement. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you ever see such an extraordinary boy? +What do you suppose is the matter with him?" +</p> + +<p> +Janet laughed. +</p> + +<p> +"I can't imagine; it isn't like Harry to be +mysterious," she said. +</p> + +<p> +"I thought I'd have to laugh the way he sat +there and glowered at me." Phyllis was frankly +surprised that any one could withstand her +charms. +</p> + +<p> +"Well," she added with a sigh, "I suppose, +now that we have spoiled our chances of going to +your Enchanted Kingdom we may as well stop +in to say how do you do to the Blakes." +</p> + +<p> +Janet was not enthusiastic over the proposal, +but she agreed, with a nod, and after Clinker was +safely in the barn they went around to the front +porch and rang the bell. +</p> + +<p> +Alice came to the door. She was delighted to +see them, and it was evident she had not expected +them to return so soon. She ushered them into +the living-room where a cheery fire was blazing +in the fireplace. Mrs. Blake and Mildred were +sewing before it, and Mrs. Blake greeted the girls +with her usual sweet manner. +</p> + +<p> +They stayed until lunch time, and when they +left they had given their promise to return the +next day at four o'clock. +</p> + +<p> +"We are not going to have a party," Mrs. Blake +assured them, "but we want to ask some of +the ladies in to meet you and your aunt," she +spoke to Phyllis. +</p> + +<p> +"Are all the girls in Old Chester like the +Blakes?" Phyllis inquired, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +Janet made a little face. +</p> + +<p> +"They are," she replied dismally. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis put her arm around her and hugged +her tight. +</p> + +<p> +"You poor darling," she said; "no wonder you +wanted a sister. Well, you've got one, and we'll +have a good time at their party. You see if we +won't." +</p> + +<p> +When they reached home a comical tableau +greeted them. Tom was sitting on the stone +bench in the garden holding a plate of milk +between his knees. From one side Sir Galahad +lapped daintily and from the other, one ear cocked +suspiciously, Boru's pink tongue was greedily +bespattering his black muzzle. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap17"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XVII +<br><br> +AT THE RECTORY FOR TEA +</h3> + +<p> +The dining-room table at the rectory was +laden with sandwiches and baskets of +cake. Mrs. Blake sat at one end pouring +tea, and Mildred and Alice took turns with the +chocolate pot at the other. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Blake had not been entirely truthful when +she had said that she was not going to give a real +party, for the people who walked in and out of +the two rooms gave an air of festivity that was +rivaled only by fairs and weddings in Old Chester. +</p> + +<p> +Miss Carter dressed in the palest of gray +satin gowns was busy renewing her many +acquaintances, and Janet and Phyllis were the +center of a laughing group of girls and boys. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis had on a dainty afternoon dress of dark +blue chiffon, which contrasted oddly with the more +elaborately made summer dresses on the other +girls. +</p> + +<p> +Janet wore her customary white piqué dress +with its broad belt of black patent leather. +Mrs. Page believed in simplicity, and as far back as +Janet could remember she had always owned just +such a dress. It served to wear to church and +to the occasional meetings of the Ladies' Aid +Society that met in her grandmother's room. +</p> + +<p> +She was conscious this afternoon that its plainness +marked her among the other girls, and she +looked at Phyllis with just a touch of envy in her +soft brown eyes. +</p> + +<p> +Aunty Mog from far across the room saw the +look, and made a mental note of it. +</p> + +<p> +There was a very small percentage of boys in +comparison with the girls, but among these Harry +Waters stood out. His hair was brushed back +sleek against his bullet-shaped head, and the +dotted Windsor tie, that his mother had insisted +on his wearing, accentuated his fatness. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis greeted him upon his arrival like an old +friend and insisted on his talking to her, although +it was very apparent that Harry was miserably +embarrassed. Janet, who was busy at that +moment talking dogs to the old country doctor, +watched them, and wondered that Harry still +carried with him his air of mystery. She +determined to find out what was the matter with him +before the end of the afternoon. She had not +long to wait, before Harry gave her a clew. +</p> + +<p> +He refused refreshments! +</p> + +<p> +"But, Harry, surely you're going to have +something," Mildred insisted. She spoke more loudly +than she had intended, and all eyes turned toward +her. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Harry turned very red and stammered. +</p> + +<p> +"But honestly, Mildred, I don't want it," he +protested, almost in tears. