be your two brothers while you are here," said Stephen.

Edna laughed. "Then I'll have to call you Frank and Charlie," and she
proceeded to decide which should be which, and to tell the boys of her
brothers' pranks and funny sayings.

This was after tea, when the three were having a fine time over a game
of "Parchesi," sitting around a big table.

Presently the bell rang; there were voices in the hall--questions and
answers--and Mrs. Porter was summoned; then, in another minute, in
walked Uncle Justus.

A look at his face told Edna something of his anxiety; but he held out
his hand, and she went straight to him, where he kept her close, as if
he could not let her go.

"We thought you were lost," he said, in trembling tones; "I have been
looking for you since early in the day."

"O," cried Edna, "Uncle Justus, I am so sorry."

"Didn't Mrs. Horner get my note?" asked Mrs. Porter.

"That she didn't receive it made the trouble," replied Uncle Justus.
"The maid took the note and put it on the hall table, where it was not
discovered until an hour ago, Ellen having forgotten it and not
connecting it with Edna. In the meantime I have been searching
everywhere."

"It is my fault," cried Mrs. Porter; "I should not have kept Edna this
time, but I was so glad to see her, and she had hurt herself; besides,
she looked so pale and tired."

"Where were you going when you started down town?" asked Uncle Justus.

"O," Edna said, "Uncle Justus, I felt so dreadfully about Louis. I
couldn't stand it."

"Well, my child, I don't understand why you should; but we had better
go straight home now, and relieve the minds of your friends."

Edna did not talk much on the way home, but she held Uncle Justus'
hand very tightly. "Was I very bad?" once she asked, softly.

Uncle Justus, for answer, gave her hand a little squeeze, and she was
satisfied. She did not ask about Louis, for she thought her uncle had
been troubled enough. She felt that somewhere and somehow she had made
a mistake.

"I don't believe little girls know just what is right to do without
asking grown people," she said, as they left the car and neared home.
"It's awfully hard to do right every time by yourself, isn't it, Uncle
Justus?"

"Yes; it is best to ask advice," he replied, as he opened the front
door with his latch-key.

Edna rushed in. The sitting-room seemed full of people. Who were they
all? Why, there was Louis--not run away at all, but safe and soun