Rosanna, smiling.

"And here am I," answered Helen, smiling back.

"Did you expect me sooner?" asked Rosanna.

"No; I was hoping you wouldn't come. I suppose you never have things to
do, but I am a very busy little girl. I help mother, and practice my
music, and she is teaching me to sew and cook. Of course we have cooking
at school but no one can cook like mother, and I want to be just like
her. I told her about you last night, and she said you could borrow her
whenever you wanted to."

"I too have things to do," said Rosanna, who felt as though she ought to
be of some use since Helen was so industrious. "When I get through with
my bath mornings Minnie dresses me--"

"_Dresses_ you?" exclaimed Helen in astonishment. "Why, Rosanna, can't
you dress yourself?"

Rosanna felt a queer sort of shame. "I never tried," she confessed, "but
I am sure I could."

"Of course you could," said Helen briskly. "The buttons and things in
the back are hard, but my mother makes most of my things slip-on so I
can manage everything. Why don't you try to dress yourself, Rosanna?
You wouldn't want folks to know that you couldn't, would you? Of course
you don't mind my knowing, because I am your friend and I will never
tell; but you wouldn't want most people to know?"

Rosanna had never thought about it at all, but now it seemed a very
babyish and helpless thing. She determined to dress herself in future.
To change the subject she said, "Why don't you come down into the
garden? I want to show you my playhouse and the pony."

"I'd love to," said Helen, and slid rapidly down the tree and out of
sight behind the brick wall.

Rosanna heard her light footsteps running up the stairs leading to the
apartment over the garage. She sat down on the rustic seat and waited as
patiently as she could. It seemed a long time before Helen appeared at
the little gate in the wall.

"Mother thinks that you ought to ask your grandmother if she would like
to have me come and see you," she said, looking very grave.

"Oh, that's all right!" said Rosanna. "Grandmother has gone away, and
she said the very last thing that I could have somebody come and see me
whenever I wanted."

"But did she say me?" Helen persisted. "My father drives for your
grandmother and perhaps she may think we are not rich and grand enough
for you."

"Why, no, she didn't say _you_. She didn't say _any_body. She said I
might have anyone I like, and I like you. It is all right. You