opped her face in her apron. "I wouldn't 'a' had it
happen for the world!" she sobbed. "Not for all the world."

"What is the matter, Mrs. Callahan?" inquired Miss Margery.

"Where's Honey-Sweet?" asked Anne.

"I wouldn't 'a' had that doll ruint for nothin'," wailed Mrs. Callahan.

"Honey-Sweet? ruined?" stammered Anne.

"What has happened to Anne's doll, Mrs. Callahan? Will you please
explain at once?" Miss Margery was at her sternest.

"Peggy done it--and she's cried herself 'most sick. 'Twas yestiddy. I'd
gone to take home some sewin'. Peg she's been possessed to show that
doll to the Flannagan children. Bein' as I was gone and Lois 'sleep, she
slipped out. And while they were all mirationin' over the doll's shoes
and stockin's, that low-down Flannagan dog grabbed the doll and made off
with it. And they couldn't get it away from him--he tore it to pieces,
worritin' it like 'twas a cat. He ought to be skinned alive, I say. It's
low-down to keep such a dog."

"If Peggy had obeyed--" began Miss Margery.

"Yessum," interrupted Mrs. Callahan. "And nobody's got any business to
keep such a dog! We wouldn't 'a' had it happen for the world, ma'am. I
sent you that word 'bout Lois," she went on, addressing Anne, "so's you
wouldn't come. We didn't want you to know 'bout it till Monday. Pa he
draws his pay to-night and John Edward, too. John Edward he's errant boy
for a grocer down on M Street. They're going to take all their money and
buy you the finest doll in Washington, rent or no rent, victuals or no
victuals."

"No, no, no," protested Anne.

"Don't you look so white and pitiful," sobbed Mrs. Callahan. "I wouldn't
'a' had it happen for the world. You shall have the finest doll--"

"I don't want a doll," Anne spoke with difficulty. "Tell them not to,
Miss Margery. It wouldn't be Honey-Sweet. Please, oh, please, let's go
home, Miss Margery."

Poor little Anne! Miss Margery had her downstairs to tea that evening,
and gave her milk toast and pink iced cakes and candy in a Santa Claus
box that was to have waited till Christmas. Then she sang Anne's
favorite songs. But the shadow did not lift. Anne kissed her friend
good-night and crept away to bed before nine o'clock. An hour later,
Miss Dorcas and Miss Margery tiptoed into her room. There she lay, her
face swollen with weeping and her breath coming in sobbing gasps. She
stirred and crumpled a pillow in her arms, and crooned in her sleep the
old lullaby:--