l be so
glad."

"I think you might tell me," returned Edna, a little peevishly.

"Don't be cross," said Dorothy, winningly. "I had to promise not to
tell; but I did want you to expect something awfully nice."

"When shall I know?"

"To-morrow."

"O, I know what it is. I'm going to take a drive. Your mamma told me."

"That's not all," replied Dorothy, gleefully.

"I can hardly keep from telling, so please don't ask me. Here comes
your supper--Mrs. MacDonald has sent you some lovely jelly."

Several times before bedtime Dorothy almost let out the secret, but
Edna never suspected, so when the next day the carriage stood waiting
to take her to drive she did not in the least know where they were
going, nor why.

CHAPTER XI

ADOPTED.

As the carriage turned into the driveway which led up to Mrs.
MacDonald's house, Edna exclaimed, "O, I know the s'prise! We are
going to see Mrs. MacDonald."

Dorothy clapped her two hands over her mouth as if to keep in the
secret that trembled upon her lips. Then she looked up at her mother,
repressing a little chuckle.

"Yes, we are going to Mrs. MacDonald's," said Mrs. Evans, smiling.

They were ushered into the cosy library, where an open wood fire was
blazing. Some one was curled up in a big chair before the fire--a
little girl with curly auburn locks falling about her face; she wore a
soft cashmere frock, and was a very dainty-looking little maid. She
glanced up quickly as the visitors entered the room. Then a bright
smile broke over her face, and she ran forward to meet them.

"Why," exclaimed Edna, "it's Maggie! Maggie Horn!"

"No," and the auburn locks shook a decided negative; "no, it isn't
Maggie Horn; it's Margaret MacDonald! O, Edna, I'm 'dopted!"

Edna danced up and down in sheer delight, and Dorothy followed suit.
Then Edna gave Maggie a great hugging. "Tell me all about it," she
said. "How did it happen? O, Dorothy, this is the most delicious
secret that ever was. How did you keep it?"

Mrs. Evans left the children in order to find Mrs. MacDonald, who was
in the conservatory, and Maggie began:

"Well," she said, smoothing down her frock, and taking a long breath,
"I was in the schoolroom, you know, when Miss Barnes was called out to
see a lady, and after a while she came back and said some one wanted
to see me. I thought it was my beautiful Mrs. Ramsey, so I was very
glad; but it wasn't Mrs. Ramsey at all, it was a lady I had never seen
before.