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a . ~ x .z».,~.aw»..l~...am.a~ ‘AiLMER, , Lini__ CHA P'I’ER VIII.-(Cox‘rixnsn.) The crowd was gathering in numbers; The cab “ Oh, noâ€" very kind of you, but I always I pay for myself. The Cornhillâ€"gooddiy.” rolled off, Lord Aylmer every moment, and was not only dense and :_ uncovered his handsome old head, smiled strong. but cutie“ Lord Aylmer. how, i his most fascinating smile, anu bowed With ever, without standing on ceremony, vigor- ously elbcwed his way to the inner circle. . a profound air of respect, which was quite i lost on the back of the retreating cab and l its occupant. Then he got into his victoria W“ Let me pass ; stand aside. Policeman, and said : " Palace Mansions.” I am Lord Aylmerâ€"my horses were fright- ened by an infernal balloon that a child was carrying. Is she much worse 2‘" “ Yes, m'lord,” answered Charles, wood- enly; ther. remarked to Barker, as soon as :he hopped up on to the box; “ Palace Mansions; even broken legs don’t put ‘im “Dead faint at present, my lord," replied 0th” the policeman, \. ho had the woman’s head “I wish we could get up on his knees. some brandy and some water.” Lord Aylmer looked round for Charles. “(‘harier, get some brandy and some water from somewhere or other. Be quick 1" Just then a well-dressed young woman _ “Let I Richard Harris, qu., pushed her way through the crowd. . me pass,” she urged. ‘agought brandy? Stand back, you men “ Can’t you see I’ve l ave you never seen an accident before? Do you want to kill her? Stand back i" She was a handsome woman, scarcely more than a girl ; her hands and face and speech betokened that she was gently born, her fearless words, putting into words what was in her mind, had the effect of causing the crowd to shrink back a little. much hurt, poor thing '2" she asked. “Is she “Pretty bad case, miss,” answered the policeman, who was trying to get a little brandy down the unconscious woman’s throat. “Hadn't you better get her into my house? She can’t lie here,” she went on. “ Has any one gone for a doctor '2” “I should get her orf to the ’orspital at once,miss,” the policeman replied. “Would you? ing at my window and saw its“. You Poor thing 1 I was stand- oughtn’t to let your coachman drive like that," she added, severely, to Lord Ayl- met. “I don’t ; but my horses were frightened by achild's balloon,” he explained. “You oughtn't to have horses that are frightened at trifles,” she responded illogi- cally. “I think we better get her orf at once,” said the policeman ; “she gives no signs of coming round.” “How can we take her? Shall I? I have the carriage here ready, and the horses are sober enough now.” “Yes, my lord, I really think that’s the best thing we can do,” the other answered. I poncema“ and we doctor, the young lady “If your man’ll give me a hand we’ll lift her in, in a minute." Erentually the woman was lifted into the Victoria. and the energetic young woman having rushed back to her house for her hat, got in also, and supported her in as comfortable a position as was compatible with her insensible condition. Just as they were starting, a doctor arrived on the scene, took a hasty glance at the victim of the accident. and quietly got in, taking possession of the little back seat. “I‘d better goâ€"it’s a bad business,” he said to Lord Aylmer, realizing that he was owner of the carriage. ” Yesâ€"yesâ€"-we had better follow in a u‘ . a cab, Lord Aylmer said, turning to the policeman. “I suppose you’ll see this through." “Oh, yes, my lord! I’m bound to do that.” he answered. Lord Aylmer was getting more and more nervous ; he got into the cab looking white and scored, with his sinful old heart thump- ing against his ribs in a way that was very unusual with him. Not because the carriage had run over an elderly woman and it was likely to prove a fatal accident, not for that reason at all, but wholly and solely because, when Charles and the policeman had lifted the unconscious woman into the carriage. Lord Aylmer had picked up a letter which was lying face upward in the roadway just where she had laid. Short- sightedness was not one of Lord Ayliner’s signs of