"Did I? I had forgotten it."

"Perhaps, at least, you remember the red shawl that got her the
nickname? It was really something nice,--the shawl, I mean, but the old
dame was so ridiculously proud of it and so perpetually flaunting it,
she must have thought it very becoming. We girls were tired of the sight
of it. And one day, when you were provoked with her about something and
left her and came into the schoolroom after hours, you walked up to a
knot of us, and with your air of scorn said something about Madam
Flamingo. Didn't it spread like wildfire? Our set will call that
venerable dame 'Flamingo' to the end of her days."

"I suppose we shall, but I had no recollection that it was I who gave
her the name."

"Yes, you gave it to her," repeated Katie. "You may be very sure I
should not have forgotten it if I had been so clever. Those were happy
days for all their petty tribulations," she added after a pause.

Elizabeth looked at her sitting there meditative.

"I should think these were happy days for you, Katie. What more can you
want than you have now?"

"Oh, the roc's eggs, I suppose," answered the girl. "No, seriously, I am
pretty likely to get what I want most. I am happy enough, only not
absolutely happy quite yet."

"Why not?"