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't know what is the matter with Harry," +Mrs. Waters confided to the women around her; +"he won't eat a thing, and he's so quiet." +</p> + +<p> +"But surely you'll have a piece of chocolate +cake," Alice said and she held a plate temptingly +before him. But Harry was obdurate. He shook +his head, speech had left him minutes before, and +looked about him for a means of escape. +</p> + +<p> +Janet beckoned to him, and when they saw their +chance they slipped into the pantry and took +refuge on the back stairs. +</p> + +<p> +"Now," Janet said sharply, "tell me what the +matter is? I know you're not sick." +</p> + +<p> +"Gee, of course I'm not. Can't a fellow +refuse food without all this fuss?" Harry +complained bitterly. +</p> + +<p> +"Some could but not you; come on, tell me +what's wrong. If you don't, I'll guess anyway," +Janet threatened. +</p> + +<p> +Harry eyed her dejectedly. +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose you will," he agreed. "Well, it's +this then—I heard what your sister said last night +when you were coming back from the station +about—about—well, about me." +</p> + +<p> +Janet thought for a minute and then she +laughed. It was not an unkind laugh however, +and Harry reluctantly joined in. +</p> + +<p> +"Is that why you refused refreshments?" she +demanded, and Harry nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"And that's what I was doing out at Simpsons +too," he added. "I was walking to reduce. I +didn't want to ride home, but, gee, she wouldn't +let me off—" he stopped abruptly, for some one +was pushing open the door. It was Phyllis. +</p> + +<p> +"Here you are, you scamps!" she whispered. +"I've been looking everywhere for you. Changed +your mind about that cake, Harry? I brought +you a piece in case you had." +</p> + +<p> +Harry looked miserably from the cake in her +hand to her laughing eyes, and once more shook +his head in refusal. +</p> + +<p> +"All right then, I'll eat it." Phyllis broke the +large piece in half and handed one piece to Janet. +"Here, Jan, you have to help me, and now listen +both of you. I've thought of the greatest idea +that ever was." +</p> + +<p> +She sat down between them on the step, and +like Janet, rested her chin in her hand. They +looked so much alike that Harry could not help +laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"What's your idea?" Janet inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"Harry, can you keep a secret?" Phyllis demanded. +</p> + +<p> +"Sure I can. I'm not a girl," Harry answered +defiantly. +</p> + +<p> +"Now what do you mean by that?" Phyllis sat +up very straight, her eyes bright with a challenge. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you know girls can't keep secrets," he +said crossly. +</p> + +<p> +"Very well,"—Phyllis dismissed the subject +airily and sat munching her cake with evident +relish. +</p> + +<p> +"Aren't you going to tell us?" Harry asked +sheepishly. +</p> + +<p> +"No, not you,"—Phyllis smiled at him sweetly +and winked roguishly at Janet. +</p> + +<p> +Harry got up and opened the door. +</p> + +<p> +"All right, don't then," he said angrily. +"You're just exactly as bad as Janet," he added, +and the door shut behind him with a bang. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis put her head on Janet's shoulder and +laughed until she cried. +</p> + +<p> +"Poor Harry; that's the very worst thing he +could think of to say to you." Janet laughed +almost as hard as her sister. "I bet he is +eating everything in sight this minute. He heard +you say he was fat and—well, now you can +understand why he wouldn't eat." +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis was serious in a second. +</p> + +<p> +"Was that really the reason!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, but I shouldn't have told you." Janet +was ashamed of having betrayed a confidence. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm glad you did," Phyllis said slowly, "and +I'm sorry I teased him, but really he shouldn't +talk about girls that way, and my idea will really +be lots more fun if no one knows it except +ourselves." +</p> + +<p> +"What is it?" Janet inquired eagerly. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis lowered her voice. +</p> + +<p> +"Grandmother told Auntie Mogs to ask any of +these people to come to our house to tea any +afternoon she liked," she began; "to sort of return +this, you know. So she has asked them for +Thursday. Now I haven't talked to a single girl +to-day that didn't say how different we were and +they made me furious until suddenly—" she +lowered her voice and the rest of the sentence was +lost in the soft waves of Janet's hair. It must +have been amusing, for Janet's eyes sparkled with +suppressed merriment. +</p> + +<p> +When they joined the others a few minutes later +they both looked very demure, so much so in fact +that Auntie Mogs, who knew Phyllis thoroughly, +knew that they were planning some mischief. +</p> + +<p> +Miss Clark had arrived during their absence +and was apparently amazed beyond speech at the +striking resemblance between them. +</p> + +<p> +"I have seen many twins in my time!" she +exclaimed, "but I never saw anything so +remarkable! Why, you could never in the world tell +them apart." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I think you could easily. They're not a +bit alike," Alice said, from the chocolate pot. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis looked at Janet, and a swift glance of +understanding and amusement passed between +them. +</p> + +<p> +"And, oh, Janet,"—Miss Clark was speaking +again—"I almost forgot to tell you that there +is a letter in your box for you. Seems to me you +are getting lots of mail lately. I didn't recognize +the handwriting." +</p> + +<p> +Again Phyllis and Janet exchanged glances, +and this time their looks said as plainly as words +"Peter." