furnished in blue—blue paper, blue bureau scarf covered with lace,
blue bed-spread covered with lace, a big, round, blue roller where
the pillows should be.

“How do you like my room, Maida?”

“It’s very pretty.”

“This is my toilet-set.” Laura pointed to the glittering articles on
the bureau. “Papa’s given them to me, one piece at a time. It’s all
of silver and every thing has my initials on it. What is your set
of?”

Laura paused before she asked this last question and darted one of
her sideways looks at Maida. “She thinks I haven’t any toilet-set
and she wants to make me say so,” Maida thought. “Ivory,” she said
aloud.

“Ivory! I shouldn’t think that would be very pretty.”

Laura opened her bureau drawers, one at a time, and showed Maida the
pretty clothes packed in neat piles there. She opened the large
closet and displayed elaborately-made frocks, suspended on hangers.
And all the time, with little sharp, sideways glances, she was
studying the effect on Maida. But Maida’s face betrayed none of the
wonder and envy that Laura evidently expected. Maida was very polite
but it was evident that she was not much interested.

Next they went upstairs to a big playroom which covered the whole
top of the house. Shelves covered with books and toys lined the