ught it!" cried Poppy, flushing with delight.
"If ever you want any, _do_ come and have some of mine. I have a whole
bedful, and all from a penny packet of seed that I sowed myself.
I should be delighted to give you some at any time."

She refrained from mentioning the fact that it was her only source of
income. She had thrust the basket and the parsley into the man's hand,
and was edging away.

"But M'amzelle will be annoyed with me if I let you go all the way back
without any rest," he pleaded. "Please to enter, m'amzelle."

At that moment Mademoiselle Leperier herself appeared. Anne turned to her
with relief.

"Here, M'amzelle, is the sister of the young lady who was here last night.
She has come with kind inquiries for M'amzelle and my wife."

Mademoiselle Leperier stepped to the door, and taking the blushing Poppy's
hands in both her own, stooped and kissed her. "Oh, you dear child,
how sweet of you," she cried with warm delight. "Come in, you must come
in. Is that beautiful dog at the gate yours? I saw him there and felt I
must go out and speak to him, and then I heard your voice and Anne's.
Do call him in, I want to know him too. You must both come."

There was no shyness or hesitation about Guard; he hurried in almost
before he was invited to, and he and his little mistress found themselves
in the room Esther had described so vividly the night before, only now it
was lit by sunshine instead of fire and lamp. Poppy did not like to look
about her, she knew it was not polite to do so, but her eye fell on the
dresser with its lovely china, and the blue bowl of primroses and moss and
ivy leaves on the little black table, and thought it all more perfect even
than she had imagined.

Guard, as though feeling he was too large for the small room, went over
and sat close against the wall by the window, shedding around him genial
smiles in return for all the attentions lavished on him. Anne was
despatched for milk and biscuits; and while he was gone Mademoiselle
inquired for Esther, and how she got home, politely hoping they had not
been very anxious.

"Yes, we were; we were very anxious, thank you," said Poppy, half
absently. She was looking at her hostess, and thinking of the story she
had heard of her. It seemed so wonderful that after going through such
terrible tragedies she could laugh and talk and be interested in little
every-day matters. But she was, especially when Poppy, at last recovering