room, but now she looked up.

A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and
placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the
restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight
brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once,
laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a
bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of
the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too
well trained to dare to break out.

"Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has
brought you to me?"

"I have--I ought to--I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to
give a message to Marianne--" Sally could not stop at half the truth.
The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers,
so everything had to come out as it was.

"That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear
little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off
Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed
the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch.

Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that
she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who
was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all
the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the
first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for
she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two