one, because I don't know
myself; only it _is_, and it makes you feel sort of happy all over," said
Toinette, trying to put into words that subtle something which makes us
feel at peace with all mankind, and little realizing that its cause lay
right within herself; for a sense of having done one's very best and a
clear conscience are wonderful rosy spectacles through which to see life.

"Go on, I'm keenly interested, and these little confidences are very
delightful," said her father, with an encouraging nod and smile.

"So I began to want to do little things, too, and, do you know, daddy,
you'd be really surprised if you knew what a lot of ways there are of
making the girls happy if you only take the trouble to look for them. For
instance, there is Helen Burgess, the larger of the girls you saw just
now: we have become real good friends, and she is very clever, and draws
beautifully. But she has so little to do with that she can't afford to get
the things the other girls have to work with, nor have the advantages they
have. She and Jean have been trying ever so long to get cameras, for they
think that they could take pretty views of Montcliff and sell them to the
people who come here in the summer, and I'm sure they could, too. It does
not make so much difference to Jean, for, although she isn't rich, she
isn't exactly poor, either, you know, and has a good many nice things, but
Helen never seems to have any. So I thought I'd have a little talk with
you and get you to send out a cute little camera for each of them and
never let them know where they came from. Wouldn't that be great fun? But
I want to pay for them. You can use ten dollars of my money, and not send
me my allowance for two weeks; I've got enough to last."

"And what will my poverty-stricken lassie do meantime?" asked Mr. Reeve.

"Oh, she is not so poverty-stricken as you think," laughed Toinette. "She
won't suffer. And then I wanted to ask you if there wasn't some way of
helping Helen in her art work. She wants so much to go abroad with Miss
Preston, but has no more idea of ever being able to do so than she has of
going to the moon. What would it cost, papa? Isn't there some way of
bringing it about? Couldn't you have a talk with Miss Preston and find out
all about it, and then we could plan something, maybe."

Toinette had become very earnest as she talked, and was now leaning toward
her father, her hands clasped in her lap, and her expressive face aliv