little girls, Polly?"

"No, indeed," said Polly, with a rescuing hand among the silver spangles
and lace; they must never forget that they are princesses, Phronsie.
There now, you're all right."

"Oh!" said Phronsie, sitting quite stiffly, glad if she could not be
comfortable, she could be a princess.

"'Gentle ladies and brave sirs,'" began Jasper in a loud, impressive
tone, from the temporary stage, the large rug in front of the crackling
hearth fire.

Clare burst into a laugh. "See here now," cried Jasper, brandishing his
text at him, "if you embarrass me like that, you may leave, you old
dragon!"

"You ought to see your face," cried Clare. "Jap, you are anything but a
hit."

"You'll be yet," declared Jasper with a pretended growl, and another
flourish of the manuscript.

"Go on, do," implored Polly, "I think it is lovely. Clare, you really
ought to be ashamed," and she shook her brown head severely at him.

"If I don't quench such melodrama in the outset," said Clare, "he'll
ruin us all. Fair ladies and brave sirs," mimicking to perfection
Jasper's tones.