as Mrs. Prim was looking out of the window, she saw Flaxie and
Miss Patty playing dolls under the trees. Patty was two years older than
Flaxie, but her red hair had not been combed lately, her dress was torn,
and her shoes were out at the toes.

"She is not a nice child; I am sorry to see this," sighed Mrs. Prim,
turning away from the window. "But as Mrs. Gray is coming home next
week, I shall do nothing about it."

Flaxie's mind was "occupied" now, and she gave very little trouble in
the house. Patty was "a dear, sweet, good little girl," she said, "and
she loved her next as much as her twin cousin."

But you can't be quite happy in this world; and Patty's baby brother,
only nine months old, had cut four whole teeth, and I won't say this
wasn't a trial to Flaxie.

"Poh, but they're eeny-teeny things," said she to grandma. "Phil's will
be lots and lots bigger--when he gets 'em."

Patty came up to the fence one day, where Flaxie stood smelling a
geranium leaf.

"How do you do?" said she.

"I do as I please, 'cause Auntie Prim is gone," replied little Flaxie,
with a saucy smile. She was really very bold and naughty sometimes, as
you have already found out, I suppose.

"Gone home?"

"No, she's coming back to-night, I s'pect, and bring grammy a cap. No, I
don't s'pect she'll _ever_ go home," said Flaxie, shaking her little
head sadly.

"Well, she's gone now, ain't she, this whole afternoon? And why can't
you come up to my house and see me?"

Flaxie knew why. It was because she ought to help amuse the baby. Dora
had been making peach preserves all day, and it was too hard for Grandma
Gray to take care of Phil alone. But Flaxie asked all the same, "May I
go?" and grandma never could say "no" when little folks teased, so she
answered, "Yes, and stay till half-past four; no longer."

Nothing was said about supper; but the children thought there would be
time enough for that, and breakfast too, almost--it seemed so very long
till half-past four.

"Very well," said Patty's mother, when they went into the smoky kitchen,
where she was holding the baby that had four teeth. "Very well, you may
both run out to play, and when it is time to call you in, I'll ring the
bell."

There wasn't much to play with, except sand right in the middle of the
road; but Flaxie had never been allowed as much dirt as she wanted, and
this seemed very pleasant for a change. It would have been pleasanter
still if her conscience had felt