clear brown eyes gazed at Susy between the ribs of the toast-
rack and the single tea-rose in an old Murano glass. Susy had
not seen her for two years, and she seemed, in the interval, to
have passed from a thoughtful infancy to complete ripeness of
feminine experience. She was looking with approval at her
mother's guest.

"I'm so glad you've come," she said in a small sweet voice. "I
like you so very much. I know I'm not to be often with you; but
at least you'll have an eye on me, won't you?"

"An eye on you! I shall never want to have it off you, if you
say such nice things to me!" Susy laughed, leaning from her
pillows to draw the little girl up to her side.

Clarissa smiled and settled herself down comfortably on the
silken bedspread. "Oh, I know I'm not to be always about,
because you're just married; but could you see to it that I have
my meals regularly?"

"Why, you poor darling! Don't you always?"

"Not when mother's away on these cures. The servants don't
always obey me: you see I'm so little for my age. In a few
years, of course, they'll have to--even if I don't grow much,"
she added judiciously. She put out her hand and touched the
string of pearls about Susy's throat. "They're small, but
they're very good. I suppose you don't take the others when you
travel?"