in
a way that was very imposing to Matilda. She could not help feeling
like a little brown thrush in the midst of a company of resplendent
parrots and birds of paradise. But she did not much care. Only she
thought it would be very pleasant to have the wardrobe upstairs
furnished with a set of dresses to correspond somewhat with her new
splendid surroundings. Mrs. Bartholomew had not spoken to her yet, nor
anybody, except Mrs. Laval's mother. Matilda thought herself forgotten;
but when the ladies were about to go downstairs, Mrs. Laval called her
sister's attention to the subject.

"Judith, this is my new child."

Mrs. Bartholomew cast a comprehensive glance at Matilda, or all over
her. Matilda could not have told whether she had looked at her until
then.

"Where did you pick her up, Zara?"

"I did not pick her up," said Mrs. Laval, smiling at Matilda. "A wave
wafted her into my arms."

"What sort of a wave?" said the other lady dryly.

"No matter what sort of a wave. You see from what sort of a shore this
flower must have drifted."

"You are poetical," said the other, laughing slightly. "You always
were. Shall we go down?"

Mrs. Laval stretched out her hand to Matilda and held it in a warm
clasp as they went down the stairs; and still held her fast and seated
her by herself in the drawing room. It was the only point of connection
with the rest of the world that Matilda felt she had just then. Until
Norton came running downstairs with his two cousins, and entered the
room.

"Come here, Judy," said Mrs. Laval. "This is my new little daughter,
Matilda. You two must be good cousins and friends."

Miss Black-eyes took Matilda's hand; but somehow Matilda could perceive
neither the friendship nor the cousinship in the touch of it.

"Matilda what?" Miss Judith asked. Her aunt hesitated an instant.

"She has not learned yet to do without her old name. Her new name is
mine, of course."

Matilda was a good deal startled and a little dismayed. Was she to give
up her own name then, and be called Laval? she had not heard of it
before. She was not sure that she liked it at all. There was no time to
think about it now.

"David," Mrs. Laval went on, "come here. I want you all to be good
friends as soon as possible."

She put Matilda's hand in his as she spoke. But David said never a
word; only he bowed over Matilda's hand in the most calmly polite
manner, and let it drop. He was not shy, Matilda thought, or he coul