look
at these hapless creatures debarred from the joys and perils of manly
sports.

"I can run still and I'll get to the gate before you, see if I don't."
And, yielding to the impulse of the moment, Rose darted down the steps
before astonished Jamie could mount and follow.

He was off in a moment, but Rose had the start, and though old Sheltie
did his best, she reached the goal just ahead, and stood there laughing
and panting, all rosy with fresh October air, a pretty picture for
several gentlemen who were driving by.

"Good for you, Rose!" said Archie, jumping out to shake hands while Will
and Geordie saluted and Uncle Mac laughed at Jamie, who looked as if
girls had risen slightly in his opinion.

"I'm glad it is you, because you won't be shocked. But I'm so happy to
be back I forgot I was not little Rose still," said Atalanta, smoothing
down her flying hair.

"You look very like her, with the curls on your shoulders in the old
way. I missed them last night and wondered what it was. How are Uncle
and Phebe?" asked Archie, whose eyes had been looking over Rose's head
while he spoke toward the piazza, where a female figure was visible
among the reddening woodbines.

"All well, thanks. Won't you come up and see for yourselves?"

"Can't, my dear, can't possibly. Business, you know, business. This
fellow is my right-hand man, and I can't spare him a minute. Come, Arch,
we must be off, or these boys will miss their train," answered Uncle
Mac, pulling out his watch.

With a last look from the light-haired figure at the gate to the
dark-haired one among the vines, Archie drove away and Jamie cantered
after, consoling himself for his defeat with apple number two.

Rose lingered a moment, feeling much inclined to continue her run and
pop in upon all the aunts in succession, but, remembering her uncovered
head, was about to turn back when a cheerful "Ahoy! ahoy!" made her look
up to see Mac approaching at a great pace, waving his hat as he came.

"The Campbells are coming, thick and fast this morning, and the more the
merrier," she said, running to meet him. "You look like a good boy going
to school, and virtuously conning your lesson by the way," she added,
smiling to see him take his finger out of the book he had evidently been
reading, and tuck it under his arm, just as he used to do years ago.

"I am a schoolboy, going to the school I like best," he answered, waving
a plumy spray of asters as if pointing out th