and load up the
children's basins with it. Again, the apples would be distributed in
their season. While the distribution went on, the old lady would stand
at a window with her little white dog in her arms nodding her head in a
well-pleased way. The children called her Lady Anne. They had no such
personal acquaintance with the other gardens and their owners, so their
thoughts were very full of Lady Anne and her garden.

When Mary was about fourteen she made the acquaintance of Lady Anne--her
full name was Lady Anne Hamilton--and that was an event which had a
considerable influence on her fortunes. The meeting came about in this
way.

Mary had gone marketing one day, and for once had deserted the shabby
little row of shops which ran at the end of Wistaria Terrace, at right
angles to it. She had gone out into the great main thoroughfare, the
noise of which came dimly to Wistaria Terrace because of the huge mass
of the church blocking up the way.

She had done her shopping and was on her way home, when, right in the
track of the heavy tram as it came down the steep descent from the
bridge over the canal, she saw a helpless bit of white fur, as it might
well seem to anyone at a distance. The thing was almost motionless, or
stirring so feebly that its movements were not apparent. Evidently the
driver of the tram had not noticed it, or was not troubled to save its
life, for he stood with the reins in his hand, glancing from side to
side of the road for possible passengers as the tram swept down the long
incline.

Mary never hesitated. The tram was almost upon the thing when she first
saw it. "Why, it is Lady Anne's dog!" she cried, and launched herself
out in the roadway to save it. She was just in time to pick up the
blind, whimpering thing. The driver of the tram, seeing Mary in its
path, put on the brakes sharply. The tram lumbered to a stoppage, but
not before Mary had been flung down on her face and her arm broken by
the hoof of the horse nearest her.

It was likely to be an uncommonly awkward thing for the Gray household,
seeing that it was Mary's right arm that was injured. For one thing, it
would involve the dispossession of that year's baby. For another, it
would put Mrs. Gray's capable helper entirely out of action.

When Mary was picked up, and stood, wavering unsteadily, supported by
someone in the crowd which had gathered, hearing, as from a great
distance, the snarling and scolding of the tram-driver, wh