But, at last, after her young heart had throbbed again and again with false hopes, she began to see that she had been cruelly deceived. Dr. Gray did not mean, and never had meant, to sell his baby.
"He tells too many fibs," said Dotty, stamping her foot, and looking very much flushed; "he cheated me, he did."
"Now, Susy, do you think it was right to cheat her so?" said Prudy, sorry for Dotty's disappointment.
"I don't know," replied the older sister, hesitating. "Dr. Gray is a real good man. I don't believe he meant to cheat. Father wears paper collars sometimes, and makes believe they are linen; but then, you know, father wouldn't cheat! Dr. Gray was only joking. The trouble is, Dotty is too little to understand jokes. Dr. Gray didn't mean to break his word."
"Well, if he didn't break it, he bent it," replied Prudy, positively.
CHAPTER XII.
A WEDDING.
"I shan't buy any more brothers as long as I live—now you see if I do," said Dotty Dimple, with quivering lips.
"Come here, little one, and sit on my knee," said Colonel Augustus Allen. "Can't you think of something next as good as a baby brother? How would you fancy a grown-up uncle!"