me one asked the little hostess.

"Her name is Dora Warner," was the reply. "Mamma knows her mother.
They haven't lived here long. I have tried to introduce her, but
nobody wants to talk to her, and she doesn't know a single game. I
wish Mamma would come and take care of her."

The stranger sat alone looking on at the merry scene. She felt timid
and unhappy, and had to wink very hard now and then to get rid of a
troublesome mist that found its way to her eyes.

"I am silly I know; I ought not to expect to get acquainted all at
once," she said to herself bravely.

If it had not been for the loneliness she might have enjoyed the fun
going on around her, even though she had no part in it. Such dainty
dresses, such laughing and dancing about, such airs and graces, she
had never before seen! She recognized the charming little girls who
had so taken her fancy a week or two before--sisters, she felt sure,
of that dear little Carie.

"Oh, dear!" she said at last; "I can't help wishing I had not come!"

Not thinking what she was doing, Dora took up a croquet mallet which
had been left on the bench, and began slowly to screw it into the
ground. Just then a boy rushed by hotly chased by another. The one in
pursuit tripped on the mallet and fell headlong on the grass.

"Are you hurt? I am so sorry; I did not mean to do it!" she exclaimed
in dismay.

"No, I am not hurt," he replied, sitting up and rubbing the stains off
his hands with his handkerchief. "How did you come to do it anyhow?"
and he gave her a glimpse of a pair of merry brown eyes, and then went
on polishing his hands.

"I don't know," she answered.

"If it had not been for you I could have caught Aleck."

"I am so sorry," Dora said again, in such a mournful tone that the boy
laughed.

"You needn't think I care! Aleck knows I can catch him. Do you like to
run?"

"I haven't tried it very often lately. I think you could catch me,"
she answered.

"I probably could; as a general thing girls aren't much on running,
but you should see Louise!"

"Who is she?" asked Dora.

"She is my sister; I thought everybody knew Louise."

"I don't know any one," was the reply in a mournful tone.

"Don't you really?" Carl asked, sitting up very straight; "and is that
the reason you are over here by yourself?"

"I know Annie a little, but you see I haven't lived here since I was a
baby. We have been travelling about a good deal, so I haven't had a
chance to know many