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap18"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XVIII +<br><br> +A FULL CUP OF HAPPINESS +</h3> + +<p> +The letter was from Peter, as Janet had +hoped. She opened it eagerly and read: +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="noindent"> +"<i>Dear Janet:</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd says that I really ought to send +you a telegram, but a letter can say so much more, +and I have a whole lot to say. +</p> + +<p> +"First of all, I came to Boston intending to +get something to do as a first step toward the +West, but would you believe it whom should I +run into the day after I landed but Doc. He +grabbed me by the arm, and I felt the way I did +the day Mr. Simpson appeared in the doorway +of the 'E.K.' He hardly spoke to me, but hustled +me off to his house, and there I found the +explanation of his queer behavior. +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd was sitting in the office waiting +for me! My ears still tingle when I remember +what she said! But I guess I deserved it. And +now comes the amazing part of my story. +</p> + +<p> +"I am going to school. She and Doc, who are +old friends, by the way, insist upon it. Then, +next spring, one of my 'E.K.' schemes is coming +true. Mrs. Todd is going to let me raise sheep +on her place. This is all thanks to you, Princess, +and some day I'm going to show you that I am +really grateful. +</p> + +<p> +"Mrs. Todd wants me to tell you that she will +be back within a few days, and she hopes it will +be in time for your surprise. What is your +surprise? +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + "Yours in the bonds of the E.K.<br> + "PETER GIBBS."<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +Janet read the letter aloud to Phyllis and explained +the parts of it that she did not understand. +</p> + +<p> +"I knew Mrs. Todd would do something like +that," Janet exclaimed, delightedly. +</p> + +<p> +"She must be a dear," Phyllis said. "I'm +crazy to meet her." +</p> + +<p> +It seemed to Janet that with this last good +news her cup of happiness was full to overflowing. +</p> + +<p> +The next few days passed all too hurriedly. +They spent them out of doors for the most part, +either driving or paddling on the bay. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis added admiration to her affection for +Janet. It seemed to her that she could do almost +everything in the outdoor line and do it well. As +a city girl she marveled and predicted a great +success in athletics at school. +</p> + +<p> +The day before the tea was so warm and sunshiny +that they decided to have a picnic out in +the woods. Martha packed them a basket filled +with twice as much as they needed, and they made +an early start. +</p> + +<p> +They walked out into the country beyond the +village, and Tom chose a sheltered corner under +the lee of a hill, and built a fire. Janet helped him, +and together they roasted potatoes and broiled +a steak. Auntie Mogs and Phyllis watched and +offered suggestions. Phyllis upset a jar of +Martha's specially preserved peaches, but only Tom +saw her, and she scooped them back into the glass, +only adding a pine needle or two. +</p> + +<p> +"Tommy, don't you dare to tell," she whispered, +and Tom, who had dropped the steak only +the minute before had to promise. +</p> + +<p> +It was a merry little party, and Tom kept them +all laughing with tales about picnics and camping +trips out in the West. +</p> + +<p> +"Tommy, I think, now that you have found two +new and perfectly nice sisters, that the least you +could do would be to invite them out to pay you +a visit," Phyllis suggested airily. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, you do, eh?" Tom asked lazily. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course I do; don't you, Janet?"—Phyllis +turned for support. +</p> + +<p> +"I do," Janet answered solemnly. +</p> + +<p> +"Children, you have no manners," Auntie +Mogs chided. "If I were Tom, I should never +think of asking you now." +</p> + +<p> +"Just as I feel about it,"—Tom tried to make +his voice sound very dignified and cold and failed +utterly. "I intended asking you all next summer, +but of course now I shall limit my invitation to +just you, Aunt Mog, and I do hope you will accept." +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I will," Auntie Mogs answered laughingly. +</p> + +<p> +"Meanie," Phyllis teased. "If you ever did +such a thing! But seriously, Tommy, did you +mean to ask us next summer?" +</p> + +<p> +"I did." +</p> + +<p> +"Then we'll accept with thanks; won't we, Janet?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, yes; can't we leave the day after school +closes?" Janet suggested. "There's no use in +wasting time." +</p> + +<p> +"Or even before,"—Phyllis was not to be outdone. +</p> + +<p> +"Here, here," Tom protested, "not quite so +fast. I accept your acceptance of my ungiven +invitation, but I insist on naming the day. +</p> + +<p> +"I stump you both to climb that tree over +there," he added, pointing to a tall pine; "the +one who wins can have the last piece of cake." +</p> + +<p> +Both girls started for the tree. Janet was +almost to the top before Phyllis was half way up. +As she climbed down again she noticed that +Phyllis was very white and standing perfectly +still, holding tightly to the trunk. +</p> + +<p> +"What's the matter!" she asked. