hey'll be all right--the next
ones--I know they will," and coffee-pot in hand, Sadie whisked into the
dining-room.

And the next cakes were all right. Sadie gloated over them as Elizabeth
spread the icing, and added the fancy touches with pink sugar and
citron.

When she had gone away with the cakes Elizabeth cooked and cleaned,
washed dishes, and swept, but all the time her thoughts followed Sadie.
She dared not let herself hope, and yet the time seemed endless. But at
last the front door slammed, there were flying feet in the hall, and
Sadie burst into the kitchen, flushed and triumphant.

"O--O Sadie--did you--will they----?" Elizabeth stumbled over the words,
her breath catching in her throat.

Sadie tossed her basket on the table and bounced into the nearest chair.
"Did I, and will they?" she taunted gaily. "Well, I guess I _did_ and
they _will_, Elizabeth Page!"

"O, do tell me, Sadie--quick!" Elizabeth begged, and she listened with
absorbed attention to the story of Sadie's experiences, and could hardly
believe that Mr. Burchell had really agreed to sell for her.

"I bet Miss Laura had been talking to him," Sadie ended, "for he asked
me if I knew her and then said right away he'd take your cakes every
Wednesday and Saturday. _Now_ what you got to say?"

"N-n-nothing," cried Elizabeth, "only--if I can really, _really_ sell
them, I'll be most too happy to live!"

All that day Elizabeth went around with a song in her heart. The first
consignment of cakes sold promptly, and then orders began to come in. It
meant extra work for her, but if only she could keep on selling she
would not mind that. And as the weeks slipped away, every Saturday she
added to the little store of bills in her bureau drawer. Even when she
had paid for her materials and Mr. Burchell's commission, and for a girl
who helped her with the Saturday work, there was so much left that she
counted it and recounted it with almost incredulous joy. All this her
very own--she who never before had had even one dollar of her own! O, it
was a lovely world after all, Elizabeth told herself joyfully.

But after a while she noticed a change in Sadie. She was still
interested in the cake-making, but now it seemed a cold critical
interest, lacking the warm sympathy and delight in it which she had
shown at first. Elizabeth longed to ask what was wrong but she had not
the courage, so she only questioned with her eyes. Maybe by-and-by Sadie
would tell her.