approaching years, and in an in- stant he had grasped that the letter was addressed to his nephew Dick, and before Charles and the policeman had got their burden safely into the victoria, he had thrust the letter into his pocket, with a sort 0" impious thanksgiving to Heiven that at last the girl he had been hunting down for many Weeks was delivered into his hand. For evidently this respectabe elderly wo- man, dressed in decent black, was Mrs. Ilurris‘s servant : and if it happened that she did not keep more than oneâ€"why, this accnient would put her altogether at his mercy. He was positively trembling when they reached the St. George's Hospital, and liar- barn was carried in, not unconscious now, for the slight joltiug of the carriage had brought her to again. Then there was a short time of impatient waitir. before the doctor came to themâ€"that is, Eord Aylmer and the young lady who had come With the patient. “Broken leg," he saidâ€"-“abad thing at her 5, time of day. And she is worringaccu: her mistressâ€"wants to send and break it go?" turning to the young lady. rehearsal now--I must go off at once. Couldn’t you go 3” she asked, turning to Lord Aylmer. mixture of gallantry and good stead many a time and oft. “Yes it would quiet her down a little, I l princess, then he got in himself and sat daresay." the house surgeon answsred. “Very well. petites, you know," Lord Aylmereaid, as he moved toward the door. "Can I see youl into a cab,my dear lady 3" he added to the ., actress. " The all,” she ansWered. I I l I had appened, and how they had taken the gently ‘ â€"â€"ian't in good health just now. Will you l ‘ Lord “I? 0h ! I'm very sorry, but I'm due a! l nmst gizeved and sorry to tell you that her lanxious that you should hear of her, and, V lif possible, that she should see you." “CertairIyâ€"with leasnre. Shall I bring; her back to see the o.d lady 2"Lord Aylmer ‘ cried. inquired, in a tone which was a delightful i “1 me a cab? iatheriinessâ€"a ute. * tone which had, by the bye, stood him in Blake me liab'e for any ex.l “Seems so," said Barker, Barker’s nerves were all shaken with the accident, and he would have given anything he possessed for a nip oi brandy : he was not, therefore, very much inclined for conversation. Meantime, as soon as they had reached Albert Gate, Lord Aylmer drew out the letter and looked at it with a grin of satis- faction on his wicked old face. “ H’ml care of Messrs. Brewster & Co., N010 Grove street.Madras, India,” he muttered. ” Oh fan you have not out the chains, Master Dick, you’ve not burned your hosts behind you. What a fool you are, to be sure !” He opened the letter without the smallest scruple, tore the envolope into a thousand fragments and scattered them to the winds, then settled down to enjoy the tender words beginning : “ My own dear Dick," and ending, “ Your loving and faithful little wife, Dorothy.” ' “30 her name is Dorothy,” he mused. “Strange that they should always lay such stress on their love and their faithfulness 1 They’re all alike. I wonder who the Es- ther is that she talks about. Barbara is evidently the old girl who came to griefjnst now. Well,Barhara is safely laid up by the leg for the next few weeks. i eally,it could not have fallen out better if one had plan« ned it all. But I wonder who Esther is ? Esther hasn't come yet.’ she says,‘but may come at any moment.’ I must find on, about Esther." ‘ \Vhen they got to 1‘ 'ace Mansions, he saw Dorothy looking in. :iously out of the window. " “0n the watch,” he said to himself,“and pretty uneasy, too.” The lovely face disappeard when the carriage drew up at the door,and the smart footman, in his glory of crimson and white, jumped down and opened the door for the handsome old gentleman, who got out and went into the building. He knocked at the door of No. 3, and Dorothy.being perfectly alone, had no choice but to go and open it. “Am I speaking to Mrs. Harris ?” said the suave, wicked, old voice. ’ "Yes," answered Dorothy, wondering what he could possibly want with her. “May I come in ? I am Lord Aylmer. I have something to tell you. No don’t be alarmed; it is nothing very bad. Pray, don’t alarm