ch children and they told me that they'd keep her until
she was fourteen--then they'd have taught her some sort of
work--probably domestic--and she could make her own way. God help
her--fourteen, a little younger than our Gyp! I went back to your
mother's. She was out and I rushed up to your nursery. Your very
professional nurse thought I was mad. I sent her out. I took you in my
arms. I had to hold you to feel that you were safe and sound and had all
the arms and legs you needed and your face not half scarred away. And
sitting there I sort of talked to God--I begged Him to let you keep the
blessings you had at that moment and to make you worthy of them. You're
a beautiful girl, Isobel, and you have every advantage that love and
thought and money can give you, but--so was Aunt Maria beautiful at your
age, before vanity and selfishness----"

"Uncle Johnny, I've known for a long time--that you didn't love me!
That's why I've been so nasty to Jerry. You love her----"

"Bonnie!" Uncle Johnny's arm was around her now. He half shook her.
"Foolish girl! I love you now just the way I loved that mite of a baby.
I've always been fonder of you than any of the others and I'm mighty
fond of them. But you were the first--the most wonderful one."

"But you'd like to have me--like Jerry?"

"Yes," he answered, very decidedly. "I'd like to have you--that kind of
a girl, who walks straight with her head up--and sees big visions--and
grows toward them."

"I hate goody-goody girls," sighed poor Isobel.

"So do I!" laughed Uncle Johnny. "But you couldn't hate a girl who would
rather make someone else happy than win in a swimming match?"

"N-no, and I wouldn't blame Jerry if she'd just enjoy seeing me
miserable--I've been so nasty to her. And she _isn't_ goody-goody,
either! She's just----"

"A very normal, unspoiled, happy girl who's always been so busy thinking
of everything else that she's never had a moment to think of herself.
Now to show that you forgive my two-a-penny lectures, will you let me
eat dinner with you off your tray? And what are you doing with these
books? And did you know Dr. Bowerman's going to let you try crutches on
Sunday?"

Two hours later, when Jerry, a little shyly, tiptoed into Isobel's room
to say good-night, Isobel impulsively pulled her head down to the level
of her own and kissed her. She wanted to tell Jerry what Uncle Johnny
had made her feel and see but she could not find the right words, and
Jerr