d on admiringly
and wonderingly, too, as fans and gloves and sashes and ribbons were
laid with the dresses, and Amy grew more excited and eager every moment.

"We'll go to the attic now," she said; "my doll house is there."

They climbed the stairs and found the house packed away as it had been
for years.

"It may as well be sold and make some child happy," Amy said as she took
off its wrappings.

In it was Mandy Ann, the doll the Colonel had bought in Savannah, and
Judy, lying on her face in a pile of dust. Amy took her up tenderly,
saying, "Do you think anybody will buy her?"

There was a little choke in her voice as she asked the question, for the
sight of Judy had stirred memories which often flitted through her weak
brain and puzzled her, they were so misty and yet so sweet, like the
negro melodies she hummed to herself or sang to an imaginary baby.

"Buy her? I guess they would," Ruby Ann replied, all her blood astir at
the thought of the doll house, with Judy and Mandy Ann.

She knew nothing of their antecedents, or how they were connected with
Amy's childhood, but she felt intuitively that almost any price put upon
them would be paid because they belonged to Mrs. Amy, and particularly
because of the dilapidated appearance of Judy, which was sure to rouse
the mirth of the spectators. She was very doubtful as to whether she
ought to take the dresses without consulting some one besides Amy, to
whom she said, "Are you sure you want to give these away? They are
different from anything we shall have, and will seem out of place."

For a moment Amy looked at her with a strange glitter in her eyes, as
she said, "I hate them! I have been going to burn them more than once.
You don't know what they represent to me. I shall burn them, or tear
them, if you don't take them."

She made a motion as if she were going to tear one of the lace flounces,
when Ruby Ann stopped her by saying, "Don't, Mrs. Amy,--please don't.
I'll take the dresses, of course. I only feared you might be giving too
much, with the doll house and Mandy Ann and Judy. I want _them_, sure."

"Yes," Amy said, her mood changing. "Take them all; but don't try to
improve them,--Mandy Ann and Judy, I mean."

There was another choke in her voice as she smoothed Judy's old brown
dress, and brushed a bit of bran from her face. There was no danger that
Ruby would try to change either Mandy Ann or Judy. They were perfect as
they were, and telling Amy when th