feeling when he has to stay all night in another person's castle instead
of in his own house. But Dearest is not very far away from me. She told
me to remember that--and--and I'm seven--and I can look at the picture
she gave me."

He put his hand in his pocket, and brought out a small violet
velvet-covered case.

"This is it," he said. "You see, you press this spring and it opens, and
she is in there!"

He had come close to the Earl's chair, and, as he drew forth the little
case, he leaned against the arm of it, and against the old man's arm,
too, as confidingly as if children had always leaned there.

"There she is," he said, as the case opened; and he looked up with a
smile.

The Earl knitted his brows; he did not wish to see the picture, but he
looked at it in spite of himself; and there looked up at him from it
such a pretty young face--a face so like the child's at his side--that
it quite startled him.

"I suppose you think you are very fond of her," he said.

"Yes," answered Lord Fauntleroy, in a gentle tone, and with simple
directness; "I do think so, and I think it's true. You see, Mr. Hobbs
was my friend, and Dick and Bridget and Mary and Michael, they were my
friends, too; but Dearest--well, she is my CLOSE friend, and we always
tell each other everything. My father left her to me to take care of,