a few minutes," said Mary Louise. "Won't
you sit down?"

The young woman sank into a chair. She paid no attention to the
children, but Josie found them a seat on a bench by the window. The
little girl lifted the boy to the bench and put her arm around his
shoulders, drawing him close to her sisterly bosom.

"Quite warm today," said Josie to the woman.

Mary Louise could with difficulty keep from giggling. It was so foreign
to Josie's character to discuss the weather.

"Think so?" answered the woman shortly.

"Not so warm as it was yesterday, but still a little unseasonable,"
persisted Josie. "I find a suit quite warm, but then, what is one to
wear?"

Mary Louise listened in amazement. Josie talking weather and clothes!
She had reduced the problem of dress to a science and having done so
dismissed the matter from her mind. As for the weather, she had
frequently declared that all weather was good if one just accepted it.

"Clothes are getting a little cheaper than they were last spring," she
chattered on, "almost pre-war prices at Temple & Sweet's this week.
Charming georgette blouses for a mere song and shoes at a great bargain
if one wears a narrow last."

The woman was plainly interested.

"Temple & Sweet's?" she murmured, and her glance instinctively fell on
her own well-turned arch and narrow toe.

Suddenly the little boy's sobs got the better of him and he wept
convulsively. His sister hugged him more closely and with the hem of
her skirt wiped his eyes. She shook her own tow head and her blue eyes
snapped dangerously as the woman said roughly: "Stop your bawling!"

"Peter, dear, please!" she whispered, but Peter could not stop. Mary
Louise went over and sat on the bench by the children.

"You mustn't cry, my boy," she said gently. "Whatever troubles you I am
sure will come out right. Look out of the window at that robin. Isn't
he busy? Do you know what he is doing? He is building his nest. There
is his wife. She is going to help him. What a good little wife she is!
She thinks it is better to help because her husband is always stopping
and singing. There he goes now! A cunning little teasing song the robin
sings. I love to hear him in the spring. He always sounds so gay and
cheery. Do you know what will happen when they get the nest built?"

"Wha-at?" sobbed the boy. The tears had ceased and the sobs were almost
under control.

"The little wife bird will lay four beautiful eggs. They will be a
gre