'If you please, I want two of them--of the chairs,' the child replied,
holding out two pennies. Her face was still rather red, but she glanced
with admiration mingled with gratitude at Rosalys.

The shopwoman handed her the two little chairs, but she did not seem
quite satisfied.

'Would you like to choose for yourself?' said the woman with a smile.
She seemed used to the ways and manners of small customers--of this
small customer especially, perhaps--and she made way for her as the
little girl, well pleased, came close to the counter. Then for a minute
or two the child stood absorbed, weighing the comparative merits of blue
and pink cotton chair seats, and of dark and light coloured wood. At
last, with a little sigh of mingled anxiety and satisfaction, she held
out two to the woman.

'These, please,' she said; and, without waiting for her purchases to be
wrapped up, she turned, and with a glance at the other children, a
shadowy smile for half an instant wavering over her face, she quietly
made her way out of the shop.

'Poor little girl,' said Rosalys. 'You quite frightened her when she
spoke, Bridget. Why did you glare at her so?'

'I didn't glare at her; you're very unkind, Alie, to say so,' said
Biddy, in her complaining tone.

'Oh, I say, Biddy, don't be so grumpy,' Randolph put in, 'and do fix
what you're going to buy. There's something over here that papa would