ke what he gives me and am sure it is all right. That is the comfort
of going to Laddler."

"But wouldn't you have found it out, if I had got the square toes?"

"I might have found it out," said Mrs. Laval laughing, "but I should
not have known it was wrong. I should have taken it for the last style."

"Then what difference does it make?" said Matilda.

"It makes a good deal of difference to the shoemaker," said Mrs. Laval;
"for as often as he can bring in a new fashion he can make people buy
new shoes. But how was it at Madame Fournissons?"

"It was all right," said Matilda. "She tried everything on, and made
them all fit."

Mrs. Laval wrapped arms a little closer about the tiny figure on her
lap.

"Now do you know," she said, "there is another piece of work you have
got to attend to. Has Norton told you about Christmas?"

"Yes, ma'am; something."

"You know there is a great time of present giving. You must take your
turn, with the rest. How will you manage it?"

"Manage what, ma'am?"

"Manage to get gifts for all these people? Shall I do it for you?"

"Why I cannot do it," said Matilda simply; "because I have nothing to
get them with."

Mrs. Laval laughed and kissed her. "Suppose I supply that deficiency?
You could not very well do it without money, unless you were a witch.
But if I give you the money, darling? Here are twenty dollars; now you
may spend them, or I will spend them for you. Would you like to do it?"

"I would like to do it very much!" said Matilda flushing with
excitement,--"if I can."

"Very well. Norton will shew you where pretty things are to be bought,
of various sorts. You can get everything in New York. I expect I shall
not see you now for three weeks to come; you will be shopping all the
time. You have a great deal to do."

Matilda flushed more and more, clasped the notes in her hand, and
looked delighted.

"Well, I suppose I must let you go," said Mrs. Laval, "for I must get
ready for dinner, and you must. But first,--Matilda, when are you going
to call me mamma? This is not to make you forget the mother you had,
maybe a better one than I am; but I am your mother now. I want you to
call me so."

Matilda threw her arms round Mrs. Laval's neck again. "Yes--I will,"
she whispered. There were new kisses interchanged between them, full of
much meaning; and then Matilda went up to her room.

At the top of the stairs, in each story, there was a large open space,
a sort of lobby