“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Ferris, still puzzled.

“Lina,” called Lucia, “come here a minute,
will you?”

The maid who was in the bedroom beyond,
entered at once and needed no direction as she
saw the situation. “I'm going down after
another doll, Lina,” said Lucia. “Just wait,
Betty.”

“Won't you sit down, Mary?” asked Mrs.
Ferris in a moment, politely indicating a chair.
Lina drew it nearer for Betty, who sat down.
“How is your mother, Mary?” continued Mrs.
Ferris. “I intended to get over to see her
yesterday, but the weather was so bad. I don't
like the winter weather.”

Betty saw that Mrs. Ferris expected no
answer, but she leaned toward her with a re-
spectful and sympathetic expression on her face.
Lina stood quietly by. Then Bessie entered, her
arms filled with a large pasteboard box, and
Lucia was only a moment or two behind Bessie.

“Here are the things, Mrs. Ferris,” said
Bessie, depositing the box on a straight chair
that she drew up for the purpose. “Wait,
Bessie,” said the maid, “I'll put up the folding
table.”

This was done as Lucia exchanged the one
doll for the other, Mrs. Ferris evidently

[[85]]

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