New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21

The crimson.
did you have any reason for coming yester-
day." he asked. Had you an engagement
| here She was silent. Il had. l told some
one tina, would be back from Europe and would
see her six months from the night Of your Aunt
Annies party. Do you know who 1t was? DO
| you know where she is? Little Bo-peep what
! a humbug you are.
| Still the head did not turn. though II dropped
| a little and the bright color stained the brown
throat.
"Have you quite forgotten our talk that night
among the palms in the corner, he went on
softly and slowly. moving closer to the girl the
talk that l had tried to have for weeks when
told YOU of promise that had once been made
| me by small girl with a snub nose. who wore a
pinafore and had very dirty face? think you
remembered it. Though the girl was no longer
small-in years. at east-she will never be very
| big and her nose is no longer snub. 1t IS de-
| uciousIv untitled, She doesn't wear a pinafore
| now and her face is most charmingly clean, but
she is not quite 50 nice as in the old dayc-then
| she"--
Where can those children be-" exclaimed Rosa
lind springing to her feet and looking nervously
| about her As If in answer to her question
| came = shout through the bushes and 1t was fol-
| lowed by tall, handsome young man, whose
nose and dmples at once proclaimed him
| Brother Tom"
Hello. Dedham" he said cheerfully, running
his fingers through moist mop of curly hair
Then Rosy is all right thought
"Why. Tom" said Rosalind, wonderingly, do
YOU remember Mr. Dedham7 You were such a
little boy!'
Last week. and this? Very small Of course
| but still by making effort can dimly re
! CALI
How long have you been here, Mr. Dedham?'
asked Rose, severely.
About ten days Tom. have you any idea
where the children--I should say sheep. have
strayed to-"
Sheep
your sister Bo-peep's eight tender lambs; she
has been wildly looking for chem for the last
half hour She comforted them with green APP
pies and then she turned them adrift She Is
very tired. 1t is late. Suppose that you'---
81 am not tired at ALL" cried Rosalind "and
have been interiupting You shamefuly lie was
working with might ana main when l came
across him, Tom. Let us leave him 10 his paint
brushes again and hunt for the children; that
they are missing s. the only true word he has
| spoken. Goodby Mr.. Dedham- Possibly We
may you before You leave"
"Possibly-indeed. should say probably-you
will several times" returned Dedhan.
gathering up his traps and closing his easel and
/ going with you noN, Miss Rosalind. May
trouble You to put your ringer on this string fol
ne?-no. Toms finger Is too big he being taller
than you Go on. Tom. VIII over;ake YOU in
a minute" But Rosallnd. though she pa "a one
small finger reluctantly Oh the string, slipped her
other hand through her brothers arm ana held
him fast. Mr.. Dedham smiled under his mus
tache. Tom more broadly; bat Rosy looked into
neither face. Then the three wendell their way
elsurely through the tang- OF bushes. chatting
as they went and once in while shouting aloud
to attract the attention OF any child who might
happen 10 be within reach Of voices.
After a time the search 50 carelessly begun
resolved itself into real Rosalind forgot
to cling to her brother Mr.. Delham longer
| claimed her attention. When more than hour
| had passed and the girls cheeks had begun 70
| pp e her face to grow drawn and anxious, a coun-
| Gil OF held.
| 1T Is to worry over them" Mr.. Ded-
ham declared Eight such children. none Of them
babies cannot come TO harm so absolutely that
not would be left to tell the tale. You must
not tramp around another moment. Miss Rosa
! lind Tom and will take you 10 the cottage
| and get your uncle and father then We will go
after the wanderers and bring them back. since
YOU do not hold with Mother GOOse's eminently
wise way Of treating the matter. Take my arm or
your brothers. and see how soon we Will be at
home"
1t was silent journey. Rosalind urging them
feverishly on The had begun 10 sink out
Of sight behind the hills flushing the whole scene
with ROSY glory as a parting salute. Surely.
| Rosalnd thought, she had never heard either
her father or mother laugh so shrilly; they turned
sharp corner and the cottage was in full view,
the veranda full Of figures She saw her uncle
reading the paper. her mother knitting serenely.
| her father placidly mending q fish-net while
about another the eight children clustered
themselves not one lamb missing.
| The girl stopped short, caught her breath.
| dropped her brothers arm, and burst into such
passion OF tears as quite drowned and senced
the merry shouts OF
"Oh Rosy, Rosy. Such fun. We ran away from
| you and got here" which greeted her.
"Horrid little brats" muttered Mr.. Dedham.
as Rosalind was caught In her mothers arms,
kissed. patted, comforted and borne out Of sight.
! She did not appear at the supper. for which
Mr.. Dedham was persuaded to stay She lay on
| her mothers bed quite hidden from all eyes.
and was waited upon by whole host Of most
| remorseful children. hearing at intervals voice
which made her hide her face in the convenient
pillows. After whispered confab with Tom,
his mother smiled tenderly. and. though she
did not tell the children so, she held them not
wholly responsible for the breakdown that had
so astOnished the entire family.
Mr. Dedham walked home by moonlight alone
and very thoughtful.
The next morning rose. cool and lovely. and
before he would have been out OF bed in the
city. Mr.. Dedham was seen strolling up the walk
TO the cottage. Rosalind stood In the open door.
looking like a little nun. in the quetest Of brown
gowns, fastening a modest brown hat her
bright curs. She was demure maiden this
morning all glow and fire gone. just a well-bred
girl. and nothing left Of Bo-peep. Yes. she was
going out the children had left all their wraps
on the other side OF the island, and she and her
little cousin were to go and bring them back.
The children declared that they had left her so
fast asleep against tree that she had not stirred
when they came whOoping up. and flesh and
blood could not withstand the temptation to run
off 1t had been intended that Tom and one
OF the boys should go over the night before. but
in the excitement It had been neglected. and
now they had 70 be brought.