very lonely."

"Perhaps she prefers loneliness, dear. I should be only too pleased to
show friendly neighbourliness to the poor lady if she would like it, but
sometimes it is greater kindness not to intrude. You can go there, dear,
if you and she wish it, and perhaps the friendliness will increase by
degrees."

"Is she very ill? Does she have a great lot of pain?" asked Poppy
anxiously. "I wonder if she knows she may be blind some day. Why doesn't
she have a doctor?" Poppy had no doubt in her mind that a doctor could
cure every ill human beings can suffer.

"She has seen nearly every famous doctor there is," said Esther, "so Anne
said. But, Poppy, if you ever see Mademoiselle, you must never let her
know that we know about it, and _never_ speak about her to _any one_.
Do you hear? You won't, will you, dear? She might not like it."

Poppy promised. "_Oh, no_," she cried emphatically, "tourse not "; and
Poppy's promises were always kept. "Esther, hasn't she got any eyes,
and is she very sad, and--and--"

"Not at all. She was anxious about Laura, and she looked thin and
delicate, but you would never know she was suffering; and her eyes are as
bright and pretty as any I have ever seen."

Then Penelope, who had been all this time thinking things over, began to
put her questions. All her curiosity was about Mademoiselle's singing,
but Esther could tell her little on that point. "Perhaps she will tell me
more when I know her better," she said hopefully, and went to bed in high
spirits at the thought of the new friend she had made, and of another
visit to the dear little cottage soon.

CHAPTER XIII.

"Angela, has Fluffy laid an egg to-day?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Will you sell it to me? I've got the money for it." Poppy opened her
hand to display the penny she had been tightly grasping.

"What do you want to buy an egg for?" asked Angela, with sudden caution.
"I don't think you had better eat any more without asking Cousin Charlotte
first. You had a big breakfast."

"I don't want to eat it," cried Poppy, in a tone of wounded dignity.
"I want it to--to give to some one."

"Some poor person?"

"Well, yes, I think she is poor. I know she is not well, and eggs are
good for people who are not well."

"Yes, very. Well, there's the egg. Isn't it a beauty? _I_ call it
perfectly lovely." Angela looked at it lovingly. To her there never were
or would be such eggs as her Fluffikins laid. "Now do b