"I think she is one of the nicest persons I have ever met."
Puck dropped the subject and climbed to the arm of Jean's chair. "Tell us a story," she demanded, "we love stories."
Jean put her arm about the slight body and her own throbbed at the contact.
"What shall I tell you?"
"Well, I like Cinderella a whole lot and so does Lady Jane." She stopped, looked straight into Jean's eyes and added: "Mamma doesn't like me to have too many fairy stories, but my daddy tells me one when I've been good enough. Am I good enough now for Cinderella?"
"I'm sure you're quite good enough for Cinderella," and Jean plunged into the story before she yielded to the impulse to kiss Puck.
With additions of her own, highly pleasing to Puck, Jean wound the fate of Cinderella to its climax. The coach was ready and the Prince about to start on his quest, when the door opened and Margaret Allen hurried in.
"Oh, Mrs. Herrick, what must you think of me! Those impossible cross-town cars and there wasn't a taxi in sight. Did Puck give you my message?"
"Indeed she did, and she's been entertaining me beautifully. We've been——" In the nick of time Jean remembered—"having a lovely time."
Puck looked gratefully at Jean and slid from the chair.