“How delicious this is!  I believe you don’t know what heat means.  I have been half dead all day, and not a moment’s rest, I assure you, with the people continually coming to ask some stupid question or to borrow something.  The house is half stripped now and I fully expect that before to-morrow night it will be emptied of everything movable in it.”

“You are surely getting up something more elaborate than usual; do you expect to have so much pleasure?”

“Oh, I suppose the young people do.  Of course, staid matrons like you and me,” with a gay laugh, “cannot be quite so sanguine; but, however, they do expect great fun, and I came to implore you to let Lucia come.  I assure you I won’t answer for the consequences if she does not.”

“Lucia shall go if she wishes it.”  Mrs. Costello spoke gravely, and stopped abruptly.  She resumed, “You know I never leave home; and it may be excused to a mother who sees nothing of the world, to fear it a little for her only child.”

“Such a child, too!  She is growing perfectly lovely.  But, then, dear Mrs. Costello, the very idea of calling our tiny backwood’s society, ‘the world;’ and as for Lucia, if you will not come with her, I promise, at any rate, to take the same care of her as I will of my Flo when she is big enough to face our great world.”

She spoke laughing, but with some earnestness under the sparkle of her bright eyes; and immediately afterwards rose, saying, “I suppose Bella cannot leave Bob, and Lucia will not leave Bella, so I must go to them; and if Lucia pleases, she may come to-morrow?”

“Yes, yes; I am foolish.  She shall come, I promise you for her.  And, indeed, I ought to thank you also.”

“No, no; I can’t expect to be thanked for committing a theft.  Good-bye.  I shall send Bella to fetch her.  Good-bye.”

She took up her hat, gave her friend a kiss, and ran down the steps and out again, through the wicket by which she had entered.  A minute after the sound of her little carriage rolling away was heard, and Lucia came back flushed and puzzled.

“But, mamma, you have been overpersuaded.  Indeed; I do not want to go.”

“I think you do, darling; or will do by-and-by.  I have quite changed my mind, and promised Mrs. Bellairs to send you to her in the morning; so now all you have to do is to see that your things are ready.  Two toilettes to prepare!  What an event for such a country girl as you!  Come in and let us see.”

“Mamma, you know my things are all ready.  I don’t want to go in.  I don’t want to go.”

“Lucia!  Are you changeable, also, then?”

“No, mamma.  At least not without cause.”

Mrs. Costello smiled, “What is the cause at present?”

Lucia moved impatiently.  “Oh, it is so stupid!” she said.

“What is stupid?  A picnic?”

“No, people,” and she laughed half shyly, half saucily, and blushed deeper still.