"I can't see how you could be such a goose as to think I would not
speak to you," she said presently.
"I suppose I knew I deserved it." Carl laid "Water Babies" on her lap,
and, kneeling on the floor with his elbows on the window-sill and his
chin in his hands, looked thoughtfully out at the bare branches of the
maples.
"I'll tell you what it is," he said after a minute's silence, "Aunt
Zelie is a trump."
"I know that, only I'd call her a prettier name," said Dora, smiling.
"You can't know really till you have been very had. She was so good to
me. It makes a fellow feel awfully when somebody like her cares a lot
for him and he goes and disappoints her."
"But you won't again, I'm sure."
"You see," Carl went on, "she cares for me particularly because I am
named for Uncle Carl. Has Bess or Louise ever told you about him?"
Dora shook her head.
"He was Mamma's brother, you know, and he was splendid. I thought
there was nobody like him when I was a little fellow. He used to be
here a great deal, and we were glad when he married Aunt Zelie because
we were so fond of them both. The only thing we did not like about it
was that Aunt Zelie went away to live, but they came to see us very
often.
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