It was very interesting to watch them all. Elsie and Dorry seemed to
her the most improved of the family. Elsie had quite lost her plaintive
look and little injured tone, and was as bright and beaming a maiden of
twelve as any one could wish to see. Dorry's moody face had grown open
and sensible, and his manners were good-humored and obliging. He was
still a sober boy, and not specially quick in catching an idea, but he
promised to turn out a valuable man. And to him, as to all the other
children, Katy was evidently the centre and the sun. They all revolved
about her, and trusted her for everything. Cousin Helen looked on as
Phil came in crying, after a hard tumble, and was consoled; as Johnnie
whispered an important secret, and Elsie begged for help in her work.
She saw Katy meet them all pleasantly and sweetly, without a bit of the
dictatorial elder-sister in her manner, and with none of her old,
impetuous tone. And best of all, she saw the change in Katy's own face:
the gentle expression of her eyes, the womanly look, the pleasant
voice, the politeness, the tact in advising the others, without seeming
to advise.

"Dear Katy," she said a day or two after her arrival, "this visit is a
great pleasure to me--you can't think how great. It is such a contrast
to the last I made, when you were so sick, and everybody so sad. Do you
remember?"

"Indeed I do! And how good you were, and how you helped me! I shall
never forget that."

"I'm glad! But what I could do was very little. You have been learning
by yourself all this time. And Katy, darling, I want to tell you how
pleased I am to see how bravely you have worked your way up. I can
perceive it in everything--in Papa, in the children, in yourself. You