ayed--it is lonely sometimes."

"But you have your father."

"Yes, only father is away all day, and I sit such a lot at our window."

"But you have no pain, have you?" Mr. Waldron questioned with interest.

"No," answered Sophy, sighing faintly. "Only a pain in my little mind."

"Ah! my pain is in my toe, and I expect hurts a deal more than yours.
What's your father about that he leaves you alone and doesn't have you
seen to, eh?"

Sophy's face blazed. "How dare you speak in that voice of my father!"
she cried. "He is the kindest and best, and works for me until he is
quite thin and pale. Do you work for anybody? I don't think you do," she
added scornfully, "you look too fat!"

"You haven't much respect for grey hairs, young lady."

"Grey hairs, why?" asked Sophy, still ruffled.

Mr. Waldron took refuge in platitudes.

"I have always been taught that the young should respect age, of which
grey hair is an emblem."

"How funny!" said Sophy, leaning forward to look more closely at her
companion. "To think of so much meaning in those tufts behind your ears!
I always thought what was inside mattered--not the outside. How much
silly people must long to have grey hairs, that they may be respected. I
must ask father if that is true."

"I suppose you respect your father?" said Mr. Waldron severely.

"Oh, no," replied Sophy. "I only _love_ him. I think the feeling I have
for the gas man must be respect. Yes, I think it must be, there is
something so disagreeable about it."

"Why?"

"Well, you see, he so often comes when father is out and asks for money,
just as if money grew on our floor, then he looks at me and goes away
grumbling. I think it must be respect I feel when I see his back going
downstairs."

Mr. Waldron laughed. "You are a queer little girl!" he said.

"Yes, I suppose I am," answered Sophy resignedly. "Only I hope I'm not
unpleasant."

When Dr. Norman returned he found the child and his patient on the best
of terms. After placing Sophy in the carriage, he came back at Mr.
Waldron's request for a few words.

"That's a funny child," began the old man, glancing up at the doctor.
"She actually made me laugh! What are you going to do with her?"

"Take her home."

"Humph! I suppose I couldn't--couldn't----?"

"What?"

"Buy her?"

"Good gracious, Mr. Waldron! We are in the twentieth century!"

"Pity, isn't it! But there are many ways of buying without paying cash.
See what you can do. She a