where's dat
toy?"

Annie stooped down, and spoke suddenly and impulsively to the little
child.

"You shall have the toy for your very own, Nan if you will do something
for me?"

Nan's baby eyes looked straight into Annie's.

"Me will," she said emphatically; "me want dat toy."

"Put your arms, round me, little darling, and give me a great tight hug."

This request was great fun to Nan, who squeezed her little arms round
Annie's neck, and pressed her dimpled cheek to her lips.

"Dere," she said triumphantly, "will dat do?"

"Yes, you little treasure, and you'll try to love me, won't you?"

"Me do," said Nan, in a solemn voice; but then Miss Danesbury called her,
and she ran into the house.

As Nan trotted into the house she put up her dimpled hand to wipe
something from her round cheek--it was a tear which Annie Forest had left
there.

Annie herself, when all the little ones had disappeared, walked slowly
and sadly down toward the shady walk. The sun had just set, and though it
was now nearly May, and the evenings long, the wind was sufficiently cold
to cause Annie to shiver in her thin house frock. At all times utterly
fearless with regard to her health, she gave it no thought now, but
entering the walk where she knew she should not be disturbed, she looked
up at the hammock, and wondered whether she should climb into it. She
decided, however, not to do so--the great and terrible weight of tears
which had pressed close to her heart were relieved by Nan's embrace; she
no longer cared to cry until she could cry no longer--the worst of her
pain had been soothed by the sweet baby graciousness of the little one.

Then there darted into poor Annie's sore heart and perplexed brain that
dangerous thought and temptation which was to work so much future pain
and trouble. She already loved little Nan, and Nan, as most children did,
had taken a fancy to her. Annie stood still, and clasped her hands as the
dark idea came to her to steal the heart of little Nan from Hester, and
so revenge herself on her. By doing this she would touch Hester in her
most vulnerable point--she would take from her what she valued most. The
temptation came swiftly, and Annie listened to it, and thought how easy
it would be to carry it into effect. She knew well that no little child
could resist her when she chose to exercise her charms--it would be easy,
easy work to make that part of Nan which was most precious all her own.
Annie became fa