"Lol, would you mind taking Lafe instead of me? You know he is so anxious to go!"

Laura veiled her surprise at this new phase in her friend, who had always. .h.i.therto claimed the best as her right. Her eyes glistened as she replied,

"Yes, indeed, I would mind his coming instead of you, but I shouldn't mind his coming along; tell him to bring Donald, too."

"But what will Mr. Edmonds think?"

"He said all my little brothers and sisters. I'm sure you folks are just the same thing. Lois is too small to go, she can't keep awake after eight, so we can smuggle Claude in, instead." Whereupon that little lad who had been walking along dejectedly at Nettie's side gave a whoop of delight. Laura continued, "It's too bad Hugh and Mat can't pose as my little brothers!"

"They are so inconveniently tall. Seems to me I can see Hugh's legs lifting his poor head up higher and higher every day," said Ivy dolefully. Laura laughed.

"The oak will never grow beyond the ivy's reach, so never fear! But I'd better hurry home, for there's Alene, too--I must send a note to her!"

"That will be splendid! Oh, Lol, your Mr. Edmonds will think when he sees us all of that verse in the Scriptures, 'Go out into the highways and byways and call the lame, the halt and the blind.'"

When they paused to say good-bye at the parting of the ways Ivy said with a sudden rush of words:

"Now, Lol, don't go to thinking I'm a heroine because I proposed to keep in the background for once! You don't know how I hesitated and hated it."

"Don't you remember your story about the blooming flowers and the singing birds?"

"Oh, Laura, it's so much easier for me to write about kind deeds than to do them!"

"I only wish the rest of us Happy-Go-Luckys may do as well when the time comes!" returned Laura.

CHAPTER XIV

THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

"Come here, Nettie," cried Laura; "I'll plait your hair so it will be wavy for to-night, and then I want you to take a note to Alene."

Nettie was glad of the chance to visit the Towers but she objected to having her hair brushed so vigorously.

"Mother, do make Nettie behave! She won't keep still and her hair gets all tangled!"

"Nettie, you are too big to make so much noise. If you don't wish to go with the others to-night, say so and Laura needn't bother,"

admonished Mrs. Lee.

"Of course I want to go but I hate this fussing," returned the little girl.

"It would only serve you right if mother kept your hair cut straight around from your ears, like the Hoover children!" remarked Laura.

This veiled threat had a good effect; Nettie made no more trouble and soon her long tresses were confined in six tight braids and she was free to seize her hat and go on her mission.

Holding the note folded tightly in her hand, she went up the steep street and along the vine-covered wall of the Tower grounds, and finally reached the stone steps leading to the double gates of iron, through which a broad walk in the midst of gra.s.s and trees curved toward the house.

The gate opened readily to Nettie's touch and then shut with a loud bang that attracted the attention of a big, black dog which came bounding across the gra.s.s. At his first bark Nettie's heart stood still. She paused just inside the gate, too terrified to move, but in a moment she felt secure, for she saw Alene coming along the walk, calling imperiously to Prince.

"What a shame to scare the little girl! Go right home, sir! Don't be frightened, Nettie, he won't harm you. He only barks that way to let you know how glad he is to see you! Come in, girlie!"

"It's only a note from Laura; I can't wait," said Nettie shyly.

Alene glanced at the note.

"Isn't that fine? Yes, tell her I'll be down at seven, if Uncle Fred is willing! And you are going, too; I thought there was something up when I saw your hair; Laura's so proud of it and no wonder! But come in just for a moment!"

She took Nettie's hand and led her to the house, back to the immaculate kitchen, where, sitting in the rocking chair, the little girl enjoyed some cakes and milk provided by Kizzie, while Alene brought Prince in to beg her pardon and get better acquainted.

Their friendship grew so rapidly that by the time Nettie was ready to go home she was brave enough to stroke his glossy head, and she screamed with delight when, accompanied by Alene, all three raced to the gate.

"You won't be afraid next time," said Alene encouragingly as she held the gate open.

"No indeed, thank you!" returned Nettie, "Good-bye! Good-bye, Prince!"

She turned away, joyfully clasping to her breast a satin-striped box, in which beneath paper lace and tinsel was the most delicious candy; a whole box full all but a few bites, as Alene had said; while the latter leaned over the wall calling more good-byes, and Prince kept up a continuous barking that said so plainly, once you understood his language, "Good-bye! Good-bye! Come back again!"'

But when Alene, with an armful of flowers, reached the Lee house that evening, she found poor Nettie in a state of revolt; the process of being washed and dressed in her stiff-starched pique and having her plaits undone was very trying to both her and Laura.

She glanced up at the yellow canary swinging so blithely in his cage.

"I do wish people were like birds," she cried, "they are always dressed just in their feathers!"

"Even then you wouldn't want to take your bath," said Laura, giving a last touch to the shining locks which hung like a veil to the child's waist. "I'll be ready in a minute, Alene," she continued, as she released the little girl, "I didn't feel satisfied until I saw you coming!"

"I got all ready when Nettie left, and could hardly wait for Uncle Fred to come home to show him your note. The old dear said yes, right away, but insisted upon my taking some dinner first. Then I waited to gather these roses for your Mother. Shall we start now?"

Ivy was standing at the door with her seven-year-old brother awaiting their coming, and taking note of Alene's dress of white challis o'erstrewn with pink rosebuds which, as they came nearer, disclosed a yoke embroidered in the same design, while a wreath of roses adorned her hat. She thought it was a beautiful costume, and that the other girls looked nice, too, though Laura's white dimity and Nettie's blue pique were as well worn as her own familiar lawn.

"Where's Lafe?" inquired Laura.

"He ran ahead with Donald to join us later. I think they are ashamed to be seen with this mob!" returned Ivy with a laugh. "What will Mr.

Edmonds think of us?"

Laura declared he wouldn't care, but when they reached the hall where a great crowd was congregated, and she saw so many getting their tickets at the box-office and filing, one by one, past the door-keeper, she began to feel less confident.

They threaded their way slowly through the crowded court, where all the children of the town seemed to have collected and finally reached the side door.

"Here comes an orphan asylum," was the derisive and no doubt envious cry of a boy who had heard of the wonderful luck that had befallen the Lees and their friends. Indeed the knowledge seemed general, and as they came along, first Laura with Nettie clinging to her skirts, and then Alene, to whom it was all so new and exciting, trying to keep little Claude safe from harm, with Ivy bringing up the rear, they were the objects of many curious glances.

"Mr. Edmonds said to ask for him," Laura faltered, when the line halted at the side door.

"Oh--Ah," said the young man who was on guard. He turned to look for that gentleman, and Laura glancing backward, felt like a kite with a long, embarra.s.sing tail, which stretched apparently to the upper street.

What a relief it was to hear a genial voice saying,