Odd

Odd, by Amy Le Feuvre

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Odd, by Amy Le Feuvre This eBook
is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Odd
Author: Amy Le Feuvre
Release Date: August 10, 2007 [EBook #22291]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ODD ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: Betty came to a standstill, and Prince likewise, the latter
putting his tongue out and looking up inquiringly, as he panted for
breath.]

ODD

By
Amy Le Feuvre

The Religious Tract Society
4 Bouverie Street, London, E.C. 4
1919

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
CAGED BIRDS
CHAPTER II
'MOTHER NATURE'
CHAPTER III
WAS IT AN ANGEL?
CHAPTER IV
ADVENTURES
CHAPTER V
PRINCE
CHAPTER VI
MADE INTO A COUPLE

CHAPTER VII
HAYMAKING
CHAPTER VIII
GOD'S PATCHWORK
CHAPTER IX
BETTY'S DISCOVERY
CHAPTER X
A LITTLE MESSENGER
CHAPTER XI
A DARING FEAT
CHAPTER XII
UNCLE HARRY'S FRIEND
CHAPTER XIII
'WHEN WE TWO MET'
CHAPTER XIV
A HERO'S DEATH
CHAPTER XV
COMFORTED
CHAPTER I

Caged Birds
It was just four o'clock on a dull grey winter afternoon. The little
Stuarts' nursery looked the picture of cosiness and comfort with the
blazing fire that threw flickering lights over the bright-coloured
pictures on the walls, the warm carpet under foot, and the fair fresh
faces of the children gathered there.
Five of them there were, and they were alone, for the old nurse who
had brought them all up from their infancy was at present absent from
the room.
By one of the large square windows stood one of the little girls; she
was gazing steadily out into the fast darkening street below, her chin
resting on one of the bars that were fastened across the lower part of the
window. How the children disliked those bars! Marks of little teeth
were plainly discernible along them, and no prisoners could have tried
more perseveringly to shake them from their sockets than they did.
Betty, who stood there now, had received great applause one afternoon
when, after sundry twists and turns, she had successfully thrust her
little dark curly head through, and was able to have a delightfully clear
view of all the passers-by.
But the sequel was not so pleasant, for somehow or other Betty's head
would not come in so easily as it went out, and when nurse came to the
rescue with an angry hand, the poor little head was very much bruised
in consequence, and Betty's reward for such dexterity was an aching
head and dry bread for tea. She was a slight, slim little figure, with big
blue eyes, and long, black curved lashes and eyebrows, which made her
eyes the most beautiful feature in her face. Very soft, fine curly hair
surrounded a rather pathetic-looking little face; but her movements
were like quicksilver, and though all the little Stuarts were noted for
their mischievous ways and daring escapades, Betty eclipsed them all.
She turned from the window soon with a sigh of relief.
'He's coming,' she said, 'old Bags is coming, and it's my turn to-day.'

There was no response. Bobby and Billy, the twins, little lads only just
promoted from petticoats to knickerbockers, were deeply engrossed in
one corner of the room over their bricks. Perched on the top of a low
chest of drawers were Douglas and Molly, and their heads were in that
close proximity that told that secret business was going on.
Betty's heart sank a little.
'Old Bags is coming,' she repeated; 'don't you hear his bell?'
'We're busy,' said Douglas, looking up; 'we won't have Bags' story
to-day.'
'You promised yesterday when you put it off that you would hear it
to-day. It isn't fair. I always listen to you.'
'Tell it to the babies; they'll like to hear.'
This was adding insult to injury, and when the twins trotted up to the
window Betty turned a defiant back upon them, tears of disappointment
dimming the blue eyes.
'She's cwying,' announced Bobby, twisting his head round to look up
into her face.
Betty turned round furiously; a sharp push sent Bobby to the ground,
and in falling he struck his head against one of the feet of the nursery
table. There was a howl, general confusion, and nurse appeared, to
discover and chastise the offender. Betty was led off in disgrace to a
little room on the nursery landing, known by the children as 'Cells.'
Their uncle, a young captain in the Guards, had given it that name, but
in reality it was nurse's storeroom, and was heated with hot pipes, to air