plaintive voice called, "Oh, Miss Dimple, stop, please stop." Looking
around, she saw that Bubbles had followed her.

It was a relief to see the familiar face, and Dimple forlornly dropped
into her little maid's arms crying: "Oh, Bubbles! Oh, Bubbles, Florence
is lost."

"No 'm, she ain't," replied Bubbles, with confidence.

"Oh, how do you know?"

"'Cause she come in de front do' jis' as I was gwine th'ough de yard. I
never stopped to ast her nothin', fo' I seen yuh a kitin' down street,
an' I put after yuh, lickety-split. All of a suddent I los' sight of
yuh, an' I been a standin' on de cornah waitin' fo' yuh to come back. I
know yuh 'bleedged to cross to git home, an' I been a waitin' fo' yuh."

"Oh Bubbles! Oh Bubbles! I'm so glad, but I'm so tired and so wet,
and--oh dear--I'm afraid to tell mamma, and I'm so miserable. I never
was so miserable."

Bubbles looked as sympathetic as the occasion required, and trotted
along by Dimple's side, holding the umbrella over her, and trying to
suggest all manner of comforting things.

"Hit'll all be ovah befo' yuh is twict married, Miss Dimple, and hit
mought be wuss. S'posin' Miss Flo'ence was los' sho 'nough, den yuh
might tek on. She safe an' soun'. Jes' yuh come in de back way, an'
I'll git yuh some dry things. An' Sylvy won't say nothin'. I jes' know
she wont, an' yuh can git dry by de kitchen fire. I reckon Miss Flo'ence
mighty 'shamed o' herse'f, kickin' up all dis rumpus 'bout nothin'."

But Dimple shook her head. "It wasn't about nothing. I behaved just as
mean as could be, and I'm the one to be ashamed. I'll go straight to
mamma; it will be best, for she would find out anyhow, and besides, I'd
feel a great deal worse if I deceived her about it."

Bubbles was not to be convinced that her beloved Miss Dimple was at all
in the wrong, but Dimple would not change her mind, being in a state of
great humility and penitence, and finally Bubbles gave up trying to
dissuade her.

Florence had reached home long before. Indeed she had not gone very far
before her anger cooled, although she was still very much hurt; but she
concluded it would not be right to start off for her own home without a
word to her aunt, who had been so kind to her. This thought added to her
unhappiness, and she went to Dimple's room, throwing herself on the
floor, crying bitterly.

The sound of her sobs brought Mrs. Dallas from the next room.

"Why, Florence," she said, seeing the little gi