e broke off now--and so
'twould, you know yourself, Marian, for we should never get the child
here again, if we let her go now; and I talked--well, I had to talk
some; but, well--the upshot is I did get her, and I did bring her--and
here she is!" And the old gentleman was so delighted with his success,
that he had to burst out into a series of short, happy bits of laughter,
that occupied quite a space of time. At last he came out of them, and
wiped his face vigorously.

"And to think how fond the little girl is of you, father!" said Mrs.
Whitney, who hadn't yet gotten over her extreme surprise at the old
gentleman's complete subjection to the little Peppers: he, whom all
children had by instinct always approached so carefully, and whom every
one found it necessary to conciliate!

"Well, she's a nice child," he said, "a very nice child; and,"
straightening himself up to his fullest height, and looking so very
handsome, that his daughter could not conceal her admiration, "I shall
always take care of Phronsie Pepper, Marian!"

"So I hope," said Mrs. Whitney; "and father, I do believe they'll repay
you; for I do think there's good blood there; these children have a look
about them that shows them worthy to be trusted."

"So they have: so they have," assented Mr. King, and then the
conversation dropped.

PHRONSIE

Phronsie was toiling up and down the long, oak staircase the next
morning; slowly going from one step to the other, drawing each little
fat foot into place laboriously, but with a pleased expression on her
face that only gave some small idea of the rapture within. Up and down
she had been going for a long time, perfectly fascinated; seeming to
care for nothing else in the world but to work her way up to the top of
the long flight, only to turn and come down again. She had been going
on so for some time, till at last, Polly, who was afraid she would tire
herself all out, sat down at the foot and begged and implored the little
girl, who had nearly reached the top, to stop and rest.

"You'll be tired to death, Phronsie!" she said, looking up at the small
figure on its toilsome journey. "Why you must have gone up a million
times! Do sit down, pet; we're all going out riding, Phronsie, this
afternoon; and you can't go if you're all tired out."

"I won't be tired, Polly," said Phronsie, turning around and looking at
her, "do let me go just once more!"

"Well," said Polly, who never could refuse her any