real mother--"

"She was the loveliest dolly I ever had!"

"She was the loveliest dolly I ever saw!"

Both girls burst into a peal of laughter. They sat on the edge of the
bed, the doll between them, the packing forgotten.

Robin clapped her hands. "And to think we find each other now. It's like
a story. I went back to the park all alone that evening and would have
been lost if it hadn't been for my--" she broke off short and flushed.
She was going to tell Beryl about her play-prince but then, Beryl might
laugh and she did not want that.

Beryl's face suddenly grew grave as she smoothed out a fold of the
doll-garment.

"I always kept the doll put away. I never played with it because--" She
hesitated a moment. "That night that I found the doll was a dreadful
night. I wasn't quite six but I'll always remember it. At first mother
and I were so happy, over finding the doll and because Pop had just
gotten a raise. It seemed as though everything were going to be
wonderful and we felt as rich as could be. We called the doll a lucky
doll. And mother dressed me up in her green beads that Father Murphy,
back in Ireland, had given her when she told him she was going to marry
Pop. And we had dumplings--ugh, I've hated dumplings ever since. And
then--"

"What happened?"

"They came for Mom, some man from the hospital. Pop had been terribly
hurt. And, well--nothing's been lucky since. It's just as I said;
mother's had to work and Dale's had to work and Pop just sits in a chair
and scolds and--well, I never wanted to take the doll out when mother
could see it--after all that."

Robin made no effort to conceal how deeply Beryl's story had moved her.
"Oh, Beryl, I'm so sorry. But maybe things will change. They'll have
to--Jimmie always said, it's a long lane that has no turning. I'm so
glad it was you who found my Cynthia. It might have been some one who
wouldn't have loved her at all."

"I s'pose you ought to have her now."

"Oh, no, no. She's yours. Anyway, that doesn't matter," and Robin added
triumphantly, "because we're really truly friends now, no matter what
you say. Cynthia has brought us together."

Beryl shook her head.

"That old crank--" she began.

Robin stamped her foot in impatience. "I don't care a bit about Mrs.
Budge. My guardian told me that I could have anything I wanted here just
for the asking and he's made me the silliest big allowance that three
girls couldn't spend. Oh, I've a plan! Ought not