yourself." At the mention of his nameâ€" and as the who had gone to Barbara’s aid, and the people at St. George’s knew all about him it would, he knew, be useless to deceive Dorothy as to his identity, so he boldly gave his own name and trusted to the chance of her not knowing that he was anything to Dickâ€"Dorothy started as if she had been shot, and at the hint of “some thing to tell,” which instinct always tells us means bad news, she staggered back, and would probably have fallen if he had not caught her. “ I beg you will not frighten yourself like this,” he cried. “Indeed, it is not so serious as that.” “ It is”â€"-â€"-Her lips could not utter Dick’s name, her agony was so great ; but her eyes spoke volumes in place of her tongue. It never occurred to Lord Aylmer that sliewas thinking of Dick. He only thought how lovely she was in her distress, and wondered how he could best tell her the truth. “ The fact is,” he said, blurting out the truth at last, “there has been an accident, and your old servant.”â€" “ B-u-baraâ€"is she hurt '3" Dorothy cried in dismay. “I am sorry to say that she is hurt. More sorry to be obliged to own that it was my own carriage which did' the mischief. But wont you let me come in and tell you all about it ? It is such a shame to keep you standing there." “ Oh, yes, of course. Forgive me, but I â€"that is, you have stariled me, and I for- got that we were still here. Come in.” She turned and led the way to the little drawing-room. Suddenly there flashed across her mind the remembrance of the fact that a large portrait of Dick was standing on a little table near the fireplace. Quick as thought she walked straight to the table and, turned the portrait face downward. carelessly throwing over it the pretty lace trifle which adorned the top of a bite chair which stood close by. She fl titered herself that the old lord had not seen or at any rate noticed the action, and turned to him eager to hear what had happened to Barbara. ” Tell me, is she much hurt?” she asked. “My poor old Barbara ! How was it!" He told her then exactly how the accident old lady me he called Barbara, with an air of being himself quite a boy) 05 to St. George’s, she being insensible and not able to tell them where she lived. “ To St. George’s 1 is that a hospital 2’ Dorothy cried. “ Uh, my poor Barbara! is will think that the end of the world has come." “Oh,no. She is much better off than she would be in any private house," said A ymer, soothingly. ” But I am leg is broken, and she I! naturally very " 0h, I'll go. I'll go at once," Dorothy ” Would you be kind enough to I wont lose another min- Oh, my poor, dear old Barbara 1" He handed her into the carriage with an air of deference he might have shown to a l beside ner. "Back to St. George's Hospital," he - said to Charles. " Yes. m' lord," said Charles. And. as ill-luck would have it, at that i \‘(fy instant the lady with the serene eyes .wh.‘ lived on the floor above Doroihy’: " And may I have the honor of settling8 :Zat. came down the street in time to sm- with the cabman 3" jtizem (Who on: and the old gentleman hanii her into the carriageâ€"nay, in time also tol Esther said, finishing the returns)“ for i.» r. v hear Charles's reply of " has, m' lord." " and a Very proper and mitotic pan:. for, . As if by instinct the two women looked him. too, my «.ear child,” with a laugh. at one anotherâ€"there was no expression in Dorothy laughed, ioo. " Ah ! nothing noticeable about her except a cold ; softly . severity in her eyes ; it was but the glance So they sat talking over the old times of a moment, yet Dorothy, who guessed } and the new fornrrc than an hour. what was in the mad of the other, crew; Esther suddenly listl’l'fllglll nor of dilln‘T. scarlet from chin to brow, and turned her head away thatLord Alymer might not see that her eyes were filled with tears. “ Will you be able to get on without your old servant 1'” Lord Aylmer asked, as they drove along. Dorothv. “ If you could trust me to find out about, it, I think I know just the very person,” he said. “ My valet-’s wife she isâ€"â€"an exâ€" cellent cook anda very clever, capable you?" servant in every way." " But would she come ‘3" “ I think so." “ But too. little fiat like mine, with no- body to do anything but myself. I am l i I Harris, but this is her house. And presently there came some one to the door who rang gently and knocked . softly. “I will go ; sit still," cried Esther. inquiringiy. “ 1V0," said Esther; come in 3 “ My name is Harris, too. madame," the Then you are i the serene face of the lady who was on foot, ; all very hard on poor David," she said, i Ci F‘GLKS. l \M\W\\\\ ' " in a Minute." 