Madge Morton's Victory

n their cottage. He has already been calling on a number of Mrs. Curtis's friends here. Now he has condescended to come to see us. Miss Jenny Ann sa

s sold to a princess for twenty-five hundred dollars. Who knows but the 'Merry Maid' may even now be reposing on a bank of pearls! Dear me, here is that tiresome Mr. Holt! Of course, we must be nice with

nder their protection and seemed to like them immensely. The other, headed by Mabel Farrar and Roy Dennis, treated them with cool contempt. But the girls fe

of beautiful downs and the clubhouse is the ga

them to some of her friends, and the three girls fol

. Indeed, Philip Holt talked so constantly and so intimately of Mrs. Curtis that Madge had to stifle a little pang of jealousy. She had supposed, when she was in New York City, that Mrs. Curtis, who was very generous, only took a friendly interest in Philip Holt and his work among the New York poor, but to

did not bear malice, and she felt that she had said more to Roy Dennis about his treatment of them than she should have done. She, therefore, bowed pleasantly. Phil followed suit. To their amazement they were greeted with a frozen stare by t

calling you Mr. Holt. I have heard that you were a friend of Mrs. Curtis and her son. This is my friend, Roy Denn

uth to introduce Madge and Phyllis to Miss Far

ad purposely excluded the tw

ed the rich, idle society man that he was. Moneyed friends were always the most useful in Mr. Holt'

ngly to Madge and Phil, "but Mrs. Curtis'

htly. "Please don't give another thought to us. Miss Alden and I wish you to consult your own pleasure. I am sure that you w

"Mrs. Curtis or no Mrs. Curtis, I don't think we should be expected to speak to that ill-bred Mr. Holt again. The idea of his marching off with that

s that we girls are prejudiced against this Mr. Holt because he said the things he did about Tania. By the way, I wonder what the little witch has against him? I mean to ask her some day. But let's not trouble about Philip

and Madge could get along much, be

l and were seated on a grassy knoll. "We can see the ocean over there! Wouldn't you like to be swimmin

oft pressure. "I sometimes think that you must have come out of a s

ought of what profession you would have liked to f

ld study to become a physician, like my father; but even though I am a girl, I am going to

is having some business trouble. He and Aunt have been worried for the past year about some stocks they own. I shan't feel that I have any right to let them send me to college unles

led Phil, "but I am sure that you will

on a voyage of discovery and sail around the world in a little ship of my own. Or, think, one might be a pearl-diver, or lead some exciting life like

on't you remember how Miss Betsey used to say that she knew something was going to happen whenever you were about? I s

what you are told to do, and you know, Phil, that obedience is not my strong point." The little captain laughed and shook her russet h

that little ship and go around the world in it. Just now, however, we had better go on to the houseboat. I believe Nellie and Lillian are going to wait at the golf club unti

fairy stories with Tania. The little girl knew almost as many as did her chaperon, but Tania's st

nny Ann had just asked. "He was the bravest little soldier in the w

each member of the houseboat party, but she was Madge's ardent adorer. She liked to play that she

ttle Tin Soldier." Tania huddled close to Madge, her black head resting against the olde

ening on the land. Phil espied Lillian and Eleanor coming toward the houseboat. Lillian waved a h

er," she announced. "Phil, after you have spoken to the girls,

dream, and as Tania was in her lap she did not get u

ce was white and drawn and there were tears in her gentle, brown eyes. Lillian

s the youngest of the girls and always the one to be protected. Phyllis guessed that perhaps some

shook her

ered Lillian, tenderly putting her arm about E

eech and, lifting Tania from

t once!" she demanded. "If Uncle and Au

n to tell us that Father has lost a great deal of money. He has had to mortgage dear old 'Fore

er dear old Virginia home, that had been in their fam

ul. Somehow, I don't believe we shall have to give up 'Forest House.' It would be too frightful! Perhaps Uncle will find the money in time to save it, or we shall get it in some way. I am nearly grown now. I ought to be able to

as long and as gloomy as their

o leave the houseboat until our holiday is over. It is not costing us very much and he wi

lking. Her eyes were bigger and blacker than ever, and as Madge t

putting her arms ab

a anxiously. "I didn't know that people like you ever needed money. I thou

sometimes, Tania, because they don't need so many things. But don't worry your h