The San Francisco call., 1906-05-27
Copyright Little. Brown & Coz
CHAPTER vIII.
Elsie Goes In Search Of &c. W

Eisie Goes In Search Of &c. ""
u had come to be e proverb among the
servants OF the Chisholm Sinclair house
hold What Miss Elsie don't know amt
worth KNOWN" Often they added. And
what she don't know she'll guess atr'
But for once Elsie was completely at
ioss 70 account for the changes going or
around her. Why did Mr winslow forget
her candy? Why did Mr. Haverford ride
of absent-mindedly without giving her
the customary ganop down the street and
back asain2 Who was -the Ssgebrush
PGrson" that did such dreadful things?
Who was &C. Y. ?"
Elsie was al her busiest trying to solve
these mysteries. Her cousin Marguerite
was OF very little help in the matter.
She was two years older. but did not
know much OF anything except books
She had lessons every day with Aunt
EnDleliae. I1sie was supposed to do
something al the sort but books made
her head ache. and they all said she was
too little So Elsie studied people and
setrned Duch she learned that Cne
oof.ld manage Aunt Mabel by telling her
snow pretty she was. whereas Elsie's
Hcther only made you mind" the
more. She learned that Uncle Arthur
liked little girls 70 say Yes. sir and
&c. sir and then 10 keep still, whereas
tae C$er gentlemen wlao came 70 the
house wanted YOU 10 tell them things.
Bur you mustn't tell them too much:
tlen there was trouble. II they told
you things taat was different Aunt
--a3el would pet you and laugh when
1cu, repeated what they said; even Elsies
mother seemed 70 ike 70 hear st. al
t.oEgh she pretended she didn't and told
Eis-c Iice girls mustn't repeat what
tt-ey heard. She didn't mean to give
Else chance 70 hear very much. She
sloQk her head At Aunt Mabel when
Auat Ma pei commenced talking about
&c Y"
Who was &C. V" anyway? And who
was '.the Ssgebrush Parson2'' She had
an impression, every day growing strong
e., that the tail. kind man who took her
away from the COWS was C Y" At last
she became practically sure OF il. Where
was he, anyway He had promised to
come TO see her some day" Why didn't
he come2-Oh. dear. il was so hot
Nora Flynn" she called to the maid
detailed TO watch her. I'm going down
&c. your cousins house and play with the
black kitten"
Wait d minute, derlin'. and III take
ye, answered the girl. hurriedIy laying
aside her sewing.
4 want TO go alone" pouted Elsie,
whose designs included more than the
kitten.
Yer mariner wouldn't ike it"
She would, If she got used 10 the idea
Nora threw back her head and
laughed. Wherever do the child get her
old-fashioned talk?" she oueried Come
along. Where's Yer little kerridge?"
I don't want nay little carriage
Yes. you do. Come, be a good girl TO
Nora now that's darlir7f
Elsie sighed and yielded. After all.
there was nothing TO be gained by hold
ing out and valuable time might be lost
in such course. II was already long
osst luncheon. and dinner came so soon,
She suffered herself TO be helped into
the tricycle. and trundleo away in the
direction Of Mary Flynn's, followed by
The indefatigsble Nora
On the back steps with the black kitten
cuodled up against her bare neck she
very nearly decided TO give I'D her plan.
The kittens fur ticl1led so deliciously. and
really il was very pleasant on the back
steps among the vines. On the other
hand, she did want TO ask the tall, kind
q man he was &C. V" She was quite
sure he was. from something Aunt Mabel
said that morning. She said most men
would have jumped at the chance to
come again. Now, who was there who
had such chance and didn't jump at it.
c. v. ne must be. But why didn't he
come again? He had said he would, some
lay" She would ask him that, among
other things.
Some one came down the street, walk
ing rapidly. 1t was. il was he. She
would run after him-What were they
doing in the kitchen? Bother, there
came Nora. now.
Dye want to go home, darlin'2" Nora
inquired, putting her head out at the
3oor.
No" replied Elsie. shaking her curls
and clasping the kitten till it misowed.
Don't hurt the kitty. dearie," eau
toned Nora
F.. In not hurting her"
When ye're ready viii ye shpake to
Elsie knew what that meant. They
were going 70 get out the cards ana
tel fortunes. and Nora knew that sne
wouldn't think OF anything else. then.
Elsie knew il, too. AS soon as she heard
the kitchen table and the little thud Of
the cards. she danced out of the yard
and down the street.
Far, far ahead of her strode that tall
figure. Nov II vanished around a cor
ner, but Elsie knew which corner il
was and futtered after. the black kitten
hOeged up under her chin. Around Jack
sons, past Jack Perry's-there he was,
going into the church.
She followed as far the door. then
paused, irresolute. Within. she could hear
some one whistling. IL was very wrong
70 whistle in church. Once, when a boy
whistled. over at St Stephens. Mr.. Haver
ford put him out Perhaps il was differ
ent with LrOwn-up men; they might
whistle when boys couldn't-like smoking
She tiptoed over the threshold and ad-
vanced softly down the aisle. The whist
ling came from some place in behind. 1t
stopped as she reached the door. She