Yes." And Mrs. Laval again put her face down to
Matilda's face and pressed her lips upon hers, again and again, as if
she drew some sweetness from them. Not so passionately as the time
before; yet with quiet earnestness. Then with one hand she stroked the
hair from Matilda's forehead, and drew it forward, and passed her
fingers through it, caressing it in a tender, thoughtful way. Norton
knelt on the grass beside them and looked on, watching and satisfied.
Matilda was happy and passive.

"Have you got money enough, love, for all you want to do?" Mrs. Laval
asked at length.

"_I_ haven't much," said Matilda; "but Norton is going to help."

"Have you got enough, Norton?"

"I guess so, mamma."

Mrs. Laval put her hand in her pocket and drew out a little morocco
pocket-book. She put it in Matilda's hand.

"Norton shall not do it all," she said. "I don't know exactly how much
is in this; you can use what you choose on this fairy palace you and
Norton are building."

"Oh, ma'am!" Matilda began, flushing and delighted. Mrs. Laval stopped
her mouth with a kiss.

"But, ma'am, won't you please take out what you wish I should spend for
Mrs. Eldridge."

"Spend just what you like."

"I might take too much," said Matilda.

"It is all your's. Do just what you like with it. Spend what you like
in Lilac Lane, and the rest for something else."

"Oh, ma'am!"--Matilda began again in utter bewildered delight.

"No, darling, don't say anything about it," Mrs. Laval answered,
finding Matilda's pocket and slipping the pocket-book in. "You shall
talk to me about it another time. I wish you could give me your secret."

"What secret, ma'am?" said Matilda, who for the very delight that
flushed her could hardly speak.

"How to get so much satisfaction out of a little money."

Matilda wished she could give Mrs. Laval anything that would do her a
pleasure, and she began to think, _could_ she let her into this secret?
It seemed a simple secret enough to Matilda; but she had a certain
consciousness that for the great lady it might be more difficult to
understand than it was for her. Was it possible that elegant
pocket-book was in _her_ pocket?

But now came the summons to tea, and they got up off the grass and went
in. So beautiful a table Matilda had never seen, and more thorough
petting no little girl ever had. No one else was there but those three,
so she was quite at home. Such a pleasant home it was, too. The windows
all ope