sia?" She told him why
he should be glad as they walked along.

He looked down at her curiously out of the tail of his eye but he said
never a word. Indeed, Mary Rose gave him little opportunity for speech
as she had so much to say. When they reached the corner where Anna
Paulovitch waited across the street like a stolid figure of Patience,
Mary Rose waved her hand. Anna Paulovitch responded like a semaphore.

"That's Anna! That's Anna Paulovitch," Mary Rose said eagerly. "Isn't
her hair beautiful?" Mary Rose admired the long yellow curls
immensely. "It seems a pity they couldn't have grown on her own head
when she would have appreciated it so but I expect the Lord knew best.
I'm awfully glad I met you so that I could tell you about Jenny Lind.
You don't have to worry another minute for everyone knows now that you
never touched her."

"Here, wait a minute!" Never had Mr. Wells' voice been gruffer nor his
frown blacker. "How much is a canary? Can you get one for this?" He
took a bill from his pocket and offered it to Mary Rose.

"Mr. Wells!" Mary Rose took his hand and squeezed it. "That's a lot.
I'm sure you can get a splendid bird."

"Well, get one then," snapped Mr. Wells.

"You mean for Becky?" Mary Rose could scarcely believe her two small
ears. "I'll be glad to." She regarded him with an admiration that
should have made him feel enveloped in a soft warm mantle. "I'll tell
her it's a present from a kind gentleman who wants to be her friend.
Sometime I'll take you to see her. What shall we name her bird? You
think and I'll think and then tonight we can choose. It must have
something to do with music, you know. Good-by." She squeezed his hand
again and started across the street but ran back. "I forgot to tell
you something that's most important," she said in a low voice. "Did
you ever imagine there would be a flat-house right here in Waloo where
the law lets children live? The Paulovitchs live in one. They do
really. I saw them! And cats and dogs, too. I did! It wasn't like
the Washington but it was a flat-house. It seemed such a friendly
place. I thought you didn't know and now you can tell your friend who
owns the Washington. I don't suppose he knows either. You haven't
heard anything from him about me, have you?" She looked up wistfully.
"I'd--I'd hate to have to go away to an orphan's home now," she
whispered and there were tears in her blue eyes.

He looked down at her a