worn, soiled, out-grown dress. Two dark,
burning, eager, questioning eyes told of a spirit that lived above and
beyond the sordid, colorless monotony of a life with old Dan'l Hopworth
and Liz, who "didn't believe a feller oughta have any fun!"

"What do you pretend, Miss Nancy?"

Nancy laughed and rubbed the soles of her bare feet.

"Well, once I pretended I was the Moon-Queen and I scratched my poor
feet dreadfully. What do you pretend?"

Nonie rocked back on her heels.

"Oh, lots and lots of different things. My every-day game is Rosemary.
She's my make-believe chum. She lives down in the haunted house on the
North Hero road, only when I pretend, of course, the house isn't
haunted. And it's got lovely glass things from the ceiling for candles
and they sparkle like rainbows and diamonds. Rosemary and I play games
and we--we read and tell each other stories and sometimes she helps me
with the work, when Liz ain't around. Only Rosemary don't believe in
fairies. She says that's baby, so when she's away I pretend fairy."

"When the moon shines----"

"Oh, yes, it's nicer then. And you can't play-fairy round our house
because there ain't--there are _not_--any flowers. So I come
here--there are such lots of pretty shadows--and nice smells. I
pretend all the flowers come out from the garden and have a party.
It's fun having the flowers, 'cause you can just _tell_ how they'll
act. You know a tulip's going to be awful tall and proud and bow--like
this! And a rose'll act shy, and a buttercup's pert. And a daisy's
'shamed 'cause her dress ain't better--I mean isn't. And a dandelion's
awful bold. And a daffy-down-dilly--oh, _they're_ jolly!"

"How perfectly delightful! Tell me more, Nonie. I believe you have a
witch for a fairy grandmother!"

Nonie giggled. "That's 'nother of my games. I've had that for a long
time. She's coming some day and touch me with a wand and make me into
a beautiful lady. And I'll go out and step into my carriage and a
footman all shiny and white will say: 'To her Majesty's!' And I'll sit
in the best parlor and drink chocolate and real whipped cream from cups
with pink roses on 'em, and a page will say: '_Do_ have another piece
of cake, your ladyship,' and--and I'll say, 'I couldn't hold another
mouthful, thanks, I've had five!'"

Nancy and Nonie laughed together. Then Nonie sighed.

"Do any dreams ever come true? I mean the kind of things you sit and
think about and w