"That would be beautiful," responded Polly, with a faint smile.

"And you shall have the nicest doll house you ever heard of, and
a whole set of furniture for your biggest doll! I'll fit you up
two of the prettiest rooms in the house, and furnish them in white
and blue! You shall have a new piano and take lessons of the very
best master, and next summer we will go abroad and see all the
wonders of Europe! Oh, there's no end to the happy things we'll
do, if you will come and be my little girl! You will; won't you,
Polly?"

"Why, I--don't know!" gasped the child. "You take my breath
away!" She looked actually distressed.

"Poor darling!" The little lady folded Polly in her arms. "Of
course you can't make up your mind all in a minute! I've thought
of it so long, I did n't realize that it was news to you. I'm
such an impatient body! Talk it over with Dr. Dudley, and he will
make things all clear. Now we'll forget it, and finish up these
packages. What do yo suppose Leonora will say to her new
ribbons?"

The voice was gay, so sure was the little lady that Polly,
counseled by the far-seeing doctor, would make quick choice of so
auspicious an offer.

But Polly could not easily be won back to her former blitheness.
She finished her part of the task in an absent-minded manner; yet
by the time she was on her way to deliver her presents she was
more talkative and merry.