aid.

Biddy turned round and stared at the small maiden. She did not mean to
be rude; she was only surprised and curious; but her rosy cheeks and
round eyes looked much less sweet and gentle than Alie's pretty face and
soft long-lashed blue eyes, which had always a rather appealing
expression. Biddy opened her mouth but did not speak. The little
stranger grew very red. Rosalys spoke to her gently.

'Yes,' she said, 'I should think little dolls would be much more amusing
to play with alone. You could make them act things, and you could make
houses for them. Biddy, wouldn't you like to furnish our old doll-house
fresh?'

'I don't know,' said Biddy rather surlily. 'You'd call me a baby.'

'Indeed I wouldn't,' said Alie eagerly. 'It would be such a nice play
for you. You might buy two or three of those sweet little chairs as a
beginning.'

'They are particular nice,' put in the shopwoman. 'It isn't often
they're made so small, not so cheap. And what were you wanting this
morning, my dear?' she went on to the little newcomer.

'If you please, I want two of them--of the chairs,' the child replied,
holding out two pennies. Her face was still rather red, but she glanced
with admiration mingled with gratitude at Rosalys.

The shopwoman handed her the two little chairs, but she did not seem
quite satisfied.

'Would you like to choose for yourself?' said the woman with a smile.
She seemed used to the ways and manners of small customers--of this
small customer especially, perhaps--and she made way for her as the
little girl, well pleased, came close to the counter. Then for a minute
or two the child stood absorbed, weighing the comparative merits of blue
and pink cotton chair seats, and of dark and light coloured wood. At
last, with a little sigh of mingled anxiety and satisfaction, she held
out two to the woman.

'These, please,' she said; and, without waiting for her purchases to be
wrapped up, she turned, and with a glance at the other children, a
shadowy smile for half an instant wavering over her face, she quietly
made her way out of the shop.

'Poor little girl,' said Rosalys. 'You quite frightened her when she
spoke, Bridget. Why did you glare at her so?'

'I didn't glare at her; you're very unkind, Alie, to say so,' said
Biddy, in her complaining tone.

'Oh, I say, Biddy, don't be so grumpy,' Randolph put in, 'and do fix
what you're going to buy. There's something over here that papa would
like, I know. A wh