Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 42246-h.htm or 42246-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42246/42246-h/42246-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42246/42246-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See http://archive.org/details/quicksilversue00rich Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). QUICKSILVER SUE [Illustration: READING CLARICE'S LETTER.] QUICKSILVER SUE by LAURA E. RICHARDS Author of "Captain January," etc. Illustrated by W. D. Stevens New York The Century Co. 1901 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I SOMETHING EXCITING 1 II THE NEW-COMER 16 III MARY'S VIEW 34 IV EARLY IN THE MORNING 50 V THE PICNIC 67 VI AT THE HOTEL 89 VII THE MYSTERY, AND WHAT CAME OF IT 105 VIII THE CIRCUS 122 IX THE LONELY ROAD 140 X ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL 158 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS READING CLARICE'S LETTER _Frontispiece_ PAGE MISS CLARICE PACKARD RUSTLED INTO HER FATHER'S PEW 27 ON THE WAY TO THE PICNIC 63 EACH CAME FORWARD AND SHOOK CLARICE'S GLOVED HAND SOLEMNLY 79 "MARY AND I HAVE PARTED--PARTED FOREVER" 113 AT THE CIRCUS 137 MARY STATIONED HERSELF AT THE WINDOW 145 QUICKSILVER SUE CHAPTER I SOMETHING EXCITING "Mother! Mother! he has a daughter! Isn't that perfectly fine?" Mrs. Penrose looked up wearily; her head ached, and Sue was so noisy! "Who has a daughter?" she asked. "Can't you speak a little lower, Sue? Your voice goes through my head like a needle. Who is it that has a daughter?" Sue's bright face fell for an instant, and she swung her sunbonnet impatiently; but the next moment she started again at full speed. "The new agent for the Pashmet Mills, Mother. Everybody is talking about it. They are going to live at the hotel. They have taken the best rooms, and Mr. Binns has had them all painted and papered,--the rooms, I mean, of course,--and new curtains, and everything. Her name is Clarice, and she is fifteen, and very pretty; and he is real rich--" "_Very_ rich," corrected her mother, with a little frown of pain. "Very rich," Sue went on; "and her clothes are simply fine; and--and--oh, Mother, isn't it elegant?"