3’ Robbie Brown was a bright, active little .l‘UF and a general favorite with all who I knew hin. His schoolmates did not think 3a game complete without him, and he wsls lslways sure to be the first one chosen. You Ilmight think that such a little boy would She went to the door, Where she found a i ever be on the Me” for “mulling to d° handsome. neatly-dressed “'OlllJu of aboutlthst would help his momma, but I am “ 1 must, for the present," answered forty years old. “ Iii rs. Harris 2’" she said, I l l “I am not Mrs.l . . w,“ you ; or when at the most interesting part of a I suppose Lord Aylmer sent I favorite book, his mamma often called him 1 sorry to say, Robbie was not. When he was enjoying an exiting game. I . I to run errands for her, and “in a minute’ stranger answered, it ith a deprecaiing look I w“ Sure ‘0 b3 “13 cheery response. But is as if she had rather taken a liberty in hav- “‘83 an easy matter to let that minute go ing married a man by the name of Harris. “Dear me, how odd ! \Vell, Isuppose my afraid she is a person accustomed to a very l cousin will like to call you by your Chris- large establishment”â€" “ I think that Will be all right, I will make it worth her while to come. No, tian name. And that is"â€"â€"â€" "Amelianiiadarn,l’ she. answered qu‘etly. “Oh, yes 1" Then Esther opened the don’t look so, my dear Mrs. Harris : it will drawing room door,and bade Amelia Harris be only just and right that I should pay follow her. for your temporary domesticâ€"it must be a frightful inconvenience, and of course it was my lady wouldn’t have come togrief.” “ You are too good," murmured Dorothy gratefully. So by the time they had reached the hospital. Dorothy had thought herself into quitea blissful frame of mind. She had built up a wonderful castle in the air, when Lord Aylmer should express a wish, “ Oh, my dear, I do wish that you were my daughter l” when she should throw off her disguise and say, “ I am the next thing to your daughter." “ How ?” “ \Vhy, I’m Dick’s wife.” She was so engrossed in her dreams that she did not notice that they had reached their destination, until a. smooth voice at her elbow said, “Now, dear lady.” Somehow the tone jarred on her dream, but her eyes were still radiant as she turned them toward him. “I did not notice whom we were,” she said in a voice still tinged with the brightness of her dream. “Happy thoughts,” said he, as he helped her to the ground. “Very happy ones,” she answered, smil- ing. They did not permit her to stay very long. Barbara was lying still, very faint and weak from‘the shock of the accident and the pain of her leg. She was worrying and anxious about her young mistress, and Dorothy hastened to reassure her. For a little way Dorothy was silent. “Poor old Barbara!” she burst out at length. “I don’t believe she was ever ill in all her life before ; at least,I never knew her to be ill, never.” She turned again to him. “How soon (I) you think the woman you spoke of will be able to come?” she asked. “Toâ€"night, I hope,” he replied. Any way I will go out and see her and let you know. ' “But what a trouble for you !” “Not at allâ€"a great pleasure, I can as sure you,” giillantly. He helped her to slight and saw her safe in the house, then got into the carriage again. “ To Grosmont road,” he said. “ Yes, m’ lord," Charles replied. “ Where to now?” asked Barker, who was getting tired and generally desperate. ' “ Grosinont Road. ” “ Oh, my l” muttered Barker. “ I wasn’t surprised when broken legs didn’t put him orf Mrs. ’Arris; but when Mrs. Arris don't put him orf Grosmont road, it is s. pretty go." ~ Meanwhile, Dorothy had gone in to the entrance