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis looked at her beseechingly. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Janet, I'm scared to death," she +whispered. "I looked down and now I am terribly +dizzy; what shall I do!" +</p> + +<p> +Janet came close and took hold of her arm. +</p> + +<p> +"Keep your eyes on the sky," she directed. +"Don't look down for even a second and don't be +afraid. I'm here and I won't let you fall." +</p> + +<p> +She dropped quickly to the branch below and +took one of Phyllis's ankles in her strong grasp. +</p> + +<p> +"Hold tight to the bough above and let your foot +swing free, I'll put it on a safe branch. There +now, bring the other one down beside it." In this +way she helped her carefully and surely to the +bottom. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh," Phyllis was almost in tears, "thank you, +darling. I am quite sure you saved my life. Oh, +dear, I'm still dizzy." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, stand still a minute until you are better. +There's no need for Tommy to know. He'd be +sure to tease," Janet whispered. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't care about Tom, but I hate being such a +baby. You went way to the top," Phyllis answered. +</p> + +<p> +"You tried, anyway," Janet consoled her, "and +that's what counts." +</p> + +<p> +"You're a darling to say so, anyway," Phyllis +said gratefully. "I feel better now; let's go back." +</p> + +<p> +Tom held the cake out to Janet. +</p> + +<p> +"It's yours, you won by a dozen branches. +What happened, Phyllis? Did you get scared?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course not," Janet answered for her. "I +promised to go halves, so what was the need of +her climbing too,"—she held out a piece of the +cake, and Phyllis took it. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, come, that's not fair," Tom protested. +"You should eat every bit of it yourself." +</p> + +<p> +"No, we're twins and we have to share everything," +Janet insisted. "Isn't that so, Phyllis?" +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis nodded seriously. +</p> + +<p> +"Everything," she said, and it sounded like a +prophecy. +</p> + +<p> +On the way home Mrs. Todd called them as they +passed the rectory. She had only just returned, +and she was so delighted at Janet's good fortune +that she kissed her, much to every one's surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"Please tell me about Peter," Janet whispered, +when she had the opportunity. +</p> + +<p> +"Peter is a rogue," Mrs. Todd answered, "but +I can't help loving him, and he has promised to be +my right hand for the rest of my days. I had a +hard time making Dr. Peabody agree to my +schemes, but I am a very determined woman, once +my mind is made up, and so he had to give in +finally." +</p> + +<p> +"What have you made your mind up to this +time, Ann?" Miss Carter inquired, from the other +side of the room. +</p> + +<p> +"A red-headed boy," Mrs. Todd laughed. "I +have seen enough of all my friends with children +to think about and I've made up my mind to have +one too. I wanted Janet, but I knew you'd find +her some day, Marjorie, and so I found Peter. +He's alone and so am I. I think we are going to +have a very good time together—raising sheep," +she added with a twinkle in her eye. +</p> + +<p> +"Isn't it wonderful about Peter?" Janet asked +as she walked home beside her aunt. +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed it is, my dear," Auntie Mogs agreed. +"Ann is a darling under her bruskness, and she +is very fond of you, dear." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I love her too," Janet replied; "she +has been so good to me." +</p> + +<p> +Miss Carter put her arm through hers and +looked down at her with serious eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"It would be difficult to imagine any one being +anything else. Dear little girl," she added +tenderly, "you are very like your beautiful mother. +Do you think you could be happy with Phyllis +and me? We want you very much indeed." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Auntie Mogs," Janet said in a queer little +voice, "I want you too." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap19"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XIX +<br><br> +TWINS INDEED +</h3> + +<p> +Janet and Phyllis stood in the middle of +Janet's room and looked at each other. +There was nothing apparently that was +strange in their appearance. One had on a dark +blue, chiffon, afternoon dress and the other a +white piqué with a black belt. +</p> + +<p> +They joined hands and stood before the mirror, +and then they both began to laugh very hard. +Boru, who had been dozing on the floor in a patch +of sunlight, got up and came over to them. A +keen observer might have thought it odd that he +chose the blue chiffon dress to rub up against +instead of the white one. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-197"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-197.jpg" alt="A keen observer might have though it odd that he chose the blue chiffon dress to rub against instead of the white one."> +<br> +A keen observer might have thought it odd that he chose <br> +the blue chiffon dress to rub against instead of the <br> +white one. