It had been many a long day since Aunty Rose Kennedy had stood over a sleeping child and watched the silky eyelashes flutter and the breath part the rosy lips ever so little. Carolyn May’s limbs were dimpled; her golden hair was wavy, though it did not curl; she was sweet and lovable in every way. Aunty Rose came away softly and closed the door, and while she finished getting dinner she tried to make no noise which would awaken the child. Mr. Stagg came home at noon, quite as full of business as usual. To tell the truth, Mr. Stagg always felt bashful in Aunty Rose’s presence; and he tried to hide his affliction by conversation. So he talked steadily through the meal. But somewhere—about at the pie course, it was—he stopped and looked around curiously. “Bless me!” he exclaimed, “where’s Hannah’s Car’lyn?” “Taking a nap,” said Aunty Rose composedly. “Hum! can’t the child get up to her victuals?” demanded Mr. Stagg. “You begin serving that young one separately and you’ll make yourself work, Aunty Rose.” “Never trouble about that which doesn’t concern you, Joseph Stagg,” responded his housekeeper rather tartly. “The Lord has placed the care of Hannah’s Car’lyn on you and me, and I shall do my share, and do it proper.” Mr. Stagg shook his head and lost interest in his wedge of berry pie. “There are institutions—” he began weakly; but Aunty Rose said quickly: “Joseph Stagg! I know you for what you are—other people don’t. If the neighbours heard you say _that_, they’d think you were a heathen. Your own sister’s child! “Now, you send Tim, the hackman, up after me this afternoon. I’ve got to go shopping. The child hasn’t a thing to wear but that fancy little black frock, and she’ll ruin that playing around. She’s got to have frocks, and shoes, and another hat—all sorts of things. Seems a shame to dress a child like her in black—it’s punishment. Makes her affliction double, I do say.” “Well, I suppose we’ve got to flatter Custom, or Custom will weep,” growled Mr. Stagg. “But where the money’s coming from——” “Didn’t Car’lyn’s pa leave her none?” asked Aunty Rose promptly. “Well—not what you’d call a fortune,” admitted Mr. Stagg slowly. “Thanks be, you’ve got plenty, then. And if you haven’t, I have,” said the woman in a tone that quite closed the question of finances. “Which shows me just where I get off at,” muttered Joseph Stagg as he started down the walk for the store. “I knew that young one would be a nuisance.” CHAPTER VI—MR. JEDIDIAH PARLOW Carolyn May, who was quite used to taking a nap on the days that she did not go to school, woke up, as bright as a newly minted dollar, very soon after her Uncle Joe left for the store. “I’m awfully sorry I missed him,” she confided to Aunty Rose when she danced into the kitchen. “You see, I want to get acquainted with Uncle Joe just as fast as possible. And he’s at home so little, I guess that it’s going to be hard to do it.”