eated in an invalid's chair by the window. As Louise advanced
timidly, followed by the others, this lady held out her hand, saying:

"You wish to speak to me, Mary says; I am very glad to see you."

They all felt reassured by her pleasant tone, and Louise found her
voice.

"We came to tell you that, while we were playing, Carl threw his ball
and broke your window. It was partly my fault too, and we thought we
would all come and tell you."

"I am very sorry about it, and I will have a new pane put in," Carl
added.

"I am sure it was an accident," said the lady, smiling; "you must not
feel badly. I shall be glad of it if it helps me to make the
acquaintance of some of my new neighbors. Won't you tell me your
names?"

Louise's dimples at once began to show themselves, for she was always
ready to make friends, and she gave her plump little hand, saying:

"I am Louise Hazeltine, and this is my brother Carl and my sister
Bess, and Ikey Ford who lives next door."

"We are much obliged to you for not minding about the window," Bess
added, forgetting her shyness.

"Won't you sit down and talk to me for a while? I am Miss Brown."

The children smiled at each other. "We have always called this the
Brown house," Carl explained.

"Then you won't have to change. It is much simpler than if I had
happened to be named Green or Black, isn't it?" said their new friend,
laughing. "And now I am sure you can't guess what I call _your_
house."

Of course they couldn't, so she told them that she had named it the
house with the Big Front Door.

This amused them very much, and Louise asked, "How did you know we
lived there?"

"Oh, I have seen you going in and out. I can't move about easily, so
when I grow tired of reading or sewing I look out of the window."

It was astonishing how much at home they felt. Bess and Louise sat
together in a big chair chattering away as if they had known Miss
Brown all their lives. When she asked about the telephone, even Ikey
had a word to say as they grew merry over the story of their
difficulties.

As they were leaving, Bess said demurely, "Miss Brown, I think we
ought to tell you that we have been playing in your garden. We didn't
mean to do any harm, but Aunt Zelie says it wasn't respecting other
people's property."

"My dear children, I wish you would come often and play in my garden,"
was the hospitable reply.

"I am afraid your Mary wouldn't like it," said Louise; adding quickly,
"