Mrs. Evringham and Eloise, returning late from their luncheon, came upon the little sleeping figure as they walked around the long piazza.

“There she is!” exclaimed Mrs. Evringham softly, putting up her lorgnette.  “Behold your rival!”

Eloise regarded the sleeper without curiosity.

“At least she has not come uninvited,” was her only comment.

“But she has come unwelcome, my dear,” returned Mrs. Evringham with relish.  “Just wait until our gracious host realizes what he has let himself in for.  Oh, there’s a good time coming, you may be sure.  Hush, don’t waken her!  It would be a blessed dispensation if she were always to sleep while her grandfather is absent,” and Mrs. Evringham led the way into the house, her laces fluttering.

On the first landing the ladies met Mrs. Forbes, troubled of countenance.

“I am looking for the child Julia,” she said.  “I can’t think where she can have disappeared.”

“You’ve not far to seek,” returned Mrs. Evringham airily.  “She is asleep on the piazza.”

“Thank you.”  Mrs. Forbes hastened downstairs and out of doors.  Glancing about she quickly perceived the short legs stretched in a reclining chair, and advanced toward the relaxed little figure.

“Julia, wake up!” she said, touching her.

The child stirred and opened her eyes.  Her movement made the doll slip to the floor, and this caused her to come to herself suddenly.

“Why, I fell asleep, didn’t I?” she said drowsily, reaching for the doll.

“Yes, and in Mr. Evringham’s own chair!” responded Mrs. Forbes.

“They’re all his, aren’t they?” asked the child.

“Yes, but this is his special favorite, where he always lies to rest.  Remember!” returned Mrs. Forbes.  “Come right upstairs now and change your dress for dinner.  He will be coming home in a few minutes.”

“Oh, good!” exclaimed Jewel with satisfaction, and passed into the house.  Mrs. Forbes was following ponderously.  “Oh, you don’t need to come with me,” protested the child earnestly.  “I can do it all myself.”

“Are you sure?” doubtfully.

“Oh, ye—­es!” replied the little girl, running lightly up the stairs.

“I ought to put her on the second floor,” mused Mrs. Forbes, “if I’ve got to be running up and down; but I suppose she has done for herself a great deal.  I suppose the mother hadn’t time to be bothered.  I’d like to make Mamzell change rooms with her.”

Jewel hummed a tune as she took off her sailor suit, performed her ablutions, and then went to her closet to choose a frock for dinner.  She decided on a blue dress with white dots chiefly because she would not have to change her hair ribbons.  She had never herself tied those voluminous bows.

At last she was ready and danced toward the door, but some novel timidity made her hesitate and go back sedately to the chair by the window.  Mrs. Forbes’s impressive figure seemed to loom up with an order to her to wait the summons of the gong.