Very soon a knock at the door interrupted me. "Come in!" I shouted. In stepped Mike, with an air of the greatest secrecy, handed me a letter and _the_ box. What could it mean? I hastily opened the envelope, while Toddie shrieked, "Oh, darsh my dolly's k'adle--dare tizh!" snatched and opened the box, and displayed--his doll! My heart sickened as I read, "Miss Mayton herewith returns to Mr. Burton the package which has just arrived, with his card. She recognises the contents as a portion of the property of one of Mr. Burton's nephews, but is unable to understand why it should have been sent to her." "Toddie!" I roared, as my younger nephew caressed his loathsome doll, "where did you get that box?" "On the hat-wack," he replied, with perfect fearlessness. "I keeps it in ze bookcase djawer, and somebody took it 'way an' put nasty ole flowers in it." "Where are those flowers?" I demanded. Toddie looked up with considerable surprise, but promptly replied, "I froed 'em away--don't want no ole flowers in my dolly's k'adle. That's ze way she wocks--see?" And this horrible little destroyer of human hopes rolled that box back and forth with the most utter unconcern. Of language to express my feeling to Toddie, I could find absolutely none. Within these few minutes I had discovered how very anxious I really was to merit Miss Mayton's regard, and how very different was the regard I wanted from that which I had previously hoped might be accorded to me. Under my stern glance Toddie gradually lost interest in his doll, and began to thrust forth his piteous lower lip, and to weep copiously. "Dee Lord, not make me sho bad." He even retired to a corner and hid his face in self-imposed penance. "Never mind, Toddie," said I sadly; "you didn't mean to do it, I know." "I wantsh to love you," sobbed Toddie. "Well, come here, you poor little fellow." Toddie came to my arms, shed tears freely upon my shirt-front, and finally remarked, "Wantsh you to love me!" I kissed Toddie, and petted him, and at length succeeded in quieting him. He looked earnestly, confidingly, in my eyes, and then said, "Kish my dolly, too!" I obeyed. My forgiveness was complete, and so was my humiliation. I withdrew abruptly to write an apology. _III.--Budge, the Interpreter_ On Monday morning I devoted myself to Toddie's expiatory bouquet, in which I had the benefit of my nephews' assistance and counsel, and took enforced part in the conversation. At two o'clock I instructed Maggie to dress my nephews, and at three we started to make our call. As we approached, I saw Miss Mayton on the piazza. Handing the bouquet to Toddie, we entered the garden, when he shrieked, "Oh, there's a cutter-grass!" and with the carelessness born of perfect ecstasy, dropped the bouquet.