"Because!" Miss Carter and Bob Strahan made the rather unsatisfactory
explanation a duet.

CHAPTER XVIII

When Mary Rose opened her eyes the next morning the very first thing
she saw was the glass globe in which flashing sunbeams seemed to dart.

"Why--why!" cried amazed Mary Rose, and she sat bolt upright.

Aunt Kate heard her and came in. "Do you like them, honey? Mr. Jerry
and Miss Thorley brought them in last night. Mr. Jerry said you liked
his aunt's goldfish, so he was sure you'd like some of your own."

"Did he?" All the gladness slipped from her face and voice as she
remembered the pet she had lost. "You know, Aunt Kate, last night I
just about decided I'd never have another pet. I'm--I'm so unlucky
with them." Her lip quivered. "I don't seem to be able to keep one
thing that really belongs to me."

"Nonsense!" Aunt Kate took her in her arms and kissed her. "You'll
keep me and your Uncle Larry. You can't lose us. Aren't they pretty?"
She tapped the glass globe. "Seems if a body'd never get tired of
lookin' at 'em. But get dressed, dearie. Breakfas's most ready an'
Mr. Jerry wants you to go out to Blue Heron Lake in his motor car. His
aunt an' Miss Thorley are goin' too. You're to be away all day an'
have your dinner at a big hotel."

Not eighteen hours before Mary Rose would have danced and clapped her
hands at such a delectable prospect, but now she lay back on her pillow
and looked at her aunt. Two big tears gathered in her eyes.

"I can't go. Suppose we'd hear something from Jenny Lind."

"As if I wouldn't be here, an' your Uncle Larry. An' Jimmie Bronson's
goin' to keep an eye on the cat an' dog. To be sure you're goin',
dearie. Put your clothes on. Your breakfas's near ready an' your
uncle's starvin'." And to avoid any further argument she bustled away.

Mary Rose lay and watched the goldfish for another sixty seconds and
the big tears dropped from her eyes to her pillow. But even if her
heart was broken she had to admire those flashes of gold in the clear
water.

"They're so--so beautiful." She was surprised to find herself laughing
when one fish pushed against another. She had thought she never would
laugh again. She turned and hid her face. "No matter how beautiful
they are I shan't ever, forget you, Jenny Lind," she promised. "Ever!
I'm not the forgetting kind of a person and I'll never stop trying to
find you. May the good Lord take care of you now and