sofa pillow with the
two doves on it I did when I was about Celia's age. I was very proud of
it, I remember."

"May I go look at them?"

"Assuredly."

So Edna went into the next room and carefully examined the two pieces of
work which now had a new importance in her eyes. A little girl about
her age had done them long ago. She discovered, too, a queer-looking
picture behind the door. It was of a lady leaning against an urn, a
weeping-willow tree near by. The lady held a handkerchief in her hand
and looked very sorrowful. Edna wondered why she seemed so sad. There
were some words written below but they were too faint for her to
decipher, and she determined to ask her grandmother about this picture
which she had never noticed before. While she was still looking at it,
Reliance came to the door to say, "I can go now; I've finished what I
had to do." Edna turned with alacrity and the two went out together.

CHAPTER II

RELIANCE

"How long have you lived here?" Edna asked her companion when they were
outside.

"About six months," was the reply.

"Are you 'dopted?" came the next question.

"No, I'm bound."

Edna looked puzzled. "I don't know what that is. I know a girl that was
a Friendless and she was 'dopted so now she has a mother and a beautiful
home. Her name used to be Maggie Horn, but now it is Margaret McDonald.
Is your name Reliance Willis?"

"No, it is Reliance Fairman, and it wasn't ever anything else. I was
friendless, too, till Mrs. Willis took me."

"Oh, and did you live in a house with a lot of other Friendlesses?"

"No, I wasn't in an orphan asylum, if that's what you mean, but I reckon
I would have had to go there or else to the almshouse."

"Oh!" This seemed even more dreadful to Edna and she looked at her
companion with new interest, at the same time slipping her hand into the
other's to show her sympathy. "Tell me about it," she said.

"Why, you see, my parents died. We lived about three miles from here,
and your grandmother used to know my grandmother; they went to the same
school, so when us children were left without any home or any money your
grandmother said she would take me and keep me till I was of age, so
they bound me."

"How many children were there?"

"Three boys and me. Two of the boys are with Mr. Lukens and the other is
in a home; he is a little chap, only six. If he'd been bigger maybe your
grandfather would have had him here, and perhaps he will come when he