always in action, Grace in repose. Mollie was dark, Grace fair. Mollie
was quick-tempered-- Grace very slow to arouse. Perhaps it was the
French blood in Mollie-- blood that showed even more plainly in her
mother, a wealthy widow-- that accounted for this. Or perhaps it was
the mischievous twins-- Dodo and Paul-- whose antics so often annoyed
their older sister, that caused Mollie to "flare up" at times.

Amy Stonington was concerned in a mystery that she hoped would some
day be unraveled. For years she had believed that John and Sarah
Stonington were her father and mother, but in the first book I related
how she was given to understand differently.

It appears that, when she was a baby, Amy lived in a Western city.
There came a flood, and she was picked up on some wreckage. There was
a note pinned to her baby dress-- or, rather an envelope that had
contained a note, and this was addressed to Mrs. Stonington. Amy's
mother was Mrs. Stonington's aunt, though the two had not seen each
other in many years.

Whether Amy's parents perished in the flood, as seemed likely, or what
became of them, was never known, nor was it known whether there were
any other children. But Mr. Stonington, after the flood, was
telegraphed for, and came to get Amy. He and his wife had kept her
ever since, and shortly before this story opens they had told her of
the mystery surrounding her. Of course it was a great shock to poor
Amy, but she bore it bravely. She called Mr. and Mrs. Stonington
"uncle" and "aunt" after that.

I described Deepdale and its surroundings in the previous book, so I
will make no more than a passing reference to it here. Sufficient to