ou're good now, eh? Does my little sugar lamb want a
treat?"

Polly knew that when he called her his little sugar lamb it meant that
he was in high good-humour.

"It won't be much of a treat to stay at home and do the civil to that
old Mrs. Bauer," she said, and looked up at him coquettishly.

There were good points about Manfred. When he was good-tempered, as he
seemed to be just now, it generally meant that there would be a present
for her coming along. And sure enough he pulled a little box out of one
of his bulging pockets.

"Here's a present for my little lollipop," he said.

Eagerly she opened the box; but though she exclaimed "It's very pretty!"
she really felt a good deal disappointed. For it was only a queer,
old-fashioned light gold locket. In tiny diamonds--they were real
diamonds, but Polly did not know that--were set the words "_Rule
Britannia_," and below the words was a funny little enamel picture of a
sailing-ship. Not the sort of thing she would care to wear, excepting
just to please Manfred.

"You can put that on the chain I gave you," he said. "It looks nice and
patriotic. And about this evening--well, I've changed my mind. You need
not stop in for Mrs. Bauer. Just say how-d'ye-do to her, and then go
out--to the Deanery if you like. You see that I trust you, Polly;" his
face stiffened, a frown came over it. "I have written a letter to the
Dean for you to take; you may read it if you like."

She drew the bit of paper out of the envelope with a good deal of
curiosity. Whatever could Manfred have to write to the Dean about? True,
he was fond of writing letters, and he expressed himself far better than
most Englishmen of his station. Polly had quite a nice packet of his
love-letters, which, at the time she had received them, had delighted
her by their flowery appropriateness of language, and quaint,
out-of-the-way expressions.

"MOST REVEREND SIR"--so ran Manfred Hegner's letter to the
Dean. "I wish to thank you for your kindness to me during the
last few eventful days. I have endeavoured to deserve it in
every way possible. I trust you will approve of a step I
propose taking on Monday. That is, to change my name to Alfred
Head. As you impressed upon me, Reverend Sir, in the interview
you were good enough to grant me, I am now an Englishman, with
all the duties as well as the privileges of this great
nation. So it is best I have a British name. I am t