smart kick that sent the hammock higher.

"What's the fun of swinging alone?" she grumbled, but there was no one
on the piazza to answer her, and she let the hammock sway lazily while
she looked down the sunny road, and thought how strange it was that the
place seemed so still.

Not a leaf stirred, and Floretta's disgust increased.

"Nothing in sight, not even an old hen," she said, when, way down where
the road looked so narrow and distant, a little figure appeared, coming
directly toward the Cleverton. She watched the approaching figure, and
wondered who it might be.

"'Tisn't any one I know," she thought, "and _doesn't_ she look queer?"

Any one who had ever known Arabella Corryville would also have known
that she always looked decidedly odd and strange, and it was Arabella
who was marching steadily along the road.

So determined was her tread that one might have thought that there was a
band behind her playing martial music to which she was obliged to keep
step.

"Well, whoever she is, she's carrying an umbrella, this pleasant day,"
murmured Floretta; then as she came near, she added:

"And wearing rubbers and a raincoat, as true as I live!"

Arabella was more bundled and wrapped than at first appeared, for, as
she came up the gravel walk, Floretta saw that a long veil was closely
tied over her hat, and wound about her throat.

From her appearance one might have thought that she expected freezing
weather before night.

She walked up on to the piazza, and then stood, for a moment, looking
about, as if in search of some one.

It was not politeness that prompted Floretta to speak. It was simply
curiosity. She was wild to know who the strange-looking child was, and
whom she wished to see.

"Are you looking for some one?" she asked, at the same time slipping
from the hammock, and going so close to Arabella that she could peep
into the queer little face.

CHAPTER XI

ARABELLA MAKES A CALL

ARABELLA peered at Floretta through her spectacles, and was tempted not
to reply, but after a moment's pause she changed her mind.

"I came to see Dorothy Dainty, and Nancy Ferris," she said.

"They're out driving," said Floretta.

"How do you know?" Arabella asked, rudely.

"Because I heard them say they were going, and because I saw them go,"
was the quick reply.

"It's a long way over here, and now I've got to take the same walk
back," said Arabella.

"They're going to be out all the afternoon," s