manner.

[Illustration]

They stood there together in silence a few moments, watching the two
romping boys, who played on, unconscious of an audience.

"What a rare, unselfish disposition that little 'Big Brother' has!"
Mr. Estel said presently. "It shows itself even in their play." Then
he added warmly, turning to his wife, "Dora, it would be downright
cruel to send him away from that little chap."

He paused a moment. "We used to find our greatest pleasure in making
Dorothy happy. We lavished everything on her. Now we can never do
anything more for her."

There was another long pause, while he turned his head away and looked
out of the window.

"Think what a lifelong happiness it is in our power to give those
children! Dora, can't we make room for both of them for her sake?"

Mrs. Estel hesitated, then laid both her hands in his, bravely smiling
back her tears. "Yes, I'll try," she said, "for little Dorothy's
sake."

That night, as Steven undressed Robin and tucked him up snugly in the
little white bed, he felt that nothing could add to his great
happiness. He sat beside him humming an old tune their mother had
often sung to them, in the New Jersey home so far away.

The blue eyes closed, but still he kept on humming softly to himself,
"Oh, happy day! happy day!"

Presently Mrs. Estel came in and drew a low rocking-chair up to the
fire. Steven slipped from his place by Robin's pillow and sat down on
the rug beside her.

Sitting there in the fire-light, she told him all about her visit to
the Piersons. They had found Robin so unmanageable and so different
from what they expected that they were glad to get rid of him. Mr.
Estel had arranged matters satisfactorily with the Society, and they
had brought Robin home several days ago.

"I had a long talk with Mr. Dearborn the other day," she continued.
"He said his wife's health is failing, and their son is trying to
persuade them to break up housekeeping and live with them. If she is
no better in the spring, they will probably do so."

"Would they want me to go?" asked Steven anxiously.

"It may be so; I cannot tell."

Steven looked up timidly. "I've been wanting all day to say thank you,
the way I feel it; but somehow, the right words won't come. I can't
tell you how it is, but it seems 'most like sending Robin back home
for you and Mr. Estel to have him. Somehow, your ways and everything
seem so much like mamma's and papa's, and when I think about him