hall of Palace Mansions, where the porter of the establishment met her. “A lady for you, ma’am, he said. Then there was a. pause, a rush, and a glad cry of “ Oh, Esther ! Esther l’: ' CHAPTER IX. men’s IMAGE. It would be impossible for me to tell you what a relief it was for Dorothy to find her cousin Esther awaiting her on her return home. She cried a little, of course, and then managed to tell her all about poor Barbara's accident. “ Just as well for you that I turned up when I did, my dear,” said Esther, drin ; “it might have been very awkward for you to be left alone long.” “Oh, but Lord Aylmer was so kind,” Dor- othy cried. “He not only took me to the hospital to see Barbara and brought me back again, but he has actually gone off now to see his valet’s wife, who is the very person to stay with me till Birbara is able to come home again.” “Ah well, it is a very good thing. Really, the world isn‘t half so bad as it sometimes seems,” Esther said dreamily. “Well,” with a quick change of tone, “and this Dick of yoursâ€"he is perfection, of course ‘2” “Dear Dick,” murmured Dorothy. “Yes, heisperfection. He did hate togoandleave me, but he had to goâ€"he had such a good appointment offered him, he did not dare refuse it. Still, he hated to go and leave me, just now, especially. What he would say if he knew about Barbara I can’t think. I don't think I would tell him, would you?" “Not till all is over," answered Esther. "It would only worry him for nothing. By- the-bye, what is he like ?" “Oh,” and Dorothylooked around for her Dick’s portrait. "Oh, here he is," holding it out to her cousin. Esther Brand took it and looked at it at» tentively for a long time, sipped her tea, and looked again and yet again. “\Yell," said Dorothy, impatiently. “I like him," said Esther, “he looks good and true, and he is a handsome man, tooâ€" a fine, honest-lookinz, manly man. Yes I like him-«you’re a lucky little girl, Dor- othy.” “ So I think." answered Dorothy, proudly, “and Dick is just what he looks â€"â€"houest as the day, and as good as gold.” Fora moment she was tempted to tell Esther all about her meeting With David, then a feeling that it would scarcely be fair to him held her back, and she kept her own counsel about that matter. " Of course there is no knowing what I might or might not have done if dear auntie had lived," she said, wishing to explain I | I "Dorothy, here is Lord Ayl- mer’sâ€"Why, my dear child, what is the matter ‘3" for Dorothy was lying back in fault. If I lisdn’theen there the old her chair with a face as white as chalk and pinched with pain. “I am so ill !” she gasped. “0h, Esther ! Esther l” Esther took firm ground at once.' “Now, don’t give way, my dear ; all will be well,” she asserted. “Here is our help, and we Will have the doctor here in next to no time, if you will only tell me where to send for him.” “Dr. Franklin, in Victoria Road,” Doro- thy answererl. “But don’t leave me, Esther -â€"don’t.” “Certainly not, dearest. Amelia will go and fetch him,” Esther returned. “I had better go at once, . madam," said Amelia, quietly. “Yes, say Mrs. Harris is very illâ€"that it is urgent.” “Yes, madam," answered Amelia. She walked off lo the Victoria road at a pretty quick pace, thinking hard as she went. “ H’m ! from what he told me, he never spoke to her before today. Queer. I wonder if he knows about this baby '3 Shall I wire him, or shall I keep the news as a little surprise for to-niorrow? I’ll keep it. The sight of his lordship’s face will be worth something. ” She knocked at Dr. Franklin's door and asked to see him in exactly the same quiet, self-possessed way that she had spoken to Miss Brand, and all the time her thoughts were running on this new fancy of his lordship’s. “A little, sickly-looking girl, little better than a child,” she was thinking, as she followed the neat maid intoa waiting room. “ Not, I daresay, that she’s looking her best just now; but, still,what can he fancy in her after a woman like meâ€"but thereâ€" Yes, sir,” she said, aloud, “Mrs. Harris has been taken suddenly ill, and Miss Brand wished me to come and fetch you at once. ” By that time she had reached the