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis noticed it and laughed again. +</p> + +<p> +"Funny how fond Boru is of me, isn't it?" she +asked. Then they went down stairs together. +</p> + +<p> +Auntie Mogs was busy arranging some flowers +in a bowl. +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis, help me with these, will you, dear!" +</p> + +<p> +The white dress stepped forward and then stood +still, and the blue chiffon was soon bending over +the table. +</p> + +<p> +Martha came into the room, carrying a plate +of tea biscuits. +</p> + +<p> +"Put these on the side table, Miss Janet, +please," she said, and the white dress did as she +asked. +</p> + +<p> +"What is the matter with you children!" +Auntie Mogs asked. "You are so quiet." +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing at all," they both answered together. +</p> + +<p> +Tom came in and looked around hurriedly. +</p> + +<p> +"Nobody here yet! Then I'm going to have +a cooky, a piece of cake and some candy. Janet, +dear little sister of mine, give me one of those +biscuits, or two if you insist." The white dress +offered him the plate and two brown eyes looked +at him hard as he helped himself. But he filled +his pockets unconcernedly and turned toward the +table. +</p> + +<p> +"Phyllis, other little sister of mine, have you +a flower for my button hole! I'm not going to +be at your party, but I want to look festive none +the less." +</p> + +<p> +The blue dress stood very close to him as the +flower was carefully poked into place. +</p> + +<p> +"You are both very quiet this afternoon, it +seems to me," he observed critically, looking from +one to the other. "What's the matter?" +</p> + +<p> +The girls began to laugh, and they kept it up +until they had to lean on each other for support. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, evidently something is very wrong indeed, +but I didn't mean to remind you of it. Are +you going to do this often during the afternoon?" +</p> + +<p> +Only suppressed gurgles answered him, and he +marched off to his own room in disgust. +</p> + +<p> +It was not long before the guests began to arrive. +</p> + +<p> +Miss Carter met them at the door, and the +girls both shook hands with each one and then +went off for tea or cake, and each time the guest +said, "Thank you, Janet," to the white dress, +and "That's very sweet of you," to the blue one. +And every now and then both girls would +disappear into the hall, laugh silently and return +to their posts. +</p> + +<p> +The Blakes were among the first arrivals, and +Mrs. Todd was with them. Mildred and Alice +were a little surprised that the wearer of the +white dress came up to them and said "hello!" +in the friendliest way. +</p> + +<p> +"Will you have a cup of tea and a biscuit? +You ought to be hungry after that long walk, or +did you drive over? Oh, but of course you didn't; +I forgot you were tired of driving." The white +dress fluttered away to return a minute later with +tea. +</p> + +<p> +"Here you are; can you manage all the plates?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, of course," Mildred replied. "How +nice it must be for you to have your sister here," +she said, smiling. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, it is rather nice." +</p> + +<p> +"Rather nice!" Alice exclaimed. "I should +think it would be a perfect blessing." +</p> + +<p> +"Now, why a blessing?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why—why because it is some one for you to +be with." Alice was amazed. "You must have +been awfully lonely before she came?" +</p> + +<p> +"Lonely—I? How silly!" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, but you never went with any of the girls +except us now and again, and naturally every one +thought you must be lonely. Alice isn't the only +one who thought so," Mildred said vehemently. +</p> + +<p> +"Then every one was wrong. I never was +lonely for a minute. I had too many things to +think about. Of course it is nice having a sister +that understands you, but even without her I +would not be lonely." The white dress drifted +away at a sign from the hostess, and Alice and +Mildred were left looking at each other in pained +surprise. They were wearing their hair rolled +up and tied at the back of their necks for the first +time, and they couldn't imagine why Janet had +said nothing about it. +</p> + +<p> +"How queer she is to-day," Mildred said. +</p> + +<p> +"And to think we always thought of her as +lonely! I guess she didn't come to see us any +oftener because she didn't want to," Alice replied. +</p> + +<p> +Across the room, Miss Clark was talking to the +wearer of the blue dress. +</p> + +<p> +"Isn't it beautiful to think of your being here +with Janet?" she exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it is splendid." +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose you will be carrying her back to +the dreadful city with you before long?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, I think we will go in a few weeks. +School begins, you see, and we mustn't be too +late getting back." +</p> + +<p> +"What a change it will be for dear Janet!" +Miss Clark continued. "I can't say I altogether +approve." +</p> + +<p> +"But why?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, it will change her, and I hate to think +of her getting cityfied and filling her head with +notions." Miss Clark did not specify just exactly +what notions were. