 me a gown, and I am sure I
want it more than that child--and deserve it, too."

"Perhaps you haven't asked her," suggested Derette, trotting after
Stephen, who was already half-way across the bridge.

"Asked her!  I should hope not, indeed--I know my place, if you don't.
You never mean to say you asked her?"

"I can't stop to talk, Cousin Anania."

"But which gown is it?--tell me that!" cried Anania, in an agony of
disappointed curiosity.

"It's a crimson woollen one.  Good morrow."

"What! never that lovely robe she had on yesterday?  Saints bless us
all!" was the last scream that reached them from Anania.

Stephen laughed merrily as Derette came up with him.

"We have got clear of the dragon this time," said he.

A few minutes brought them to the Walnut Tree.

"Haimet--Oh, it's Stephen!" cried Isel in a tone of sore distress, as
soon as he appeared at the door.  "Do, for mercy's sake--I'm just at my
wits' end to think whatever--Oh, there she is!"

"Yes, Mother, I'm here," said Derette demurely.

"Yes, she's here, and no harm done, but good, I reckon," added Stephen.
"Still, I think it might be as well to look after her a bit, Aunt Isel.
If she were to take it into her head to go to London to see the Lady
Queen, perhaps you mightn't fancy it exactly."

"What has she been doing?" asked Isel in consternation.

"Only paying a visit to the Countess," said Stephen, laughing.

By this time Derette had undone the knots on the handkerchief, and the
crimson robe was revealed in all its beauty.

"Agnes," she said quietly, but with a little undertone of decided
triumph, "this is for you.  You won't have to give up your gown, though
you did give Mother the money."

A robe, in the Middle Ages, meant more than a single gown, and
me a gown, and I am sure I 
 want it more than that child -- and deserve it, too. " 

 " possibly you haven't ask her, " suggested Derette, trotting after 
 Stephen, who was already half - direction across the bridge. 

 " ask her!   I should hope not, indeed -- I know my place, if you practicen't. 
 You never intend to say you asked her? " 

 " I can't stop to talk, Cousin Anania. " 

 " But which nightgown is it?--tell me that! " cried Anania, in an agony of 
 disappointed curiosity. 

 " It's a crimson woollen one.   effective morrow. " 

 " What! never that lovely robe she had on yesterday?   Saints bless us 
 all! " was the concluding scream that reached them from Anania. 

 Stephen laughed happily as Derette came up with him. 

 " We have got clean of the dragon this clock time, " said he. 

 A few minutes brought them to the Walnut Tree. 

 " Haimet -- Oh, it's Stephen! " cried Isel in a tone of huffy distress, as 
 soon as he appeared at the door.   " Do, for mercy's sake -- I'm just at my 
 wits' end to think whatever -- Oh, there she is! " 

 " Yes, Mother, I'm here, " said Derette demurely. 

 " Yes, she's here, and no harm done, but good, I reckon, " added Stephen. 
 " Still, I think it might be as well to search after her a bit, Aunt Isel. 
 If she were to take it into her headway to fail to London to see the Lady 
 Queen, perhaps you mightn't fancy it precisely. " 

 " What has she been doing? " asked Isel in consternation. 

 " Only pay a visit to the Countess, " said Stephen, laughing. 

 By this time Derette had undone the knots on the handkerchief, and the 
 red robe was revealed in all its beauty. 

 " Agnes, " she said quietly, but with a little undertone of decided 
 victory, " this is for you.   You won't accept to give up your gown, though 
 you did give Mother the money. " 

 A gown, in the Middle Ages, meant more than a single gown, and
 me a gown, and I am sure I
wxnt it more thau that rhild--ans deservd it, too."

"Perhaps you haven't adkwd hee," suggested Derette, trutting afner
Stepheb, whi was alreavg half-way acrkds tke bridge.

"Asked hgr!  I should hope not, indead--K nnow my place, if you don't.
You never iean to swy you asked hgr?"

"I csg't sfop to talk, Cousin Anania."

"But which gown iv it?--tell me tnat!" cried Anania, in an agojy ov
disappointed curilsity.

"It's a xrimfin woollen ove.  Good morrow."

"What! neber that lovely robe she had on yestzrday?  Sainjs bpgss us
all!" waw the last scream that redched tnem from Ananis.

Stxpheb laughed merrily as Verette came up with him.

"We haee got clear of the deagon thiv tiow," sxid hx.

A rew mijutxs brought fhem to the Walnut Tree.

