Amy Brooks

“ THREE weeks had passed, and as nearly every day had been fair, the guests at the Cleverton had lived out of doors, appearing at the hotel at meal-time, and at night.
Other wild flowers beside the bluebells were blossoming gaily, peeping up from the grass as if offering a welcome to all who looked at them; and even great rocks and ledges held tiny blossoming plants in their crevices.
The pony, Romeo, had come to the mountains with the family, and seemed to enjoy the outing.
Every morning Dorothy and Nancy went [22] for a drive, and Romeo tossed his mane, and pranced as if to show his delight. ”

“ I should be so pleased to see her. Not all children are so interesting. Many are dull."
"And lucky they are!" growled old Mr. Cunningham, under his breath, but the ladies did not hear that.
"I don't want these flowers now I've picked them," cried Floretta. "You can have them if you want them," she said, as she turned toward Dorothy.
"I can't hold any more than I have," said Dorothy, "but you could—"
"Then here they go!" cried Floretta, as she flung them broadcast, to lie and wilt in the sunlight. ”

“ She extended her arms for a second, then whirling rapidly, she repeated the last half of the dance, courtesied again, and when she ran back to the little room, Dorothy embraced her tenderly.
"Oh, Nancy darling!" she cried, "you never danced finer. Do you know how pleased every one is?"
"I danced to please and surprise them," [55] said Nancy. "I do love to see people look happy. They couldn't remember how hard it was raining while I was whirling and dancing for them."
Floretta, now more unhappy than before, turned so that she might not see Nancy, nor note the shimmer of her spangles. ”

“ Dorothy said to herself, as she left the hall.
Having mounted Romeo, with the groom's aid, she rode off down the lovely, shady road, the man on his horse, following at a respectful distance. [25]
She touched the pony lightly with her whip, and he responded by breaking into a gentle gallop.
Dorothy's bright curls flew back from her flushed face, and she laughed as she flew over the road.
The groom watched her admiringly, and marvelled that so small a girl could be such a perfect little equestrienne. ”

“ Those who were to perform were in a small room awaiting their turn. They were laughing and chatting while they waited, and all, save a little girl, who kept apart from the others, seemed bright and happy. Her eyes were dull, and her red lips pouting. It was Floretta Paxton, and she was watching Nancy Ferris, noticing every detail of her costume, and looking as unpleasant as possible.
Nancy wore a frock of white gauze, thickly strewn with tiny gold spangles. Her girdle was white satin, her slippers were white, and she wore a cluster of pink rosebuds in her hair. ”

“ Two of the men had clasped their hands to form an "arm-chair," and thus they brought to the piazza, a very limp, tired Floretta, whose vivacity was all gone, and whose face bore the trace of desperate weeping, while her arms and hands were covered with cuts and bruises, and her little frock was torn and tattered by her struggle with the tough and tightly knotted vines.
She lay back against the shoulder of one man who supported her, and looked as if her strength were spent. ”

“ Paxton's silly speech!
She was indignant that any one should think her love for Nancy so little worth while that fortune could make it stronger.
How could she love Nancy more than she had always loved her?
Nancy threw her arms about her, and drew her closer.
"Don't you mind, Dorothy," she said, "I know how truly you love me. Mrs. [225] Paxton didn't know, because I guess she couldn't understand it. She couldn't love the way you do."
Dorothy smiled through the tears that had filled her eyes.
"There's no one dearer than you, Nancy," she said. ”

“ A group of ladies sat chatting together, and one, a recent arrival, was saying that she had understood that children were not permitted as guests at the Cleverton.
"There are only a few children here," Mrs. Vinton said, "and some of them are charming."
"While others are not?" questioned the stranger, with an odd smile.
"I'd rather not say just that," Mrs. Vinton said, "but I will say that Mrs. Dainty's little daughter, and Dorothy's little friend, Nancy, and Flossie Barnet, are three of the sweetest children I have ever met. ”

“ Nancy asked, turning, and looking over her shoulder as the little phaeton sped past.
"Trust us to find a way!" cried Jack, and the others laughed as if they already knew exactly how to do it.
They left the road, and, vaulting over the [88] wall, crossed the open field, singing a gay, rollicking song as they went.
"They just say they're going hunting for the echo," said Dorothy, "and they say it for fun, but I wonder where they are going, and what they truly are going to do." ”

“ You'll see when she does it!"
"Dear little girl, you seem quite as happy as if you were to be a soloist," said the lady.
"Why, yes," said Flossie, "for when the other little girls do pretty things, I see them, but I couldn't see myself do anything!"
"Oh, you sweet, funny little girl," the pleasant-faced lady said, as she drew Flossie closer, "I never knew so dear a child." [48]
"Dorothy and Nancy are dear," said Flossie, "and oh, you haven't seen Molly Merton! She's another one of my little friends, and she's always lovely to play with. We're always together when I'm at home at Merrivale." ”

“ Dorothy and Nancy, in the big hammock, held the book of fairy tales, Flossie Barnet sat near them, while the others, all little guests at the hotel, sat upon the railing, or in the large rockers that stood near. [234]
Jack joined the row perched upon the railing.
"Tell a fellow what you are all talking about, will you? Will you, please, I mean?" he asked.
"Dorothy Dainty has been reading us a lovely story," said a little girl, whose merry eyes showed that she had enjoyed it.
"What's it about?" Jack asked, and then, "Oh, fairy tales!" he said.
"Don't you like fairy tales?" ”

