Page:Cornelia Meigs--The Pool of Stars.djvu/24

 chuckling from the shadows in the corner of the room and out came strutting and fluttering a big, black crow. He was not trying to talk now, but was cawing softly and clucking to himself as he advanced sideways, half spreading his wings and cocking his eye, first at the old gentleman, then at Betsey standing in the doorway. He had evidently some plot brewing in his wicked black head, for he fluttered to the edge of the table, sidled nearer and nearer and finally, with a sudden dart, pounced upon a pair of spectacles that lay on the blotter and flew out of the door over Elizabeth's head.

The old gentleman, looked up, startled and blinking.

"Miranda, oh Miranda," he called helplessly. "That wretched Dick has stolen my spectacles again!"

Miss Miranda came running in from what must have been the kitchen, for she wore a blue apron and had a measuring cup still in her hand. Elizabeth saw at a glance that she was very pretty, with brown hair that curled and crinkled in spite of a streak or two of gray, and with cheeks that were pink from the heat of the fire.

"And I believe, my dear," her father added vaguely, as she came in, "that there is some one at the door."

It was astonishing to see what a strange effect this