uld see,--Lloyd's, soft-haired and golden,
May Lilly's, covered with dozens of tightly braided little black tails.

He was about to order May Lilly back to the cabin, when he remembered
the scene that followed the last time he had done so. He concluded to
keep quiet and listen.

"Billy Goat Gruff was so fat," the story went on, "jus' as fat as
gran'fathah."

The Colonel glanced up with an amused smile at the fine figure reflected
in an opposite mirror.

"Trip-trap, trip-trap, went Billy Goat Gruff's little feet ovah the
bridge to the giant's house."

Just at this point Walker, who was putting things in order, closed the
door between the rooms.

"Open that door, you black rascal!" called the Colonel, furious at the
interruption.

In his haste to obey, Walker knocked over a pitcher of water that had
been left on the floor beside the wash-stand.

Then the Colonel yelled at him to be quick about mopping it up, so that
by the time the door was finally opened, Lloyd was finishing her story.

The Colonel looked in just in time to see her put her hands to her
temples, with her forefingers protruding from her forehead like horns.
She said in a deep voice, as she brandished them at May Lilly, "With my
two long speahs I'll poke yo' eyeballs through yo' yeahs." The little
darky fell back giggling. "That sut'n'y was like a billy-goat. We had
one once that 'ud make a body step around mighty peart. It slip up
behine me one mawnin' on the poach, an' fo' awhile I thought my haid was
buss open suah. I got up toreckly, though, an' I cotch him, and when I
done got through, Mistah Billy-goat feel po'ly moah'n a week. He sut'n'y
did."

Walker grinned, for he had witnessed the scene.

Just then Maria put her head in at the door to say, "May Lilly, yo'
mammy's callin' you."

Lloyd and Fritz followed her noisily down-stairs. Then for nearly an
hour it was very quiet in the great house.

The Colonel, looking out of the window, could see Lloyd playing
hide-and-seek with Fritz under the bare locust-trees. When she came in
her cheeks were glowing from her run in the frosty air. Her eyes shone
like stars, and her face was radiant.

"See what I've found down in the dead leaves," she cried. "A little blue
violet, bloomin' all by itself."

She brought a tiny cup from the next room, that belonged to the set of
doll dishes, and put the violet in it.

"There!" she said, setting it on the table at her grandfather's elbow.
"Now I'll pu