Man- sions, and she went in, took oil“ her bonnet and cloak, and hustled about as only a thoroughly good worker can do, getting ready for the great event which seemed imminent, which, indeed, was imminent, for by the time morning light shone over London there were two more inmates of the little flat in Palace Mansionsâ€"a stout, motherly nurse,who hushed upon her ample bosom a wee fragment of humanity, a very small and soft, pinkish person, who had grunted and equalled already in quite an alarming fashion, and who was, as Dorothy fondly told Esther Brand, the very image of his father, dear Dick. (TO BE cox'rmnsn.) HIDDEN COLONIES t _â€" Which Will be Found When China In Thrown Open. It is quite possible that the conclusion of peace between China and Japan may be the means, in thenear future, of enabling some clearer light to be thrown on the Jewish colony in China. One of the five ports to be opened to the outside world is that of Kai-feng-foo, in the province where the last remnant of the ancient Jewish settlement exists. Since their first discovery several attempts have been made to open up com. municaticn with them, but so pronounced is the fanaticism of the Chinese that all efforts in this direction have failed. It should not now be long, as a result of the complete transformation which the whole of China is bound to undergo, before trust- worthy information as to the condition of the Jews of Kai-feng-fco can he obtained. It is, moreover, quite within the bounds of probability that other Jewish colonies, or traces of their existence, should be found in the hitherto inaccessible parts of the interi- or. The Kai-feng-foo colony was surely not the only one that was formed in China, perhaps more than 2,000 years ago, The ex- pedition which travaled from the Euphrates to the Yellow Rivor must have been very considerable in numbers, and its history, if it ever could be known, would be sure to possess extraordinary and romantic fea- tures. In a country so literary there may be some written records, both Jewish and native, which would be of inestimable value to Jewish history and science. _â€"â€"â€".â€"_ Disadvantages of the Slate. The Germans show praissworthy energy in the introduction of hygienic reforms in. to school life. Some of the leading colleges have just abolished the old slate and pencil- The reasons for this step are :â€"(l) A slight grey mark: upon a slightly darker grey surface is more or less indistinct, and therefore trying to the eyesight; (2) The resistance of the hard pencil upon the hard slate is tiring to the muscles, and this re- sistance leads to perverted habits, which have to be overcome when the pupil begins to write with pencil or pen upon paper; (3) and last, but not least, the use of the everything as far as possible and yet avoid slates, slate-pencils, and sponges is a. very saying much about David's feelings for her, “ and yet if. I had never seen Dick :but then. you see, I did meet Dick, and Dick .‘iked me, andâ€"and"-’â€" "And David Stevenson went to the wall,” 9.. uncleanly custom, and leads to and estab- lishes very nacleanly habits. So the slate, slate-pencil, and sponges have had to make way for the paper, lead-pencil and rubber for school use. l l I, by, and a number of others for company, before Robbie put in his appearance. One day in early summer Robbie rushed into the sitting-room, and gave his school- books a triumphant fling into one corner and his hat into another. His face and manner would both indicate that some- thing unusual had happened. “No more s:houl for three whole months !" he exclaimed. “Oh, won’t that bsjolly ‘3" "'“How will you spend your vacation?" asked his momma, looking up from her sewing. “ I mean to have just as good a time as I possibly can,” said Robbie. And then, as his mamiiia made no reply to this, he broached a subject which had been occu- pying his mind for the last few months. “ Really, momma,” he began, “ can’t ] go to grandpa’s this summer 2'” " I’ll see," said momma, quietly. This satisfied Robbie, for he knew that was almost as good as “ yes." That evening when the postman came with the mail he brought a letter for Rob« bie from his