"His people live in Portland," the girl answered. "He's a mining
engineer, and he's waiting now to be called to El Nido; he's to be
at a mine there. He's lots of fun--when you know him, really!"

"Talking of the new Prince Charming, of course," Anne said,
joining them, and linking an arm in her Uncle's and in Alix's arm.
"Don't bring that puppy in, Alix, please! Breakfast, Uncle Lee.
Come and have another cup of coffee, Peter!"

"Prince Charming, eh?" Peter echoed thoughtfully, as they all
turned toward a delicious drift of the odour of bacon and coffee,
and crossed the porch to the dining room. "I was going down for
the mail, but now I'll have to stay and see this rose matter
through! Thanks, Anne, but I'll watch you."

"Afraid of getting fatter?" Alix speculated, shaking out her
napkin. "You ARE fatter," she added, with a calm conviction.

"Do you always say the thing that will give the most offence?"
Peter asked, annoyed. "Where's Cherry?" he added, glancing about.

Cherry answered the question herself by trailing in in a Japanese
wrapper, and beginning to drink her coffee with bare, slender arms
resting on the table. Nobody protested, the adored youngest was
usually given her way. Alix's indifference to the niceties of her
toilet had been seriously combated, years ago, but Cherry was so
young, and so pretty in any dress or undress, that it was
impossible to regard her little lapses with any gravity. Moreover,
the family realized perfectly that Alix would have clipped her
thick hair, and taken to bloomers or knickerbockers outright, at