n' w'en yer comes back."

So Connie put on her dark-blue costume once more, and brushed out her
mane of golden hair and let it hang down her back; for she knew that
Ronald would scarcely recognize her deprived of this ornament. Then,
having left his tea all ready for Giles, she ran quickly in the
direction of Mrs. Anderson's house.

She arrived there at four o'clock in the afternoon, to see a little face
pressed up close to the pane of glass, and eager eyes watching for her.
When she appeared on the steps little hands began to clap, and there was
an eager rush of footsteps and then Ronald himself opened the door.

"Oh Connie, Connie!" he said, "come in--do, do come in!"

"How be yer, Ronald?" asked Connie.

"I'm as well as well can be, and I'm happy, too. Mrs. Anderson is just a
beautiful old lady, and so very good to me! But come and tell me all
about yourself. You and I are to have tea all alone in this room. We
will have fun. Why, Connie dear, how lovely you look!"

Connie told Ronald that he also looked lovely, and the two children sat
down side by side, while Ronald related the little bit of his story
which had transpired since Connie saw him last.

"I was very ill," he said, "for a bit, and silly, and--and cowardly. But
a wonderful man came to see me, and he talked--oh, so beautifully!--and
then I got better; and Mrs. Anderson has been more than good to me--no
one was ever so good to me before except father. She tells me, Connie,
that I must not keep looking out for father; for if he can come he will,
and if he can't I've just got to wait with patience. The street
preacher, too, talked about patience. It's a little bit hard to be very
patient, isn't it, Connie?"

"Yus," said Connie.

"Oh! and, Connie, some day perhaps you and I may go and stay with Mrs.
Cricket in the country, and Mrs. Anderson is going to send her money for
the chickens and fresh eggs and things. But I can't remember where the
country is--can you, Connie?"

"We got out at a plice called Eastborough, an' the cottage wor a ivy
cottage down a lane."

"Ivy Cottage--of course!" said Ronald. "How stupid of me to have
forgotten! Now it's all right, and dear Mrs. Cricket will get her
money."

When Ronald had told all his story Connie told all hers. In especial she
told about Giles, and about poor Sue, who had vanished just as suddenly
and completely as she (Connie) and Ronald himself on a certain day had
disappeared from their friends.