cousin Fred. “ Nellie and I came to grandpa’s last Week,” he wrote, “ and Ben and Daisy are coming to-morrow. Then we will have some gay times, but it will not be complete without you. Grandpa has promised to take us to the woods next Tuesday. We will take our dinner and stay all day. If on arecoming at all this summer we want you to be here by that time. The straw. berries are just getting ripe, and grandma thinks it is wonderful how many we can eat. Now don’t fall to come. “FRED.” “ 0h, mamma l” exclaimed Robbie when he had finished reading this letter, “ can’t I go 2” “ Yes. I guess you may go,” said his mamma. “Oh, goody, goody l” exclaimed Robbie. And he danced about the room, clapping his hands in delight. Two years before he had s cut the summer at his grandpa’s farm, and he remembered everything so well. Robbie and his mamma 'were to start early Tuesday morning, and. it seemed to “ That’s most too good to be true i” him as though that time would never come. Shortly after breakfast Robbie thought it must be time to get ready, and going up to his mammu’s room he opened the door, saying, “Isn’t it time to get ready?” “ In a minute, dear,” she quietly said, and then want on with her reading. Robbie was Very much disappointed, and in order to while away the time he went into the yard to play with his dog Rover. But he soon grew tired of this sport, and he again went up to his mammn’s room. “0h, momma?” he exclaimed, a little impatiently, “do hurry, for it's ’most train time now 1” She did not raise her eyes from her book when she said: “As soon as I finish the chapter I am reading." During the next few minutes Robbie made frequent journeys to his mamma’s room. Each time he found her reading, but she always said she would be ready " In a minute.” The last time, when he was coming down the stairs, he heard a rumbl- ing in the distance that sounded very much like an approaching train. He ran to the window, and sure enough, there was the morning train at the station. He stood by the window watching it untilit disappeared around the curva, and then he went slowly up the stairs. He kept bravely up until he reached his mamma’s room, and then throwing himself upon the couch he burst into tears. , “0h, mamma l” he sobbed, “the train’s gone, and now we can’t go to-day at all. It’s all your fault, too.” Mrs. Brown Was no longer interested in her book, and laying it upon the table she drew her chair to Robbie's side and said : “ I am very sorry I have disappointed you, but it had to be done. Listen now and I will tell you all about it." For a long time she talked to the forlorn little fellow lying so still upon the couch. When she had finished and Robbie had dried his tears, he threw his arms around her neck saying: “I s’ pose I haven’t done right and I am sorry, but I will do better, I really and truly will. Mrs. Brown did not wish the punishment to be too severe, so the next morning she and Robbie started to the country. When Robbie stopped from the car he saw his grandpa there waiting for them. “Why, momma” he exclaimed, “how do you s’pose grandpa knew that we wore coming to-day? Didn't you write to them that we were coming yesterday? Before she could make any reply grandpa came up and said: “Come on and get into the bug y. B: spry about it, too, for I must be hack in time to take the children to the woods.” “Why, I s’posed they were going yester. day," said Robbie, “for that was what Fret told me in his letter. “They did intend to,” said grandpa, "but when they got your mamma’s lettei saying that you could not come until today they decided to wait." Robbie was so much interested in some- thing that he saw along the road just then that he forget is ask anything more about it until that evening. "Momma," he said. when he was almost asleep, “how did they know we were not coming yesterday 2" “When papa and I decided upon a plan to break you of that habit,l wrote and told them all about it." “Well,” said Robbie, “’ guess you won‘t have to do that any more, for l’il never say ‘in a minute’ again as long as I live." I think we are safe in saying he never did. 'r‘jfi. _ “fag . M“ _..â€"â€"â€"â€"._.-â€"-â€"-â€"-s w