GREAT EXPECTATIONS 125 



"Hullo, little girl." 



" Oh, papa, what do you guess ? Lady M. has 

 got a colt. This afternoon I went out, and there 

 was a colt in the pen. Ain't you s'prised?" 



"Well, well, I'm glad of it, I should say I was 

 surprised." 



" Grandpa and Mr. Gilman's man are taking 

 care of it. Oh, it has got the longest legs!" 



"What does Daniel say about it?" 



"Oh, he said it was the most perfect one he 

 ever saw. He told me to tell you it was the most 

 perfect specimen he ever saw." 



"Are you all well?" 



"Yes, and we want you to come home just 

 as soon as you can. Oh, papa, I went right up 

 and patted it." 



"Well, good-by." 



"Good-by." 



Every one about the hotel congratulated me, 

 and the next day, after finishing the case, to which 

 I'm afraid I could not give my undivided atten- 

 tion, I started for home directly after lunch, 

 having notified my family that I would be at 

 home at about four o'clock. 



My arrival had evidently been not entirely 

 unexpected by persons not connected with my 

 family, for when I drove into the yard I found 

 quite a crowd awaiting me and smiling delightedly 

 at my return. There was my venerable father, 



