soul. So she kissed Marilla a tender good-night.

There were tears in the child's eyes when she started on her journey.
Mr. Lorimer met them at the station with a beautiful box of
chocolates, and there was a pile of illustrated papers. She had so
little idea of money that even now it was not to be weighed in the
balance with fairy godmother.

They passed through pretty towns but autumn had stripped the gardens
of their beauty. Even the clumps of evergreens on the lawns looked
lonesome. She had never gone through a gloomy tunnel before and was a
little frightened. Emerging from it the great city filled her with
wonder.

Then they took a hack. Oh, how full of everything the streets were,
pedestrians dodging this way and that, vehicles in a snarl and
trolleys whizzing by. It was a miracle people did not get run over.

They reached their destination and Lorimer ushered them in a sort of
ante room, taking her to a lady who rose to greet them.

"And so this is cousin Marion's little girl who has been motherless
for years! We heard you were dead. If I had known you were living I
should have come for you. We were very dear to each other but on her
marriage she went away. I can't see that you resemble her much except
that she was fair and had light curly hair, and how she did hate it!"
laughed Mrs. Warren.

"I like it," rejoined Marilla.

"And she used to soap it and brush it and would never let it really
curl; but it was a bed of waves. Oh, child! I'm glad to see you. I was
very fond of your mother, and though our fortunes are not very large I
suppose we can be thankful for them. It was a great surprise to me.
You're hardly old enough to realize all its benefits."

Lorimer went to see when their turn would come. Mrs. Warren and the
doctor talked about Marilla. Then they were summoned to a crowded
room where men were signing papers and there was such a hum of talking
it was like a swarm of bees.

Marilla held tightly to Mrs. Warren's hand. Dr. Richards was answering
questions and a man seemed to verify them from books and papers. They
had a corner to themselves. Then Marilla was questioned about the Home
and her being bound-out and she had to declare she was the same little
girl, that her mother and father were dead, that she had always lived
at Newton.

Then some papers were signed and she was taken in a small room which
was filled with tall cases and a great business desk where sat a
sharp-eyed man. He wheeled ar