Part 8 (1/2)

”I just love them,” said Diana.

”So do I,” said Alice.

And Peggy felt quite left out.

”What's her name?” Alice asked.

”Alice.”

”That's my name.”

”I named her for the 'Wonderland Alice.'”

”Oh, but now she must be my namesake. I'll be her aunt. She can call me 'Aunt Alice.'”

Peggy picked up ”Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” while Diana and Alice made friends over the doll.

”Doesn't your sister like to play dolls?” asked Diana.

”No,” said Alice, ”and I don't see why, for she makes up such exciting things when she does play. Yesterday when we played with Clara she had the dolls fly in an aeroplane, and she took them up into the highest branch of the apple tree.”

”Oh, do play with us now,” Diana begged.

So Peggy good-naturedly put down her book, and Alice, the doll, had never had so many exciting adventures in all her young life. They were so busy playing they did not any of them hear Lady Jane's quiet footsteps as she climbed the rose trellis. Peggy saw her first, a furry, gray ball, poised lightly on the piazza rail. Alice saw her give a spring through the open pane of gla.s.s and land on the hammock. She was giving her joyous tea-kettle purr, and, oh, it was too much to bear, she was actually licking Diana's hand.

”Darling p.u.s.s.y,” said Diana. She held her lovingly against her shoulder, and stroked her gray back.

Alice could hardly bear it. ”Lady Jane, I am here,” she said.

But Lady Jane did not stir. Diana moved her into a more comfortable position, and she curled herself down for a nap.

Alice could bear it no longer. She went over, and, picking her up, she said, ”You are going to stay with me.”

But Lady Jane scratched Alice's hands in her desire to escape, and gave a flying leap back to the hammock.

Peggy almost decided to take her mother's advice and let Diana keep the cat. She seemed to love her so very much, and to have so much less to make her happy than they had. It must be hard to lie still instead of being able to frisk about wherever one pleased. And yet, Diana looked happy. She didn't see why; she knew she could not be happy if she had to keep still like that.

”I think we ought to be going now,” said Peggy, ”because we told Clara we'd come early. We might leave Lady Jane to make Diana a little visit.”

This seemed a good compromise.

”No,” said Alice, with decision, ”I want to take her back right off now.”

So Peggy helped Alice put the struggling cat into the basket. They shut the cover down tight, paying no attention to Lady Jane's dismal mews.

”I wish you didn't have to go,” said Diana, a little sadly. ”Do come again soon, and perhaps you'll bring Lady Jane with you.”

”We'll come again soon,” said Peggy.