the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself
suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that
room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with
large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence.

Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing
near the door like one rooted to the floor.

Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here,
dear child, what brings you to me?"

Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she
had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that--to get into
the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the
lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew
crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life.

The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks.

"Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so
sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come
gradually to know each other a little."


[Illustration: _Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly
tone, "Come here, dear child."..._]


Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did
not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the