nnoyed with me."

"Where in the world have you been, Marjorie?" her uncle demanded,
ignoring the latter part of her remark. He was looking decidedly annoyed
as well as worried.

"Why, I got up early," Marjorie explained, "and the girl who was dusting
said you never had breakfast before half-past eight, so I thought I
would go for a walk in the park. I got lost, and couldn't remember the
name of the hotel, but fortunately, just as I was beginning to be a
little frightened, I met Mr. Beverly Randolph, and he brought me home."

"And who is Beverly Randolph? I had no idea you had friends in New
York."

"Oh, he isn't exactly a friend--at least he wasn't till this morning.
You know who he is, Uncle Henry; that nice-looking boy Elsie was talking
about at dinner last night. Wasn't it fortunate I recognized him. He is
just as nice as he can be, and I'm going to introduce him to Elsie."

"Come upstairs at once," said Mr. Carleton, a trifle less sternly. "We
have been very anxious about you; you must never do such a thing
again."

Marjorie was dumb with astonishment. Beyond being late for breakfast she
had no idea that she had done anything wrong. She followed her uncle in
silence, and did not utter another word until they had reached their own
apartment, where they found Mrs. Carleton in a condition bordering on
hysteria, and Elsie trying to look solemn, but secretly rather enjoying
the situation. "I should really think, Marjorie, that you might have
known," said Mrs. Carleton in a tone of deep reproach, when she had
heard her niece's explanation, "your own common sense should have told
you that to go wandering off by yourself in a strange city at seven
o'clock in the morning, was a most extraordinary thing to do. You must
never again go out alone at any hour. Elsie has never been out without a
maid."

Marjorie's eyes opened wide in amazement.

"Not go out alone?" she repeated stupidly. "Why I've always gone
everywhere by myself ever since I was a little girl."

"Well, you are not to do it here, whatever you may have done in
Arizona," said Mrs. Carleton, crossly. "As for speaking to a strange
young man, and getting him to bring you home, I really never heard of
anything so outrageous. We have been frightened to death about you."

"There, there, Julia," put in Uncle Henry, "don't you think you have
said enough? I am sure Marjorie will never do such a thing again; she
will soon be accustomed to New York ways. Now suppos