e indignation that was fuming over the
loss of her pretty locks, and the purpose that was brewing to cure her
of her folly.

"Don't have any half-way work about it, Mollie," said Mr. John. "Do
the thing thoroughly, if you undertake it." "Oh yes, indeed!" said
Mollie.

"If you should need an occasional reminder, I will try and help you,"
said he; "for of course it wont do to be off guard at all. But now get
your hat, and we'll go for some ice-cream. I know you need cooling off
this warm evening."

Mollie skipped about to run toward the house.

"Be careful of your steps," he called; and she tramped as boyishly as
she could.

"No, don't take hold of my hand," as she came back and slipped her
fingers in his. "Put your hands in your pockets."

"I've only one pocket," she answered meekly, putting her right hand in
it.

"Difficulties at once, aren't there?" said Mr. John. "Your clothes
want reforming, you see. You'll have to put on Bloomers."

"Oh!" said Mollie.

"I'm afraid you're not very much in earnest," he said. "You surely are
not frightened by a trifle like that?" Mollie looked up imploringly.

"Must I?" she asked.

"Well," he answered, her earnestness making him fear that she would
actually appear publicly in masculine array, "I don't know that it is
necessary at present. A few days wont matter; and, after a while, it
will seem to you the natural way to dress."

He was so faithful that evening in reminding her of her short-comings
that their _tete-a-tete_ over the little table in the ice-cream
saloon, which usually was so cosey and delightful, was quite spoiled.
She went to sleep regretting that she had taken Mr. John into her
confidence and made it necessary for him to treat her as a boy.

She did not see him again for several days: and meanwhile she had
taken her lessons in book-keeping, practiced the writing hours on
heavy masculine strokes, learned to walk without dancing little
whirligigs on her tiptoes every other minute, and made some progress
in the art of whistling. She felt that she had done much to earn his
commendation, and was anxious for a meeting.

On the way home from school, one afternoon, she saw his sister's baby
at the window--the roundest, fattest, whitest and sweetest of all the
babies that had taken up an abode in Mollie's heart, where babies
innumerable were enshrined. There it was, being danced in somebody's
hands before the window, and reaching out its ten dear little finger