n. "A
cawn-cob doll! And the attic at home is full of toys that I don't care
for! I'm going to pick out a basketful to-morrow and bring them down to
these children. And did you see that poah little Minnie Crisp? Only
eight yeahs old, and doing the work of a grown woman. She was getting
suppah while her mothah tended to the sick baby. Oh, I wondah," she
cried, her face lighting up with the thought. "I wondah if Mrs. Crisp
would mind if I'd come down to-morrow and cook dinnah for them. That's
what I've been crazy to do,--to cook. I could bring eggs and sugah and
all the materials, and make lemon pie and oystah soup and potato
croquettes. I know how to make lots of things. Oh, do you suppose she
would be offended?"

"Not in the least," responded Miss Allison, heartily. "She is a very
sensible little woman who is nearly worn out in her struggle with
poverty and sickness. She has been too proud and brave to accept help
before, when she was able to stagger along under her own burden, but now
she will be very grateful. And the children will look upon you as a
wonderful mixture of Santa Claus, fairy godmother, and Aladdin's lamp."

Then she turned to peer into the happy face beside her.

"Here are your cobwebs!" she exclaimed, gaily. "A whole skyful, and you
can sweep away to your heart's content. You need have no more humdrum
days unless you choose."

Lloyd looked back at the cottage where four towheads at the window
watched the departing carriage. Then with a smile she leaned out and
waved her hand.

CHAPTER XIII.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AMANTHIS

LLOYD hurried down the road to the post-office, her cheeks almost as red
as her coat from her brisk walk in the wintry air. It was too cold to
saunter, or she would have made the errand last as long as possible.
There would be nothing to do after she had called for the mail. The day
before she had had her visit to Mrs. Crisp to fill the morning. It
brought a pleasant thrill now to think of the little woman's gratitude
and the children's pleasure in the dinner she had cooked in the clean
bare kitchen. She wished she could go every day and repeat the
performance, but her family would not allow it. They said it was just as
injurious for her to waste her strength in charity as it was in study,
and she must be more temperate in her enthusiasms.

She wished that Miss Mattie would invite her into the tiny office behind
the rows of pigeonholes and letter-boxes, and let her si