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course you are very dear and sweet," she +continued, "but you are not at all like our Janet; +though you look very much alike, I would never +confuse you for an instant." +</p> + +<p> +"Are you quite sure!" +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I am, and I don't want to hurt your +feelings when I say that I hope you will not let +Janet change too much." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, I think it will do her good to go to the +city. She will meet lots of nice girls and go to +school, and certainly anything would be better +than being alone so much of the time as she is +here. I hope she learns to be like other girls +when she gets to town." +</p> + +<p> +"Ah, well, I am afraid I can't agree with you," +Miss Clark said sadly. The blue dress hurried +off to pass the cake to Mrs. Todd, who was sitting +alone in a corner. +</p> + +<p> +"Stay with me, child," Mrs. Todd said when +she had helped herself. "I want to look at you. +I thought this afternoon that you were like your +father in manner,"—her blue eyes searched the +brown ones. Suddenly she frowned. "Hello, +that's odd. No, I can't be wrong. You little +imps you, you've—" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, do hush, please; some one might hear +you, and not a soul has even suspected, not +even Auntie Mogs. How did you guess?" Janet +demanded. +</p> + +<p> +"Eyes," Mrs. Todd said shortly. "Yours +have little tiny flecks of gold in them, like your +mother's. Phyllis's are clearer, less dreamy, like +her father's. I won't give you away." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, thanks; you can't imagine what fun it is. +I am hearing all sorts of things about myself, +and I can't wait to compare notes with Phyllis." +</p> + +<p> +Opportunity came a little later when they met +in the kitchen. Phyllis repeated her numerous +conversations, and Janet told her that Mrs. Todd +had guessed. +</p> + +<p> +"But she has promised not to say anything," +she added. +</p> + +<p> +"Good; don't let's change even for dinner. I +believe we could fool Tommy and Auntie Mogs +all evening," Phyllis chuckled. +</p> + +<p> +"It's lots of fun being you," Janet whispered, +as they went back into the dining-room. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I love being you; it makes me wish I +really were," Phyllis answered. +</p> + +<p> +Dinner passed without their game being discovered, +though their occasional fits of laughter +mystified Tommy and Auntie Mogs. They might +have gotten safely to bed without their knowing if +it hadn't been for Boru and Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +They came out into the garden after dinner, +pretending not to notice each other, for although +Tom had succeeded in making them eat from the +same dish, they were by no means friends. +</p> + +<p> +Janet and Phyllis were walking up and down +the center path. Sir Galahad purred softly and +looked up at his mistress. Phyllis leaned down +and picked him up in her aims. Janet let her +hand rest on Boru's head. +</p> + +<p> +Tom came out of the house just as they made a +tableau by the old sundial. +</p> + +<p> +At first he did not notice anything odd, but +after a minute he said: +</p> + +<p> +"There's something wrong with the picture. I +think it's your dresses. They don't match your +animals. Hold on a minute. I've got it!" he +exclaimed. "You've swapped clothes." +</p> + +<p> +"And you just found it out," Phyllis teased. +</p> + +<p> +Tom studied them for a minute and shook his +head solemnly. +</p> + +<p> +"It's no wonder either; you are as alike as two +peas in a pod, except for the way you talk. What +a lot of larks you will be able to have, but I +shouldn't wonder if you found it embarrassing +when you got a little older. Perhaps I had better +brand you with your initials," he suggested—then +he added slowly, "Yes, I think on the whole +it would be a lot better for all concerned if I did." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap20"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XX +<br><br> +GOOD-BY +</h3> + +<p> +One morning at the close of the visit +Mrs. Page sent for Janet to come to her. +When she was seated in the chair by the +bed, the old lady looked at her for a long time +before she said anything. When she did speak, +it was to ask a startling question. +</p> + +<p> +"Janet, do you love me?" she inquired shortly. +</p> + +<p> +Janet stared at her in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, do you or don't you?" Mrs. Page demanded. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, grandmother, of course I do," Janet +replied quickly. +</p> + +<p> +"Why?" +</p> + +<p> +"Because you have always been kind to me and +taken care of me, I suppose," Janet said doubtfully. +</p> + +<p> +"Is that the only reason?" +</p> + +<p> +"N-no, I love you because you are my grandmother." +</p> + +<p> +"Do you love me as much as you do your Aunt +Marjorie?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course, but—" +</p> + +<p> +"But what!" +</p> + +<p> +"In a different way." +</p> + +<p> +"What do you mean by different way?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, I hardly know how to put it into words,"—Janet +hesitated. "I love to be with Auntie +Mogs and I like to have her put her arm around +me and kiss me." +</p> + +<p> +"I see," Mrs. Page spoke dryly, and laughed +a short unpleasant laugh. +</p> + +<p> +"And you love me for the opposite reasons, +eh!" she inquired. