He catches up Cecil, who is running through the hall, and carries her out to the conservatory, where she culls flowers at her own sweet will. "This is for Polly, this for Eugene, and this for mamma."
"Cecil," he asks, suddenly, "have you forgotten Auntie Dora, and Lily and Fen and Lulu? Do you never want to see them?"
"Will they come here?" she asks, with wide-open eyes.
"How would you like to go there? to sail in a great ship again?"
"With madame?" she questions, laconically.
The color mounts his brow. "No," he replies, gravely, "with papa."
"And mamma?"
"What if mamma does not want to go?"
The lovely face grows serious and the eyes droop, as she answers slowly,—
"Then I should stay with mamma. She would have no one."