Such stories she told about the things which had happened to her! All the young ladies in The Ledger put together never had stranger adventures. Gradually Katy and Clover got so interested that they left their seats and crouched down close to the sofa, listening with open mouths to these stories. Katy forgot to listen for Aunt Izzie. The parlour door swung open, but she did not notice it. She did not even hear the front door shut, when papa came home to dinner.

Dr Carr, stopping in the hall to glance over his newspaper, heard the high-pitched voice running on in the parlour. At first he hardly listened; then these words caught his ear:

‘Oh, it was lovely, girls, perfectly delicious! I suppose I did look well, for I was all in white, with my hair let down, and just one rose, you know, here on the top. And he leaned over me, and said in a low, deep tone, “Lady, I am a brigand, but I feel the enchanting power of beauty. You are free!” ’

Dr Carr pushed the door open a little farther. Nothing was to be seen but some indistinct figures, but he heard Katy’s voice in an eager tone:

‘Oh, do go on. What happened next?’

‘Who on earth have the children got in the parlour?’ he asked Aunt Izzie, whom he found in the dining-room.

‘The parlour!’ cried Miss Izzie wrathfully; ‘why, what are they there for?’ Then going to the door, she called out, ‘Children, what are you doing in the parlour? Come out at once. I thought you were playing outdoors.’

‘Imogen had a headache,’ faltered Katy. The three girls came out into the hall; Clover and Katy looking scared, and even the enchanter of the brigand quite crestfallen.

‘Oh,’ said Aunt Izzie grimly, ‘I am sorry to hear that. Probably you are bilious. Would you like some camphor or anything?’

‘No, thank you,’ replied Imogen meekly. But afterward she whispered to Katy:

‘Your aunt isn’t very nice, I think. She’s just like Jackima, that horrid old woman I told you about, who lived in the Brigand’s Cave, and did the cooking.’

‘I don’t think you are a bit polite to tell me so,’ retorted Katy, very angry at this speech.

‘Oh, never mind, dear; don’t take it to heart!’ replied Imogen sweetly. ‘We can’t help having relations that are not nice, you know.’

The visit was evidently not a success. Papa was very civil to Imogen at dinner, but he watched her closely, and Katy saw a comical twinkle in his eye, which she did not like. Papa had very droll eyes. They saw everything, and sometimes they seemed to talk almost as distinctly as his tongue. Katy began to feel low-spirited. She confessed afterward that she should never have got through the afternoon if she hadn’t run upstairs two or three times and comforted herself by reading a little in ‘Rosamond’.

‘Aren’t you glad she’s gone?’ whispered Clover, as they stood at the gate together watching Imogen walk down the street.

‘Oh, Clover! how can you?’ said Katy. But she gave Clover a great hug, and I think in her heart she was glad.

‘Katy,’ said papa next day, ‘you came into the room then, exactly like your new friend Miss Clark.’

‘How? I don’t know what you mean,’ answered Katy, blushing deeply.

‘So,’ said Dr Carr; and he got up, raising his shoulders and squaring his elbows, and took a few mincing steps across the room. Katy couldn’t help laughing, it was so funny, and so like Imogen. Then papa sat down again and drew her close to him.

‘My dear,’ he said, ‘you’re an affectionate child, and I’m glad of it. But there is such a thing as throwing away one’s affection. I didn’t fancy that little girl at all yesterday. What makes you like her so much?’

‘I didn’t like her so much yesterday,’ admitted Katy, reluctantly. ‘She’s a great deal nicer than that at school, sometimes.’

‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said her father. ‘For I should be sorry to think that you really admired such silly manners.