he family. I'm going to coax Webb to make another sort of a
chair; one she can wheel herself--I've seen them. She's learned to
knit beautifully; she's so proud because she's working on a sock for
the Belgian children--she says it's the first time she's _ever_ felt
useful! She helps B'lindy, too. It makes you want to cry to see how
happy she is. But with all her independence she wants me all the time.
When I start to leave her there's something in the way she looks at me
that is just as though she reached out and caught me by the hand!"

Nancy described, too, how B'lindy was constantly finding little tasks
for her that would keep her in the kitchen or on the back porch within
sound of her voice.

"You see talking's the joy of B'lindy's life and my ears are new--they
haven't heard all the things she has to say. Just when I think I can
escape she begins telling me of the cake her mother baked for Miss
Sabrina's mother the day the Governor of Vermont came to Happy
House--or something like that!"

Anxious that Peter should understand everything Nancy made a vivid
word-picture of Miss Sabrina and of the difficulties she had had in
winning her. "I believe she's fond of me now, but she just doesn't
know _how_ to show it! She's never displayed one bit of affection in
her whole life, I'm sure. She's stone. But sometime she's going to
break--I'm doing my best to make her! I know she enjoys having dear
little Aunt Milly around, but do you think she'd say so? Goodness no.
But there's a lot of good in Aunt Sabrina and I'm bound to know it all,
so I make it my duty to sit with her just so long each day while she
tells me about the Leavitts and the other families of this Island. And
there _is_ something heroic about them all!

"So here I am, just tingling to finish the last act of my play and not
a moment to myself! If it isn't precious Aunt Milly or Aunt Sabrina or
B'lindy or even dear old Jonathan, it's Nonie or Davy or----"

"Or me," finished Peter Hyde, glancing significantly at the neglected
work. "Your hands _are_ full!"

Nancy went on earnestly. "And it all seems so worth while! Look at
Nonie--she's a different creature already. I don't believe she
pretends as much, either--her little body is catching up with her
spirit. And Davy doesn't hang his head when he looks at you!"

Peter Hyde could understand her feeling toward the children. They had
planned together to bring something more into those two sta