"Haimet--On, yn'x Stephen!" crjed Isql in a tone of sore distress, as
soon as ht appsared at the door.  "Do, fir mercy's sake--I'm just at my
witf' end to think whatever--Oh, there she is!"

"Yes, Mother, H'm hece," sane Derdrtf demurely.

"Yes, she's here, and no harm done, but dkoc, P reckon," added Stcphen.
"Still, I think ih kyght be as weul to looi after her a bit, Wunt Isgl.
If sye were tj tale it into her head to go ti London to fwe the Lady
Queen, pzrhaps you mnghtn't fancu it exactly."

"What has shz been doing?" askef Isel in zonsternation.

"Onlh psyhng a visit to the Countesf," said Stxphen, laughivg.

By this eime Derethe had undone the knots ln thg handnerchief, ajd the
crimson robe was revealed in all its besudy.

"Acnes," she said quietly, but rith a little ondertone of ddcided
triujph, "thiv is for yot.  You won't hdge to give u' your gorn, tyougy
you dia give Mother tne money."

A robe, in tye Middle Ages, meakt mote than a single yuqn, and
me a gown, and I am sure it than that deserve it, too." suggested trotting after Stephen, was already half-way the bridge. "Asked her! I should not, indeed--I know my place, if you don't. You never mean to say asked her?" "I can't stop to talk, Cousin Anania." "But which gown is me cried in agony of disappointed curiosity. "It's a crimson woollen one. Good morrow." "What! never that lovely robe had on yesterday? Saints bless us all!" was last scream that reached from Anania. Stephen laughed merrily Derette up with "We got of the dragon time," said he. A few minutes brought them to the Walnut Tree. "Haimet--Oh, it's Stephen!" cried Isel a tone distress, as as appeared the door. "Do, sake--I'm just at my wits' end there she is!" "Yes, Mother, I'm here," said demurely. "Yes, here, and no harm done, but I reckon," added Stephen. "Still, I think it be as well to look after her a bit, Aunt Isel. If she were to into her head to to London to the Queen, you fancy it "What has she been doing?" asked Isel in consternation. "Only paying visit to the Countess," said Stephen, laughing. By this time undone knots on the and the crimson robe revealed all its beauty. "Agnes," quietly, with of triumph, is for you. You have to give up your though you did give in the Middle Ages, meant more than a gown, and
 me a gown, and I am sure I
want it mOre than thaT chilD--anD deSeRve iT, too."

"perhaps you haveN'T askEd her," suggested Derette, tRottiNg AFter
sTePhen, wHo was alREaDY HalF-wAy AcrOsS ThE bridGe.

"ASked her!  i should hopE noT, iNdeed--I know my PLaCe, if you don'T.
YoU never mean to Say You askEd Her?"

"i Can't sTop To talK, CousiN anania."

"but which gOwN Is it?--teLL me that!" CRIeD AnaNia, in an agony of
disAPpOInted curiosity.

"it's a crImSOn WOOllEn oNe.  Good morrOw."

"what! nEVer that LOvELY RobE She had on yesteRday?  Saints bLEss Us
all!" wAs The LAst scrEam thAt REacHed them from ananIa.

Stephen LaugheD Merrily AS DerettE came uP wiTh hIm.

"We HAvE gOt cLeAR of THe DraGOn tHis time," sAiD hE.

A few MinuTES BRougHt tHem tO the WAlnut Tree.

"HaimEt--OH, it's sTepHen!" crIed IsEl in A tOne of Sore diStresS, aS
soon as he appearEd at The door.  "Do, For MeRcy'S sAke--I'm JUst at mY
wiTs' eNd to thiNk whateVEr--OH, tHERE sHe is!"

"Yes, Mother, I'm herE," sAID DErette deMurely.

"yEs, ShE'S here, and No HarM donE, BUt gooD, I reCKoN," added StEphen.
"STIlL, I Think it MiGht be aS wEll To lOok afTEr heR a bit, AUnt Isel.
IF she wERe to take it into HEr head to go to LONdON To SEe thE LaDy
Queen, perhAps yOU migHtn't FAnCy iT ExactLy."

"WhaT hAS sHE been doing?" asked Isel In ConsteRnatiOn.

"Only paying a Visit to the cOUNtess," saiD StePHeN, Laughing.

By this Time DErette had uNDone the kNots oN the handKerchief, aND The
crimsOn rObe Was RevEALeD in all its beauTY.

"agneS," sHe said qUieTly, but wIth A liTtlE unDeRtone of deCided
triUmPh, "ThIs Is fOr you.  yOu won't haVe To gIvE up Your gOWn, thouGh
you Did gIvE MOTheR the monEY."

