"Steve, I want you to tell me something," said Rose to Dandy, whowas making faces at himself in the glass, while he waited for ananswer to the note he brought from his mother to Aunt Plenty.

　　"P'raps I will, and p'raps I won't. What is it?""Haven't Arch and Charlie quarrelled?""Dare say; we fellows are always having little rows, you know. Ido believe a sty is coming on my star-board eye," and Steveaffected to be absorbed in a survey of his yellow lashes.

　　"No, that won't do; I want to know all about it; for I'm suresomething more serious than a 'little row' is the matter. Come,please tell me, Stenie, there's a dear.""Botheration! you don't want me to turn telltale, do you?" growledSteve, pulling his top-knot, as he always did when perplexed.

　　"Yes, I do," was Rose's decided answer for she saw from hismanner that she was right, and determined to have the secret out ofhim if coaxing would do it. "I don't wish you to tell things toeveryone, of course, but to me you may, and you must, because Ihave a right to know. You boys need somebody to look after you,and I'm going to do it, for girls are nice peacemakers, and knowhow to manage people. Uncle said so, and he is never wrong."Steve was about to indulge in a derisive hoot at the idea of herlooking after them, but a sudden thought restrained him, andsuggested a way in which he could satisfy Rose, and better himselfat the same time.

　　"What will you give me if I'll tell you every bit about it?" he asked,with a sudden red in his cheeks and an uneasy look in his eyes, forhe was half ashamed of the proposition.

　　"What do you want?" and Rose looked up rather surprised at hisquestion.

　　"I'd like to borrow some money. I shouldn't think of asking you,only Mac never has a cent. since he's set up his old chemical shop,where he'll blow himself to bits some day, and you and uncle willhave the fun of putting him together again," and Steve tried to lookas if the idea amused him.

　　"I'll lend it to you with pleasure, so tell away," said Rose, bound toget at the secret.

　　Evidently much relieved by the promise, Steve set his top-knotcheerfully erect again, and briefly stated the case.

　　"As you say, it's all right to tell you, but don't let the boys know Iblabbed, or Prince will take my head off. You see, Archie don'tlike some of the fellows Charlie goes with, and cuts 'em. Thatmakes Prince mad, and he holds on just to plague Arch, so theydon't speak to one another, if they can help it, and that's the row.""Are those boys bad?" asked Rose, anxiously.

　　"Guess not, only rather wild. They are older than our fellows, butthey like Prince, he's such a jolly boy; sings so well, dances jigsand breakdowns, you know, and plays any game that's going. Hebeat Morse at billiards, and that's something to brag of, for Morsethinks he knows everything. I saw the match, and it was great fun!"Steve got quite excited over the prowess of Charlie, whom headmired immensely, and tried to imitate. Rose did not know halfthe danger of such gifts and tastes as Charlie's, but feltinstinctively that something must be wrong if Archie disapproved.

　　"If Prince likes any billiard-playing boy better than Archie, I don'tthink much of his sense," she said severely.

　　"Of course he doesn't; but, you see, Charlie and Arch are both asproud as they can be, and won't give in. I suppose Arch is right, butI don't blame Charlie a bit for liking to be with the otherssometimes, they are such a jolly set," and Steve shook his headmorally, even while his eye twinkled over the memory of some ofthe exploits of the "jolly set.""Oh, dear me!" sighed Rose, "I don't see what I can do about it, butI wish the boys would make up, for Prince can't come to any harmwith Archie, he's so good and sensible.""That's the trouble; Arch preaches, and Prince won't stand it. Hetold Arch he was a prig and a parson, and Arch told him he wasn'ta gentleman. My boots! weren't they both mad, though! I thoughtfor a minute they'd pitch into one another and have it out. Wishthey had, and not gone stalking round stiff and glum ever since.

　　Mac and I settle our rows with a bat or so over the head, and thenwe are all right."Rose couldn't help laughing as Steve sparred away at a fatsofa-pillow, to illustrate his meaning; and, having given it severalscientific whacks, he pulled down his cuffs and smiled upon herwith benign pity for her feminine ignorance of this summary wayof settling a quarrel.

