LADDIE A TRUE BLUE STORY by GENE STRATTON-PORTER To LEANDER ELLIOT STRATTON "The Way to Be Happy Is to Be Good" Contents CHAPTER I. Little Sister II. Our Angel Boy III. Mr. Pryor's Door IV. The Last Day in Eden V. The First Day of School VI. The Wedding Gown VII. When Sally Married Peter VIII. The Shropshire and the Crusader IX. "Even So" X. Laddie Takes the Plunge XI. Keeping Christmas Our Way XII. The Horn of the Hunter XIII. The Garden of the Lord XIV. The Crest of Eastbrooke XV. Laddie, the Princess, and the Pie XVI. The Homing Pigeon XVII. In Faith Believing XVIII. The Pryor Mystery LADDIE CHARACTERS LADDIE, Who Loved and Asked No Questions. THE PRINCESS, From the House of Mystery. LEON, Our Angel Child. LITTLE SISTER, Who Tells What Happened. MR. and MRS. STANTON, Who Faced Life Shoulder to Shoulder. SALLY and PETER, Who Married Each Other. ELIZABETH, SHELLEY, MAY and Other Stanton Children. MR. and MRS. PRYOR, Father and Mother of the Princess. ROBERT PAGET, a Chicago Lawyer. MRS. FRESHETT, Who Offered Her Life for Her Friend. CANDACE, the Cook. MISS AMELIA, the School Mistress. Interested Relatives, Friends, and Neighbours. CHAPTER I Little Sister "And could another child-world be my share, I'd be a Little Sister there." "Have I got a Little Sister anywhere in this house?" inquired Laddie at the door, in his most coaxing voice. "Yes sir," I answered, dropping the trousers I was making for Hezekiah, my pet bluejay, and running as fast as I could. There was no telling what minute May might take it into her head that she was a little sister and reach him first. Maybe he wanted me to do something for him, and I loved to wait on Laddie. "Ask mother if you may go with me a while." "Mother doesn't care where I am, if I come when the supper bell rings." "All right!" said Laddie. He led the way around the house, sat on the front step and took me between his knees. "Oh, is it going to be a secret?" I cried. Secrets with Laddie were the greatest joy in life. He was so big and so handsome. He was so much nicer than any one else in our family, or among our friends, that to share his secrets, run his errands, and love him blindly was the greatest happiness. Sometimes I disobeyed father and mother; I minded Laddie like his right hand. "The biggest secret yet," he said gravely. "Tell quick!" I begged, holding my ear to his lips. "Not so fast!" said Laddie. "Not so fast! I have doubts about this. I don't know that I should send you. Possibly you can't find the way. You may be afraid. Above all, there is never to be a whisper. Not to any one! Do you understand?" "What's the matter?" I asked.