lt had a terribly superior manner for such a young
man, and looked too 'goody-goody'! But you have not answered me yet about
Tania. Do let us have Tania. I'll teach her lots of things this summer,
and it won't be so hard for her when she goes to school in the fall. She
is pretty good with me."

"Very well," consented Mrs. Curtis reluctantly, "for this summer only.
The child will get you into difficulties, but I suppose they won't be
serious. What is Madge Morton going to do next fall? Is she going to
college with Phil, or is she coming to be my daughter?"

Madge lowered her red-brown head. "I don't know, dear," she faltered.
"You know I have said all along to Uncle and Aunt that, just as soon as I
was grown up, I was going to start out to find my father. I shall be
nineteen next winter. It surely is time for me to begin."

"But, Madge, dear, you can't find your father unless you know where to
look for him. The world is a very large place! I am sorry"--Mrs. Curtis
smoothed Madge's soft hair tenderly--"but I agree with your uncle and
aunt; your father must be dead. Were he alive he would surely have tried
to find his little daughter long before this. Your uncle and aunt have
never heard from or of him during all these years."

"I don't feel sure that he is dead," returned Madge thoughtfully. "You
see, my father disappeared after his court-martial in the Navy. He never
dreamed that some day his superior officer would confess his own guilt
and declare Father innocent. I can't, I won't, believe he is dead.
Somewhere in this world he lives and some day I shall find him, I am sure
of it. Phil, Lillian and Eleanor have all pledged themselves to my cause,
too," she added, smiling faintly.

"I'll do all that I can to help you, Madge. Just have a good time this
summer, and in the autumn, perhaps, there may be some information for you
to work on. What is that dreadful noise? I never heard anything like it
in my house before!" exclaimed Mrs. Curtis.

Madge sprang to her feet. There was the sound of a heavy fall in the next
room, a scream, then a discreet knock on Madge's door.

"Come!" commanded Mrs. Curtis.

The door opened and the butler appeared in the doorway, his solemn, red
face redder and more solemn than usual.

"Please, it's that child again," he said. "While the young ladies was out
in the automobile with Mr. Tom, she went in their room, emptied out one
of their trunks and shut herself inside. She said she was 'Ho