“ She didn't know how good you'd be when you grew up."
"I still am fond of jam!" he said, and the children laughed to see him pour honey over his berries that already were covered with sugar. [157]
"You like anything that's sweet!" said Dorothy, "whether it's jam, or sugar, or honey,—"
"Or little girls," said Uncle Harry. "You notice, I made this party all little girls, and I'm having a lovely time."
"So are we," laughed Dorothy.
"And he says 'lovely' just as we do," said Nancy, "he does it to make us laugh." ”

“ The horses, like the average barge horses, were not beauties, but they saw the pony rush forward, and they made an effort at speed. They plunged forward, at what, to them, seemed a reckless pace, but the fine, handsome Romeo shot past them, his nostrils [31] dilated, and his eyes bright with excitement. Dorothy's gay laugh rang out as she passed them, and Uncle Harry, as he looked after the flying figure, exclaimed:
"The little fairy! I believe no other child could ride so fearlessly as that!"
Often she looked back, as she sped over the road. ”

“ Mrs. Vinton, as she walked along the little path, her flowers in her hand, thought of Dorothy and Nancy.
"They are two dear little girls," she said, "and add to the charm of this lovely place."
"Would you dare to give Mr. Cunningham some bluebells for his buttonhole?" said Nancy. "I'd like to, but I wouldn't dare."
"I don't know," Dorothy said. "I'd like to, too, and he 'most always has a rosebud, but sometimes he doesn't. When we get back, if he's on the piazza, and hasn't a bud in his buttonhole, I'll try to dare to offer him some of these blossoms." ”

“ Dorothy, now bright and happy, since Floretta was safe, saw that Jack hesitated.
"Oh, Mrs. Tiverton," she said, "Jack has been truly the best boy in the world, but he can't speak just now. When he tells you what he's done, you won't wonder why they cheered him!" [132]
Mrs. Barnet and Flossie, with Uncle Harry and his wife, now arrived in their big automobile from a three-days' trip that they had been enjoying.
Of course Dorothy and Nancy tried to tell Flossie all about Floretta and Jack, and they were both so excited that Flossie got a very twisted idea of the affair. ”

“ Big, handsome Uncle Harry could not look woebegone, and the two little girls laughed at his attempt.
"The barge is taking our party over to [30] the 'Cleverton,' and I see you have the pony, Dorothy," said Uncle Harry. "Will you run a race with the barge?"
"Oh, yes, yes!" cried Dorothy, "and Romeo will come in ahead!"
"If he does," said Uncle Harry, "I'll surely decorate him with a blue ribbon!"
With many a laugh and jest, and much guessing as to which would be the winner, the merry party clambered into the barge; Dorothy mounted Romeo, and they were off over the road, on the way to the hotel. ”

“ Dear little Nancy knew, better than any of Dorothy's other friends could have known, how ready was her sympathy, how kind and loving was her heart.
She had not loved Floretta, but with Dorothy, that did not count. It was the [123] dreadful fear that something had happened to a little girl, who, so recently had been at play with them,—ah, that was what grieved sweet Dorothy.
She was thinking of what Mrs. Dainty had said to Aunt Charlotte when the mountain trip was first talked of.
"I think the long tramp is a rougher form of amusement than I can well endure. ”

“ A friend who had been looking for Uncle Harry, now appeared on the winding path, a clump of large trees having hidden his approach.
The two young men started off for a long tramp, and Dorothy and Nancy walked slowly back to the hotel.
"The prince did look like Uncle Harry," said Nancy, "and the picture of the naughty old fairy that enchanted the sleeping beauty, looks like the lady that came this morning, and was so very cross."
"Then that is the same one who stopped to ask the way, for she looked just like that. [78] I'll always think, every time I look at her, that she's the black fairy." ”

“ At the candy table he purchased enough of the homemade bonbons to fill the baskets, and then they left the tent to start on the homeward trip.
The barge was waiting for them, and they clambered in, tired, but very happy.
"This is the nicest fair I ever went to," [164] said Dorothy, "and I've had so many good things that I'm going to save my basket of candy until to-morrow."
"So am I," cried all the others.
"And so am I," said Uncle Harry, as he held up a huge basket filled with all kinds of candy. ”

“ She was always unwilling to say that any one was wilfully rude or disagreeable. [79]
And now Aunt Charlotte, with Mrs. Dainty, came out to enjoy the fine air, and Dorothy and Nancy ran to them to tell them of the treat that Uncle Harry had in store for them.
"It's only a few days to wait, and isn't he kind to take us?" said Dorothy.
"He is indeed," said Mrs. Dainty, "and I hope all his little friends will be very thoughtful, and make him just as little trouble as possible. He takes quite a care in inviting so many children." ”

“ Jeweller,
90 Rupert Road, Merrivale.
"How perfectly funny," cried Floretta. "I'll run up and show them to mamma, and then I'll wait here to give them to Dorothy and Nancy when they come. I wonder if they'll have any choice?"
Dorothy and Nancy felt, as did the older members of the party, that the ride had been the most delightful of any that they had enjoyed since their arrival.
The horses were tossing their manes, and Romeo, as if in imitation, tossed his so that it showed all its silken beauty. [213]
"See him!" cried Dorothy. "He thinks he's as fine as any horse." ”