"My goodness gracious, you foolish midget! They're all as much alike
as rows of peas in a pod," exclaimed her friend, a trifle impatiently.

"No," insisted the little girl. "All the others have red painted
buckles on their shoes, but this doll has blue buckles; and I'm sure
Ellie would prefer blue buckles, 'cause we've often talked about it
when we played choosing what we'd like best."

"Well, well!" laughed Julia. "All right, Katy: I'll save it, if I can."

Satisfied by this promise, the child ran away; for customers began to
come in, and to loiter would be to lessen her chance of gaining the
treasure which to herself she already called Ellie's.

McNaughton & Co. did a great business within the next two weeks; the
employees were "fearfully rushed," as they expressed it. Katy had no
opportunity for further conversation with the sociable attendant at the
end of the stationery counter, now given over to toys, upon the subject
oftenest in her thoughts. She had been transferred to another
department; but every day she took occasion to go around and look at
the doll, to make sure that it was still there; and the kindly
salesgirl always found time to give her an encouraging nod and a smile.

One afternoon, however, a few days before Christmas, when Julia
returned from her lunch she met Katy, who was crying bitterly. The
cause of her distress was soon told. A new girl had been put at the
counter that morning; she knew nothing about Katy's doll, and now, as
luck would have it, was just in the act of selling it to a big,
bluff-looking man, who said he wanted it for his little daughter.