"What things?" "Don't you remember what you said to Lieutenant Jermyn and me?" "No--o--o," drawled Trixy, whose mind had roamed over several other subjects in the past quarter hour. "What was it?" "Oh, never mind it," said Kate hastily, "if you don't recall it." "Oh, yes; it was about match-makin', wasn't it?" "Yes," Kate answered, so savagely that the child started. "Did you ask your mother about it?" "No. I was goin' to, but they all was talkin' about somethin' else, so I didn't get a chance." "Then don't. There are some things about which little girls shouldn't talk, and about which their mammas don't like them to talk, and this is one of them; so don't mention it to your mother at all. Do you understand me?" "Ye--es," replied Trixy, with a drawl which indicated doubt. "But mamma says, whenever I want to know anythin' about anythin' I must come and ask her right away." "Very well, let me ask her for you, about this, won't you? You know that I love you very dearly, and wouldn't like your mamma to think badly of you in any way, so----" "Then if you love me so much," interrupted Trixy, "why don't you give me all the dolls you said you would?" "How shamefully forgetful I am! My dear child, you shall have those dolls to-morrow, if I have to go all the way to Norfolk for them." "Good! good! good!" "But," continued Kate, with an uplifted finger, which looked very impressive in the semi-darkness, "not--one--single--doll, if you say a word about this matter to your mother." "All right!" "You are sure you will not forget?" "Ever so sure. If I find myself thinkin' about it at all I'll just say 'Dolls, dolls, dolls' to myself as hard as I can, and then all the think will go out of my mind." "That's a good girl." Then Kate lifted Trixy, embraced her, kissed her, and called her the dearest little girl on the face of the earth, after which, greatly to the child's astonishment, she hurried Trixy to her mother and excused herself, saying that she had suddenly found the night air much damper than she had supposed. No sooner did Jermyn leave Kate's side than he went to the ball-room, the office, and about the piazzas, asking every acquaintance whether Prewser had been seen in the course of the evening. Finally he found his comrade and a reproachful face in Prewser's own quarters, and after some sharp questioning he promised to help the young man at ballistics and anything else so long as he lived. Prewser asked if congratulations were in order, and Jermyn frowned and said "Nonsense," but he afterwards whistled merrily and Prewser began to nurse some suspicions. "Trixy, dear," said Fenie the next morning, while preparing for breakfast, "if I were you I wouldn't follow a lady and gentleman while they are promenading in the evening. It isn't ladylike. I am sure that your mamma will tell you that I am right."