y 278

XXI Mr. Bartlett Sees the Machine 292

BOOK III

XXII Happy Days 307

XXIII To the Seashore 320

XXIV The Seashore 329

XXV Last Days 341

XXVI Suzanna and her Father 345

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

"I've come to you, Mrs. Reynolds, to stay. I've adopted
myself out to you" _Frontispiece_

The prettiest old lady she had ever seen 14

Very carefully he looked at the mended place 116

"We thought you might like a dog," began Suzanna 206

BOOK I

SUZANNA STIRS THE FIRE

CHAPTER I

THE TUCKED-IN DAY

Maizie wanted to sleep a little longer, but though the clock had but
just chimed six Suzanna was up and had drawn the window curtain letting
in a flood of sunshine. Maizie lay watching her sister, her gray eyes
still blurred with sleep; not wide and interested as a little later they
would be. Her soft little features expressing her naive personality
seemed unsubtle, yet of contours so lovely in this period just after
babyhood that one longed to cuddle her.

Suzanna stood a long time at the window, so long indeed that Maizie
feared she was lost to all materialities. Suzanna, wonderful one, who
could strike from dull stuff magic dreams; who could vivify and
gloriously color the little things of life; who could into the simplest
happenings read thrilling interpretations! What bliss to accompany her
upon her wanderings, and what sadness to be forgotten!

Indeed Suzanna seemed oblivious. Certainly in spirit she was absent and
at last Maizie could bear the silence no longer.

"Suzanna!" she cried.

Then Suzanna turned. She did not speak, however, but placed a warning
finger upon her lips. Then she went swiftly to the closet and took down
her best white dress. She laid it tenderly on the back of a chair till
she had found in the lowest bureau drawer her white stockings and
slippers, then she brushed and combed her hair, confined it lightly with
a length of ribbon, washed her hands and face in the little bowl which
stood in one corner near the window and leisurely donned the white
dress.

Maizie sat straight up