The Adopting of Rosa Marie Read online

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  THE ADOPTING OF ROSA MARIE

  _by_ CARROLL WATSON RANKIN

  _Illustrated by_ FLORENCE SCOVEL SHINN

  _Frontispiece and jacket in full color by_ MIRIAM SELSS

  In this charming girl's book we meet again the four chums of _DandelionCottage_. Their friendship knit closer than ever by their summer atplaying house, the girls enlarge their activity by mothering a prettylittle Indian baby.

  "Those who have read _Dandelion Cottage_ will need no urge to followfurther.... A lovable group of four children, happily not perfect, butfull of girlish plans and pranks and a delightful sense of humor."

  --_Boston Transcript._

  Just the type of book that every girl _from eight to fifteen_ enjoys.

  "MY SOUL, WHAT ARE YOU, ANYWAY?"]

  Dandelion Series

  THE ADOPTING OF ROSA MARIE

  (_A Sequel to Dandelion Cottage_)

  BY

  CARROLL WATSON RANKIN

  Author of "Dandelion Cottage," "The Girls of Gardenville," etc.

  _With Illustrations by_ FLORENCE SCOVEL SHINN

  NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

  COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

  COPYRIGHT, 1936, BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  TO

  EMILY, PHYLLIS, POLLY AND SUZANNE

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER PAGE I. BORROWED BABIES 1 II. ROSA MARIE 9 III. MABEL'S DAY 18 IV. AN UNUSUAL EVENING 27 V. RETURNING ROSA MARIE 34 VI. THE DARK SECRET 43 VII. DISCOVERY 52 VIII. THE FUGITIVE SOLDIER 64 IX. A SURPRISE 73 X. BREAKING THE NEWS 83 XI. THE ALARM 91 XII. THE FIRE 101 XIII. A HEROINE'S COME-DOWN 111 XIV. A BIRTHDAY PARTY 119 XV. AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 130 XVI. A SCATTERED SCHOOL 140 XVII. AN INVITATION 151 XVIII. OBEYING INSTRUCTIONS 161 XIX. WITH HENRIETTA 173 XX. THE CALL RETURNED 183 XXI. GETTING EVEN 195 XXII. A FULL AFTERNOON 204 XXIII. TAKING A WALK 215 XXIV. THE STATUE FROM INDIA 226 XXV. COMPARING NOTES 237 XXVI. CHRISTMAS EVE 248 XXVII. A CROWDED DAY 256 XXVIII. A BETTIE-LESS PLAN 265 XXIX. ANXIOUS DAYS 275 XXX. AN APRIL HARVEST 286

  THE PERSONS OF THE STORY

  BETTIE TUCKER, aged 12: } JEANIE MAPES, aged 14: } The Cottagers MARJORY VALE, aged 12: } MABEL BENNETT, aged 11: }

  ROSA MARIE: The Unreturnable Baby.

  THE MOTHER OF ROSA MARIE.

  ANNE HALLIDAY: } THE MARCOTTE TWINS: } Borrowed Babies. THE LITTLE TUCKERS: }

  HENRIETTA BEDFORD: The New Girl.

  MRS. HOWARD SLATER: } Of Henrietta's Household. SIMMONS: }

  THE JANITOR: An Unappreciated Hero.

  DR. TUCKER: A Clergyman with More Children than Money.

  DR. BENNETT: A Physician.

  MR. BLACK: A Friend to Children.

  MRS. CRANE: His Sister.

  AUNTY JANE: Marjory's Sole Visible Relative.

  SOME MOTHERS AND BROTHERS.

  MRS. MALONY: The Light-hearted Egg-woman.

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  MY SOUL, WHAT ARE YOU, ANYWAY _Frontispiece_ PAGE ROSA MARIE AND THE SIDEWALK WERE ONE 16 THE STURDY FELLOW CARRIED HER OUT OF THE ROOM 112 THE DECIDEDLY DEPRESSED FOUR STARTED DOWN THE STREET 164 "ANOTHER 'EATHEN GOD FROM HINDIA" 234

  THE ADOPTING OF ROSA MARIE