e I know now the Lord has his eye on her."

Uncle Larry looked over her head to Mr. Jerry. "I can't thank you,
sir," he said in a hushed voice, "but you've been a kind friend to the
little girl today."

"She's such a darling one has to be kind to her." Miss Thorley
answered for Mr. Jerry and blushed when she realized it. "Don't you
bother, Mr. Donovan. I'm like Mary Rose, I know everything will be all
right."

"I hope so, Miss Thorley. Thank you again, sir." And he went in with
Mary Rose asleep in his arms.

"I can't thank you, either." Miss Thorley held out her hand to Mr.
Jerry after she had said good night to his Aunt Mary. "I've had a
perfect day and it was mighty good of you to plan it for Mary Rose."

He took her hand in both of his. "It was mighty good of you to come
with Mary Rose and me. And we're going to be friends, now, real
friends?" he asked gently.

She caught her breath and looked at him quickly. "Y-es," she said
slowly. "Of course, we'll be friends. I--I'm glad you are willing to
be friends."

Mr. Jerry laughed oddly. "I've learned about the value of that half
loaf. Good night."

CHAPTER XIX

Nothing had been heard of Jenny Lind. Jimmie Bronson had made a
surreptitious visit to Mr. Wells' apartment and had escaped only "by
the skin of his teeth," he assured Mr. Jerry.

"I didn't get any further than the window before that Jap caught me and
I didn't see any birdcage. But I shan't give up, Mr. Longworthy. I'll
find that canary yet!"

Everybody seemed more anxious now than Mary Rose. She was so confident
that the Lord had his eye on the missing Jenny Lind that she almost
stopped worrying. Aunt Kate resolutely refused to allow her to go to
the Lincoln School in the blue serge suit.

"You'll wear proper clothes or you don't stir a step," she said
sternly. "An' if you don't go to school the truant officer'll come
here an' like enough I'll be arrested for not sendin' you. If you
don't want your poor aunt to go to jail you'll stand up an' put on this
dress I bought 'specially for you."

She had not been able to resist a sale of children's clothes at the Big
Store and had bought three dresses for an eleven-year-old girl. She
brought one out that morning, a blue and green and red plaid gingham
with a white collar and a black patent leather belt. Mary Rose was
speechless with admiration when she saw it. But if she had been so
proud of Ella's old clothes that she had