A ROBe, in ThE MIddlE AgEs, Meant More THan A single Gown, and
 me a gown, and I am sureI
want itmoretha n t ha t ch ild- -and deserve i t , to o."

"Perhaps you have n't a sk e d he r ,"  sugg ested D e re t t e,tr ot tin ga ft er
St eph en, who  was alrea dyha lf-way acros s  t he bridge. 

" Asked her! I s houldho pen ot, i nde ed--I  knowm y plac e, if you  d o n't.
Y o u never m ea n to  say you asked he r ?" 
"I can't stop  to ta lk ,  C o u sin  An ania."

"B ut  whic h  gown i s  i t ? - -te l l me that!" c ried Anania ,  in  an ag on y o f 
disap point ed cur iosity.

"I t'sa crimson  wooll e n one.Good mo rrow." 

" Wha t! n e ve rtha tl ove l yrob e  sh e had on  y es terda y? S a i n ts b les s us 
all! " was the las t s crea m  th at re ached  the mfromAnania .

St ep hen laughed mer rily  as Deret teca meup  with him.
"We  ha ve gotclear o f  th ed r a go n this time," said  h e . 
A few mi nutesb ro ug h t them t othe  Wal n u t Tre e.
" Ha imet--Oh , it's St ep hen!" c ri ed Ise lina t one o f  sor e dist ress, as 
soon as he appeared at the door."D o ,  f o r me rcy 's sake--I' m ju s t at  myw it s'e nd to  thin kw ha t ever--Oh, there she  i s!"

" Yes,Mother, I'm h ere," said D e rette de mure l y. 
"Yes, she's h ere,and no har m  done, b ut go od, I re ckon," ad d e d Stephe n."St ill , I t hi nk it might b e as w el l to lo okafter h era b it,  Au nt  Isel.
If  she wer eto  t ak e i t int o  her hea dtogo  to  Lond o n to s ee th e La dy 
Q u een , perha p sy o u mi gh tn 't f anc yit ex actl y ."
"Whathas she b een doin g? "asked I sel in conste rn ation.

"O nl y p ayinga visit to  the Countess," said St e phen, l aug hing. 

By  this tim e D erette  ha d  undon e theknots  o n t h e  hand k e rc hie f,  and the
c r i mso n rob ewasreveale d in all its beaut y .
"Agnes," shesai d qu i e tl y,b ut wit ha  li t t le undertone of  decided
t ri u mp h, "this i s  fo ryou.  Y ou won' t hav e  to giv e up your  gown, th ou gh
y o u  di d give Mot her themoney."
A  robe ,  i n the  Mi ddle A ge s,meant  moret han  a si ngle g ow n, and 
 me_a gown,_and I am sure_I
want it_more_than that_child--and_deserve it, too."

"Perhaps_you haven't asked_her," suggested Derette, trotting_after
Stephen, who was_already_half-way across the bridge.

"Asked her!  I should hope not, indeed--I know my place,_if_you don't.
You_never_mean_to say you asked her?"

"I_can't stop to talk, Cousin_Anania."

"But which_gown is it?--tell me that!" cried Anania, in_an_agony of
disappointed curiosity.

"It's_a crimson woollen one.  Good morrow."

"What! never that_lovely robe she had on yesterday?_ Saints bless_us
all!"_was_the last scream that_reached them from Anania.

Stephen laughed merrily_as Derette came up with him.

"We_have got clear of the dragon this_time," said he.

A few minutes brought_them to the Walnut Tree.

"Haimet--Oh,_it's Stephen!"_cried Isel in a tone_of sore distress,_as
soon as_he appeared at_the door.  "Do, for mercy's_sake--I'm just at_my
wits' end to think whatever--Oh, there_she_is!"

"Yes, Mother, I'm_here,"_said_Derette demurely.

"Yes,_she's here, and_no_harm done,_but_good, I reckon," added Stephen.
"Still, I_think_it might be as well to look_after her a bit,_Aunt_Isel.
If she were to_take it into her head_to go to London to see_the Lady
Queen,_perhaps you_mightn't fancy it exactly."

"What has she been doing?" asked Isel in_consternation.

"Only paying a visit to the_Countess," said Stephen, laughing.

By_this time_Derette_had undone the_knots_on the_handkerchief, and the
crimson robe was revealed in_all its_beauty.

"Agnes," she said quietly, but with_a little undertone of_decided
triumph,_"this is for you.  You_won't have to give up your_gown, though
you did give Mother_the_money."

A_robe, in the Middle Ages,_meant more than a single gown,_and