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't think they are opposite reasons," +Janet replied. "I love you—well, respectfully, +and I like to think of your being here. I think +perhaps I'm proud that you are my grandmother." +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Page seemed to think over what she had +heard. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, it may surprise you to hear it," she +said at last, "but I love you. I love you very +dearly. I have been a very selfish old woman and +perhaps I have not been very gentle with you. +Tom says I haven't. Certainly I have never +kissed you and put my arm around you, but I +have always loved you. I want you to remember +that. You have always been very patient with +me too, and I realize it. Sometimes I've wished +you would lose your temper, but now I'm glad +you didn't. Phyllis is more like her father than +you are, but I suppose that serves me right. I +thought that I could love her the first day I saw +her. I do love her, but not as much as I love you. +You are the finer of the two and some day you'll +prove it." +</p> + +<p> +She turned over and faced the wall Janet +rose to go. +</p> + +<p> +"When I die,"—Mrs. Page spoke from the +depth of the pillow—"I am going to leave +everything I have to you. I am telling you this +because you are going away, not because I think I +am going to die. Now you may go." +</p> + +<p> +Janet left the room, a queer feeling of regret in +her heart. She wanted to take her grandmother +in her arms and kiss her as she knew Phyllis +would have done, but a restraint, born from the +custom of years, held her back, and she closed the +door behind her, softly, as she had always done. +</p> + +<p> +Phyllis was nowhere to be found, so Janet went +up to the "widow's walk" to think over what her +grandmother had said. She found Tom already +there, smoking his pipe and reading. +</p> + +<p> +"Hello, what did grandmother want?" he +inquired lazily. "You were with her an awfully +long time. Phyllis got tired of waiting for you +and went off for a walk with Harry Waters." +</p> + +<p> +"Tom,"—Janet spoke very seriously, and Tom +put down his book to listen—"when I go to the +city with Phyllis and Auntie Mogs may I come +back and see grandmother whenever I want to?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, certainly you may; what makes you +ask?" Tom replied. +</p> + +<p> +"Because I think grandmother is sorry I am +going; really sorry, I mean, not just angry; and +I think I ought to come back and see her every +once in a while," Janet told him. +</p> + +<p> +"Bless your heart, I think you are right. +Auntie Mogs and I were talking about the same +thing only last night, and she said you could all +come up whenever she wanted you." Tom pulled +her down beside him and rumpled her hair. +"Now are you satisfied?" he asked, laughing. +</p> + +<p> +Janet nodded. +</p> + +<p> +"Tell me all over again just what the plans +are!" she said as she settled herself comfortably. +</p> + +<p> +"I should think you would know them all by +heart,"—Tom laughed. "First of all you and +Phyllis will have to be separated for a few days. +I don't see how you will ever bear it, but you +must try. Then Auntie Mogs and Phyllis will +go down to the city and get ready for your +arrival. To hear Phyllis talk you would think that +the walls of your room were going to be hung +in gold and that no one could see to it but herself. +</p> + +<p> +"But to resume. As soon as everything is +ready for your ladyship I will take you down. I +can picture your excitement now when you see +Auntie Mogs' library, and when you are comfortably +settled I will take a train West and start in +rebuilding my modest shanty so that it will be +ready to receive you in the spring." +</p> + +<p> +Janet looked out over the water and tried to +picture all Tom had said, but she gave it up. +</p> + +<p> +"Do you know, Tommy," she said suddenly, +"I made up my mind on this very spot to write +you that letter. Doesn't it seem funny to think +that we are sitting here now together?" +</p> + +<p> +"It does," Tom agreed slowly, "the only pity +is that you didn't write it before." +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +The remaining days passed rapidly, and the +date set for the departure came all too soon. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course it's only for a week," Phyllis said, +as they stood on the station platform, "but I feel +as though it were years." +</p> + +<p> +"So do I," Janet replied sorrowfully. "I wish +I could go home and sleep until Thursday." +</p> + +<p> +"Make Tommy amuse you every minute, and +don't you dare to forget me even for a half a +second," Phyllis warned her. "Oh, dear, here +comes the horrid old train! Kiss me again for +good luck." +</p> + +<p> +Janet kissed her, and then turned to her aunt. +</p> + +<p> +"Good-by, Auntie Mogs," she said tearfully. +</p> + +<p> +"You two babies!" Miss Carter looked down +at the two doleful faces before her and laughed. +"It's dreadful to be separated, especially when +you are twins, isn't it? But try and brace up, +both of you, and it will soon be over. Good-by +for a little while, dearest child. Tommy, take +good care of her, won't you?" she added, as she +said good-by to him. +</p> + +<p> +"The very best; and we'll be down in one short +little week," he promised. +</p> + +<p> +They boarded the train, and Janet insisted on +waiting until