miserable as to excite Mrs. Winter's compassion.

"There! Don't you fret about your money, my dear," she said, patting
Madge kindly on the shoulder. "It will be all safe down that grating,
never fear! There are too many locked doors to the house for anybody
to run away with it, and the rats and spiders won't do it any harm.
And when the man who keeps the key comes to open the windows and air
the rooms a bit I'll try and catch him. He is generally here about
once or twice a week, and I'll see that you get back your money safe
enough."

"It's very kind of you," said Madge dolefully; "but I am afraid it will
not be of much use unless I can get back the money this afternoon. You
see, we live in the country, and we hardly ever come to Churchbury;
only now and then for a great treat. And Betty and John are expecting
their toys this evening, or books, or chocolates. I was to choose
whatever I thought they would like best, and now I can't get anything."

"Dear! dear!" exclaimed kind Mrs. Winter, in a tone of deep concern.
And then she proceeded to ask a great many questions about what had
happened.

As Madge finished her sad story the old woman broke out into
lamentations.

"If only I had someone to keep the shop for half an hour I would go
after the man myself and try to get the key, that I would," she said.
"But little Ann is away, and--"

"Who is little Ann?" interrupted Madge.

"Why, my grandchild to be sure!" rejoined Mrs. Winter. "And not so
little either, only that's a manner of speaking I got into when she was
a baby, and now I keep on forgetting that she has turned thirteen and
able to help me in the shop as well as any grown-up woman."

"I shall be thirteen very soon myself," said Madge eagerly. "Don't you
think I could stay in the shop just as Ann does, while you go to find
the man with the key? Oh, please let me try! I'm sure I could manage
it if you are quick."

Mrs. Winter hesitated. It is true that Madge was just as tall as her
own grand-daughter, but then Ann knew the ways of the shop; and it was
a very different thing leaving her in charge to confiding all one's
property to the care of a perfect stranger. Mrs. Winter, however, did
not feel any distrust of Madge, and quite believed the story about the
lost bag of money. She could see that it was not the invention of an
impostor, who wished to get an opportunity for pilfering little things
out of the shop. In fact, the more Mrs. Winter