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could go, too. She had never talked to any one
who was "queer." Perhaps she would not be
obliged to say anything. Lucia had a second
thought, she said, and went to bring the new
doll. This looked not a little like Lucia herself,
with its waving black hair and black eyes,
though its round cheeks and complacent smile
were not a reproduction of Lucia, who was a
little thinner than when she had arrived from
Italy.

"It may amuse Grandmother to see it," said
Lucia, carrying the box which contained the doll.

Up a winding stair they went to a third floor,
as imposing as either the first or second and
with ceilings as high as those of the second.
"There is a little attic over this floor," Lucia
explained, "which makes the floor quite com-
fortable even in the summer. They go up to
keep a current of air passing in the attic and
have to watch that floor in storms, of course, for
Grandmother's rooms would be flooded, per-
haps. It's been rather hard for Uncle to get
good help to look after her properly; but now
he has a nurse that used to be her maid and
likes her."

A door stood open where Lucia stopped.
Betty glanced into a beautifully furnished
sitting room where some one was sitting, ap-

 [[81]]