the last puff of smoke curled up +out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +"It is going to be the longest week of my life," +she said dismally. +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +The house without Phyllis was unbearable, and +Janet rowed over to the Enchanted Kingdom to +find consolation. She knew that the workmen +would be in possession the next day, and +she wanted to have it all to herself once +more. +</p> + +<p> +She patted the books and said good-by to all +her favorites. As she knelt to read the title of +one of them she noticed the volume that she had +found Peter reading their last memorable day +together. She took it from its shelf and opened it +idly. Pictures of sheep and diagrams of gates +and fences did not interest her very much, and +she was just about to close it up when she had a +sudden idea. +</p> + +<p> +She turned to the back of it, tore out a page that +had nothing on it, and with Peter's own pencil, +which she found on the floor under the sofa, she +started to write. +</p> + +<p> +When she had finished her note read as follows: +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="noindent"> +"<i>Dear Peter:</i> +</p> + +<p> +"I am saying good-by to the Enchanted Kingdom, +for I am going away next week. Of course +I will write you letters to boarding school, but +I wanted to leave this for you to find the first time +you come back. +</p> + +<p> +"We had lots of good times together, didn't +we? I suppose the next time we see each other +we won't want to pretend, so this is a last good-by +to Lord Carrot Tops from +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + "THE PRINCESS OF THE<br> + ENCHANTED KINGDOM."<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p> +When it was written, she folded it up and stuck +it between the leaves of the sheep book. Then +she stood up to go. +</p> + +<p> +"Good-by, my wonderful Kingdom," she said. +"I will always love you better than any room in +the world." She tiptoed to the window and +climbed out swiftly. +</p> + +<p> +As she ran down the hill, her eyes smarted and +she did not look back. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap21"></a></p> + +<h3> +CHAPTER XXI +<br><br> +CONCLUSION +</h3> + +<p> +An ordinary train pulled in on an ordinary +day at the Old Chester station. A man +and a girl, with soft brown eyes blurred +by unshed tears, entered the Pullman car and +took the seats that the porter showed them. Then +the car started again, and the girl leaned out of +the window. +</p> + +<p> +"They are all there," she said. "Harry, +Mrs. Todd, Mildred and Alice, and Martha. I can't +believe I'm really going away from them." +</p> + +<p> +"But you are, little sister of mine; you are +going to a brand new world, and I am anxious to +hear what you and another little sister of mine +are going to do in it." +</p> + +<p> +"It's more her world than mine," the girl +reminded him. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, just as this was more your world than +hers, but she came to your world and liked it," +the man replied. "Just as you are going to like +her world." +</p> + +<p> +"And before you know it, both worlds are going +to be 'our world.'" +</p> + +<p> +The girl, who was Janet, looked out of the +window and smiled, and the train seemed to hurry +them along. +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +THE END +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-end-left"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-end-left.jpg" alt="Left end paper"> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-end-right"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-end-right.jpg" alt="Right end paper"> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br><br></p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75755 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + + diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-051.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-051.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ece130f --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-051.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-135.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-135.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a35735f --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-135.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-197.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-197.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b5e836 --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-197.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-cover.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..53a802c --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-cover.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-end-left.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-end-left.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d2b6f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-end-left.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-end-right.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-end-right.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..805f38e --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-end-right.jpg diff --git a/75755-h/images/img-front.jpg b/75755-h/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c6763d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/75755-h/images/img-front.jpg |
