Mr. Hazeltine did suggest that the next time she wished to help one of her neighbors it might be as well to count the cost, and her meek "Yes, Father," showed that she saw her mistake.
"I wonder what will happen next," said Carl one day, a week later, speaking from the depths of the wardrobe, where he was rummaging.
"Nothing, I hope," remarked Bess, who sat in the window with Louise, supervising a new mansion for the Carletons.
"Not even something nice?" asked her brother.
"Nothing really nice has happened since Aunt Zélie gave us our silver keys," said Louise. "There is the postman; I am going to see if he has anything for us," and putting aside her papers she ran downstairs.
She and the postman were great friends, and always had some merry words to exchange when they met.
"I treat you vell to-day," said the cheery Dutchman; "I bring you two letter."
"Thank you, but they aren't for me. They are for my aunt. You must bring me one for myself."
"Dot is too bad, I vill haf one for you next time." He trotted off, and Louise carried the letters in and laid them on the library table, as Aunt Zélie was not at home, and then went back to her drawing. Just before dark Mrs. Howard came in, bringing Cousin Helen with her to spend the night. The children were delighted at this, for it meant a merry evening if nobody came to call. The one provoking thing about Cousin Helen was that she had so many friends.
Bess was charmed to discover that it was beginning to rain.