a rose,
and the laughing brown eyes looked beyond to Jasper, who stood on the
walk, and smiled encouragingly.

"Is your mother in?" asked the old gentleman, who was so tall he could
scarcely enter the low door. And then Mrs. Pepper came forward, and
Jasper introduced her, and the old gentleman bowed, and sat down in
the seat Polly placed for him. And Mrs. Pepper thanked him with a heart
overflowing with gratitude, through lips that would tremble even
then, for all that Jasper had done for them. And the old gentleman
said--"Humph!" but he looked at his son, and something shone in his eye
just for a moment.

Phronsie had retreated with "baby" in her arms behind the door on the
new arrival. But seeing everything progressing finely, and overcome by
her extreme desire to see Jappy and Prince, she began by peeping out
with big eyes to observe how things were going on. Just then the old
gentleman happened to say, "Well, where is my little girl that baked me
a cake so kindly?"

Then Phronsie, forgetting all else but her "poor sick man," who also was
"Jasper's father," rushed out from behind the door, and coming up to the
stately old gentleman in the chair, she looked up pityingly, and said,
shaking her yellow head, "Poor, sick man, was my boy good?"

After that there was no more gravity and ceremony. In a moment, Phronsie
was perched upon old Mr. King's knee, and playing with his watch;
while the others, freed from all restraint, were chatting and laughing
happily, till some of the cheeriness overflowed and warmed the heart of
the old gentleman.

"We go to-morrow," he said, rising, and looking at his watch. "Why, is
it possible that we have been here an hour! there, my little girl,
will you give me a kiss?" and he bent his handsome old head down to the
childish face upturned to his confidingly.

"Don't go," said the child, as she put up her little lips in grave
confidence. "I do like you--I do!"

"Oh, Phronsie," began Mrs. Pepper.

"Don't reprove her, madam," said the old gentleman, who liked it
immensely. "Yes, we go to-morrow," he said, looking around on the group
to whom this was a blow they little expected. They had surely thought
Jasper was to stay a week longer.

"I received a telegram this morning, that I must be in the city on
Thursday. And besides, madam," he said, addressing Mrs. Pepper, "I think
the climate is bad for me now, as it induces rheumatism. The hotel is
also getting unpleasant; there are many