"It's lovely of you not to be jealous of us, Cinderella," she said. "I
hope your turn will come, too. Good-night."

Cinderella had already relapsed into her dreamy mood. "Good-night,"
she called. And she continued to sit and gaze into the fireplace.

But suddenly she started up excitedly and turned about. She fixed her
gaze upon the door opening to the highway. Her left hand moved
unconsciously to her heart.

Some one was timidly knocking on the door!

She stood for a moment as if to make sure that she had not dreamed that
some one had knocked. It was very late, and the house was in a lonely
spot. Then she advanced, marveling yet unafraid, and removed the bar
from before the door.

The door opened quietly and Everychild stood on the threshold.




CHAPTER X

CINDERELLA'S DECISION

Everychild's eyes beamed with delight. "Then you _did_ come to this
house," he said. "I thought you did; but you ran so fast--I couldn't
be sure where you went." It is true that he was breathing quickly, but