day. Now, Malcolm, please do not throw cold water on
my little scheme."

"Certainly not; we will go to the Seven Dials if you like. Only I wish
I had known beforehand. Verity is occasionally like the renowned Mother
Hubbard, her cupboard is bare. You will have to put up with plain bread
and butter, I expect."

"What does that matter!" returned Anna scornfully. "Thank you, Malcolm
dear. Then we will have a real good time."

"I think we shall be able to carry out your modest programme," replied
Malcolm. "Wait a moment, I have an idea. Suppose 'we beard the lion in
his den;' in other words, look up Caleb Martin and my umbrella in
Todmorden's Lane?" And then he gave Anna a graphic account of the
little adventure, and, as he expected, received her warm approval.

"Oh yes, you shall take me there too," she observed. "I must see that
poor little Kit; it was so like you to think of her comfort;" and here
Anna laid a soft little hand on his coat-sleeve. "Malcolm, I am afraid
I ought not to let you talk any longer. I heard mother go into her
dressing-room ten minutes ago, and she is never long over her toilet."

"That means I must get into my war paint too, or Dawson will be coming
in search of me;" and then he went off to his old room, leaving Anna
looking thoughtfully out of the window.

"To-morrow I shall be one-and-twenty," she said to herself; "it seems a
great age, but Malcolm is nearly nine years older." And then she added
to herself in a whisper, "And from morning to night we shall be
together, just he and I, our own two selves," and there was a soft look
of contentment on Anna's face.

CHAPTER V

MRS. HERRICK OBJECTS TO BOHEMIA

We fear originality as a coat which is too new, and do our utmost to be
like the rest of the world.--CARMEN SYLVA.

Life is work.... Life without work is unworthy of being lived.--BISHOP
EDWARD BICKERSTETH.

Twenty minutes later Malcolm knocked at the door of his mother's
dressing-room. A deep, sonorous voice bade him enter. As he did so Mrs.
Herrick laid down the book she was reading on the toilet-table, and
turned to greet him. "My dearest boy, how glad I am to see you!" she
exclaimed with a warm, motherly kiss. Then she put her hands on his
shoulders and regarded him with an affectionate smile that quite
lighted up her homely face. Even in her youth Mrs. Herrick had never
been handsome. Indeed, her old friends maintained that she was far
better-looking in her middle age