If not--with a long sigh Elizabeth would leave it there,
wistfully hoping. So April came and Elizabeth was eighteen years old,
though still she looked two years younger. She did not suppose that any
one but herself would remember her birthday--no one ever had through all
the years. Sadie's glance seemed sharper and colder than usual that
morning, and Elizabeth sorrowfully wondered why. The postman came just
as Sadie was starting for school. He handed her an envelope addressed to
Elizabeth, and she carried it to the kitchen.

"For _me?_" Elizabeth cried, hastily taking her hands from the
dish-water. She drew from the envelope a birthday card in water-colour
with Laura's initials in one corner.

"O, isn't it lovely!" she cried. "I never had a
birthday--anything--before. Isn't it beautiful, Sadie?"

"Uh-huh," was all Sadie's response, but her lack of enthusiasm could not
spoil Elizabeth's pleasure in the gift. Somebody remembered--Miss Laura
remembered and made that just for her, and joy sang in her heart all
day. And in the evening Olga came bringing a little silver pin.
Elizabeth looked at it with incredulous delight.

"For _me_!" she said again. "O Olga, did you really make this for me?"

Olga laughed. "Why not?"

"I--I can't find anything to say--I want to say so much," Elizabeth
cried, her lips quivering.

Olga leaned over and kissed her. "I just enjoyed making it--for you,"
she said.

She was almost startled at the radiance in Elizabeth's eyes then. "It
has been the loveliest day of all my life!" she whispered. "I----"

They were in Elizabeth's little room, and now hurried footsteps sounded
on the stairs, and Sadie pushed open the door.

"That yours?" she demanded, her sharp eyes on the pin.

Elizabeth held it towards her with a happy smile. "Olga made it for me.
Isn't it lovely?"

Sadie did not answer, but plumped herself down on the narrow cot. When
Olga had gone, Sadie still sat there, her black eyes cold and
unfriendly. "Don't see why you lugged Olga up here," she began.

"She asked me to."

"Humph!" Sadie grunted.

"Sadie," Elizabeth said, gently, "what is the matter? Have I done
anything you don't like?"

"I didn't say so."

"No, but you've been different to me lately, and I don't know why. You
were so nice a few weeks ago--you don't know how glad it made me. I
hoped we were going to be real sisters, but now," she drew a long
sorrowful breath, "it is as it used to be."

Sadie, swinging o