nd Romeo, as if in imitation,
tossed his so that it showed all its silken beauty.

"See him!" cried Dorothy. "He thinks he's as fine as any horse."

"Well, he is as dear as they," said Nancy.

"Oh, yes," said Dorothy, "and dearer."

And when the horses and the pony had been led around to the stable, and
the older members of the party had reached the piazza, Dorothy and
Nancy, who had paused for a moment to talk, ran up the steps, intending
to sit together in a large rocker.

Before they reached the chair, Floretta flew toward them.

"You had a funny caller while you were out driving," she said, with a
giggle, "and she was so very fashionable that she left these cards. She
told me to tell you that _Miss_ Corryville had called."

"It was Arabella," said Nancy.

"Did she truly say '_Miss_?'" Dorothy asked.

"Well, didn't I _say_ so?" Floretta asked rudely; "and I told her to
tell her Aunt Matilda that she talked with _Miss_ Paxton, and she said
she would. She waited a long time for you to come home, because she said
she meant to stay to dinner with you. Say! She had on a calico dress!
Wouldn't she have looked gay?"

"It isn't very kind to laugh at any one's clothes," said Dorothy, "and
it's not very nice to laugh at other people's friends."

"Pooh!" cried Floretta, "I shall laugh at whoever I please," and she
turned and ran up to her room.

But she had laughed once too often! During the ride, Mrs. Fenton had
spoken of Floretta's rude ways, and of the day when, upon following
Nancy to the dining-room, she had caught the provoking child in the act
of mimicking her.

"Your little Nancy was grieved and distressed because she knew that I
saw it. What a difference there is in children! The Paxton child is
disgusting, while Nancy, who, I have heard, was a little waif, is as
gentle as Dorothy, who was born the little daughter of a fine, old
family."

Aunt Charlotte and Mrs. Dainty had told Mrs. Fenton something of Nancy's
life, and noticed how deeply interested she seemed to be.

Mrs. Paxton had realized that ever since the day that Floretta had told
of being caught mimicking Mrs. Fenton for the amusement of the
waitresses and maids, Mrs. Fenton had shunned them. She had made
desperate efforts to win Mrs. Fenton's friendship, but never very
successfully, as she found that her little daughter's silly act had
rendered any intimacy quite impossible.

A few days after the ride, Mrs. Fenton did not appear at lunch,