“Is that very old?” Dorothea came closer, and her fingers slipped in and out of Laine’s hair.  “You’re gray just a teensy bit, but I don’t think she’s a person who will mind if a man isn’t truly young.  You’ve got such nice strong arms, and I’m not afraid of lions or tigers or bears or—­or mice or anything when you are with me.  Please like her, Uncle Winthrop!” Dorothea’s face was pressed against Laine’s.  “Next to father and mother and Channing I love you best, and I think I’m going to love her next after you.”

“Mademoiselle Dorothea!”

From the steps outside Antoinette was calling, and Dorothea nodded her head at her uncle.  “That’s another thing my children are not going to have.  They are never going to have a French governess to put them to bed and make them say their prayers in French.  I don’t believe the Lord likes it.  Good night, Uncle Winthrop.  I hope my cousin Claudia will be politer about you than you’ve been about her, and I know she hasn’t red hands.”  She waved her own and threw a kiss, but as she reached the door Laine called her back.

“Come here, Dorothea.”

She turned and came toward him.  “Did you call me, Uncle Winthrop?”

“I did.”  He drew her on his knees.  “Did you say you said your prayers in French?”

“Every night, unless for punishment I have to say a German one.  Channing just shuffles his out and runs all the words together so I don’t believe even God can understand them.  I don’t like French prayers.”

“Then why do you say them?”

“Oh, we have to!  All the children I know say their prayers in French.  One day six of us had a race to see which could say them fastest and say the most.  I beat.  Want to hear me?”

“Indeed I don’t!” Laine’s voice was emphatic.  “But I don’t like French prayers for little American girls.  I never cared for parrots or—­”

“What kind do you say, French or American?” Dorothea was stroking her uncle’s fingers one by one.  “I always say my real prayers inside after I get in bed—­that is, if I’m not too sleepy; and they’re just plain talking to the Lord.  You see, we are not allowed to speak one word except in French to Antoinette, and mother likes us to speak it to her, only she is always in such a hurry she forgets half the time.  We speak English to father, all right, though; father says French for breakfast is all foolishness, and I think so, too.  We take breakfast with father every morning, and we just have a grand time.  Mother is never very well in the mornings, so she don’t get up; but we take lunch with her when there isn’t company and she isn’t going out.  Did you know the Dufferns had a new baby at their house?”

Laine shook his head.

“They have.  It’s a girl.  They had four girls already, and Julia says they’re going to change their doctor.  He always brings girls.”

“Madam-oiselle Dor-othea!”

Dorothea slipped from her uncle’s lap.  “I know what that means.  Whenever she says ‘Madam-ois-elle Doro-thea!’ through her nose it’s a German prayer.  Good night.”  And this time she was gone.