　　"What droll things boys are!" she said, with a mixture ofadmiration and perplexity in her face, which Steve accepted as acompliment to his sex.

　　"We're a pretty clever invention, miss, and you can't get on withoutus," he answered, with his nose in the air. Then, taking a suddenplunge into business, he added, "How about that bit of money youwere going to lend me? I've told, now you pay up.""Of course I will! How much do you want?" and Rose pulled outher purse.

　　"Could you spare five dollars? I want to pay a little debt of honourthat is rather pressing," and Steve put on a mannish air that wascomical to see.

　　"Aren't all debts honourable?" asked innocent Rose.

　　"Yes, of course; but this is a bet I made, and it ought to be settledup at once," began Steve, finding it awkward to explain.

　　"Oh, don't bet, it's not right, and I know your father wouldn't like it.

　　Promise you won't do so again; please promise!" and Rose heldfast the hand into which she had just put the money.

　　"Well, I won't. It's worried me a good deal, but I was joked into it.

　　Much obliged, cousin, I'm all right now," and Steve departedhastily.

　　Having decided to be a peace-maker, Rose waited for anopportunity, and very soon it came.

　　She was spending the day with Aunt Clara, who had beenentertaining some young guests, and invited Rose to meet them,for she thought it high time her niece conquered her bashfulnessand saw a little of society. Dinner was over, and everyone hadgone. Aunt Clara was resting before going out to an evening party,and Rose was waiting for Charlie to come and take her home.

　　She sat alone in the elegant drawing-room, feeling particularlynice and pretty, for she had her best frock on, a pair of gold bandsher aunt had just given her, and a tea-rose bud in her sash, like thebeautiful Miss Van Tassel, whom everyone admired. She hadspread out her little skirts to the best advantage, and, leaning backin a luxurious chair, sat admiring her own feet in new slippers withrosettes almost as big as dahlias. Presently Charlie came loungingin, looking rather sleepy and queer, Rose thought. On seeing her,however, he roused up and said with a smile that ended in a gape"I thought you were with mother, so I took forty winks after I gotthose girls off. Now, I'm at your service, Rosamunda, wheneveryou like.""You look as if your head ached. If it does, don't mind me. I'm notafraid to run home alone, it's so early," answered Rose, observingthe flushed cheeks and heavy eyes of her cousin.

　　"I think I see myself letting you do it. Champagne always makesmy headache, but the air will set me up.""Why do you drink it, then?" asked Rose, anxiously.

　　"Can't help it, when I'm host. Now, don't you begin to lecture; I'vehad enough of Archie's old-fashioned notions, and I don't want anymore."Charlie's tone was decidedly cross, and his whole manner so unlikehis usual merry good-nature, that Rose felt crushed, and answeredmeekly"I wasn't going to lecture, only when people like other people, theycan't bear to see them suffer pain."That brought Charlie round at once, for Rose's lips trembled alittle, though she tried to hide it by smelling the flower she pulledfrom her sash.

　　"I'm a regular bear, and I beg your pardon for being so cross,Rosy," he said in the old frank way that was so winning.

　　"I wish you'd beg Archie's too, and be good friends again. Younever were cross when he was your chum," Rose said, looking upat him as he bent toward her from the low chimney-piece, wherehe had been leaning his elbows.

　　In an instant he stood as stiff and straight as a ramrod, and theheavy eyes kindled with an angry spark as he said, in his high andmighty manner"You'd better not meddle with what you don't understand, cousin.""But I do understand, and it troubles me very much to see you socold and stiff to one another. You always used to be together, andnow you hardly speak. You are so ready to beg my pardon I don'tsee why you can't beg Archie's, if you are in the wrong.""I'm not!" this was so short and sharp that Rose started, andCharlie added in a calmer but still very haughty tone: "Agentleman always begs pardon when he has been rude to a lady,but one man doesn't apologize to another man who has insultedhim.""Oh, my heart, what a pepperpot!" thought Rose, and, hoping tomake him laugh, she added slyly: "I was not talking about men, butboys, and one of them a Prince, who ought to set a good exampleto his subjects."But Charlie would not relent, and tried to turn the subject bysaying gravely, as he unfastened the little gold ring from hiswatch-guard"I've broken my word, so I want t............