" I assured her, "and you deserve it, and I'm very
glad I can give it to you."

From that hour she has been welded to me in a bond which I fondly hope
is indestructible. She laughs and sings at her work, pets her beloved
kitten, and diffuses through my six rooms the atmosphere of good
cheer. She "looks after me," anticipates my wishes, and dedicates to
me a continual loyal service which has no equivalent in dollars and
cents. She asked me, hesitatingly, if she might not get some one to
fill her place for three months while she went back to Sweden. I
didn't like the idea, but I recognised her well-defined right.

"Ay not go," she said, "if you not want me to. Ay tell my sister dat
I want to stay wid Mrs. M. until she send me away."

I knew she would have to go some time before she settled down to
perpetual residence in an alien land, so I bade her God-speed. She
secured the substitute and instructed her, arranged the matter of
wages, and vouched for her honesty, but not for her work.

Before she left the city, I found that the substitute was hopelessly
incompetent and stupid. When Annie came to say "good-bye" to me, I
told her about the new girl. She broke down and wept. "Ay sorry Ay try
to go," she sobbed. "Ay tell my sister dere iss nobody what can take
care of Mrs. M. lak Ay do!"

I was quite willing to agree with her, but I managed to dry her tears.
Discovering that she expected to spend two nights in a day coach, and
remembering one dreadful night when I could get no berth, I gave her
the money for a sleeping-car ticket both ways, as a farewell gift. The
tears broke forth afresh. "You been so good to me and to my sister,"
she sobbed. "Ay can't never forget dat!"

"Cheer up," I answered, wiping the mist from my own eyes. "Go on, and
have the best time you ever had in your life, and don't worry about
me--I'll get along somehow. And if you need money while you are away,
write to me, and I'll send you whatever you need. We'll fix it up
afterward."

Once again she looked at me, with the strangest look I have ever seen
on the human face.

"Tank you," she said slowly. "Dere iss not many ladies would say dat."

"Perhaps not," I replied, "but, remember, Annie, I can trust you."

"Yes," she cried, her face illumined as by some great inward light,
"you can trust me!"

I do not think she loves us yet, but I believe in time she will.

The day the new girl came, I happened to overhear a much valued
reference to mys