hich had seen its
best days; the chairs were but two, and those rush-bottomed. A painted
wooden chest of drawers stood under the tiny bit of looking glass; the
wash stand in the corner had but one towel thrown over it, and that not
clean; one or two of Maria's dresses hung up against the wall. But a
skirt of rich blue silk lay across the bed, for contrast; and yards of
blue satin ribband lay partly quilled on the skirt, partly heaped on
the patchwork quilt, and part had fallen on the floor. So one life
touched another life.

"Well!" said Maria, for Matilda did not immediately begin what she had
to say,--"how came you to be here so early?"

"We came down in the early train. I wanted to have a good long time to
talk to you; and the next train is so late."

"Who came with you?"

"O, Norton. Norton Laval."

"Norton Laval! He came with you before. How came aunt Candy to let you
come?"

"She could not help it."

"No," said Maria scornfully; "anything that Mrs. Laval wanted, she
would say nothing against. She would go down on her knees, if she could
get into Mrs. Laval's house. Did Mrs. Laval ask her to get you those
new things?"

"No. Mrs. Laval"--

"How came she to do it, then?" interrupted Maria. "They are just as
handsome as they can be; and in the fashion too. But she always liked
you. I knew it. She never gave me anything, but a faded silk
neckerchief. She is too mean"--

"O don't, Maria!" Matilda interrupted in her turn. "Aunt Candy had
nothing to do with these things; she never gave me much either; she did
not get these for me."

"Who did, then?" said Maria opening her eyes.

"Mrs. Laval."

"Mrs. Laval! How came _she_ to do it?"

"Yes, Maria, because--Maria, I have gone away from aunt Candy's."

"For a visit. I know. It has been a tremendously long visit, I think."

"Not for a visit now. Maria, I am not to go back there at all any more;
I mean, I am not going back to aunt Candy. Mrs. Laval has taken me to
keep--to be her own child. I am there now, for always."

"What?" Maria exclaimed.

"Mrs. Laval has taken me for her own,--for her own child."

"She hasn't!" said Maria; and if the wish did not point the expression,
it was hard to tell what did. Matilda made no answer.

"Mrs. Laval has taken you? _for her own child?_" repeated Maria. "Do
you mean that? To be with her, just like her own daughter? always?"

Matilda bowed her head, and her eyes filled. She was so disappointed.

"You aren't ev