"You bet you won't!" exclaimed Farnsworth. "I'm glad you've given it up of your own accord, Zaly, for if you hadn't I'd have to forbid it, anyway! I can't allow you to do such things."
"And I don't want to. It wasn't as nice as I thought it would be, and yet,—it was fun!" She smiled as thoughts of her daredevil stunts passed through her mind.
"Tell us all about it!" cried Ray Gale. "I'm awfully interested, and I'm sorry you're going to quit! By George, Farnsworth! if you'd seen our Azalea in that picture of the cyclone!"
"Never mind!" Azalea interrupted him, "I'm all over that foolish idea."
"I should hope so!" exclaimed Elise, with a withering glance. "The idea of anybody being in such company as you must have been—"
"Not at all," Azalea declared; "I wasn't mixed up with anybody unpleasant at all. In fact, I talked to no one but the Bixbys and Mr. Merritt. Mrs. Bixby was most kind and looked after me as a mother might have done,—though I never knew a mother's care."
The pretty face grew sad, and the whole attitude of Azalea was so penitent and full of resolve to be more like the people she admired that all of Patty's lingering resentment fled away. She put the baby in her father's arms, and she flew over to Azalea and gave her an embrace of full and free forgiveness and affection.
"It's all right, Zaly," she said, smiling at her, "you did cut up jinks with my baby,—but when you came home to look after her,—even when you thought I was here,—and when you put up such a great game to rescue her from the enemy's clutches,—and succeeded,—well,—I'm for you!"
Patty spoke so whole-heartedly there was no doubt of her sincerity, and
Azalea looked grateful and pleased,—yet, she looked troubled too.
"Oh, Patty, you're too good to me," she said, "you don't know—I don't deserve your faith and loyalty."