road when he reached the house at last, and stood shivering on the
steps while he waited for some one to answer his timid ring.

"No, you can't speak to Mrs. Estel," said the pompous colored man who
opened the door, and who evidently thought that he had come on some
beggar's mission. "She never sees any one now, and I'm sure she
wouldn't see you."

"Oh, _please_!" cried Steven desperately, as the door was about to be
shut in his face. "She told me to come, and I've walked miles through
the storm, and I'm so cold and tired! Oh, I _can't_ go back without
seeing her."

His high, piercing voice almost wailed out the words. Had he come so
far only to be disappointed at last?

"What is it, Alec?" he heard some one call gently.

He recognized the voice, and in his desperation darted past the man
into the wide reception hall.

He saw the sweet face of the lady, who came quickly forward, and heard
her say, "Why, what is the matter, my child?"

Then, overcome by the sudden change from the cold storm to the
tropical warmth of the room, he dropped on the floor, exhausted and
unconscious.

It was a long time before Mrs. Estel succeeded in thoroughly reviving
him. Then he lay on a wide divan with his head on her lap, and talked
quietly of his trouble.

He was too worn out to cry, even when he took the soft curls from his
pocket to show her. But her own recent loss had made her vision keen,
and she saw the depth of suffering in the boy's white face. As she
twisted the curls around her finger and thought of her own fair-haired
little one, with the deep snow drifting over its grave, her tears fell
fast.

She made a sudden resolution. "You shall come here," she said. "I
thought when my little Dorothy died I could never bear to hear a
child's voice again, knowing that hers was still. But such grief is
selfish. We will help each other bear ours together. Would you like to
come, dear?"

Steven sat up, trembling in his great excitement.

"O Mrs. Estel!" he cried, "couldn't you take Robin instead? I could be
happy anywhere if I only knew he was taken care of. You are so
different from the Piersons. I wouldn't feel bad if he was with you,
and I could see him every week. He is so pretty and sweet you couldn't
help loving him!"

She stooped and kissed him. "You dear, unselfish child, you make me
want you more than ever."

Then she hesitated. She could not decide a matter involving so much in
a moment's time. Steven, she felt