a dark frown.

"When Mademoiselle La Roche is so kind, Sophia Jane," said Aunt Hannah,
"the least you can do is to thank her and look pleasant. You never see
Susan frown like that."

On the way home there was a great deal to be said about Mademoiselle
Delphine, and Susan was so delighted with Grace's new bonnet that she
could not repeat too often how kind it was of her to have made it.

"And aren't you glad she's going to make one for you too?" she asked.

Sophia Jane had been unusually silent and thoughtful since they had
started, and made absent replies to all Susan's remarks. She seemed to
be turning something over in her mind, and the question had to be
repeated before she took any notice. Then she only answered calmly:

"Oh, yes, of course," as if it were the very merest trifle, and she had
presents every day, which was by no means the case. Susan looked
curiously at her, there were often moments when she did not know what to
make of Sophia Jane. Then she said:

"Shall I ask Aunt Hannah to let us stop and look up at Miss Powter's
window?"

Miss Powter kept a toy-shop in the High Street, and only a few days ago
had shown in her window quite a collection of dolls' heads, both china
and wax.

"If you like," said Sophia Jane indifferently.

Susan ran up to Aunt Hannah, who was walking a little way in front, and
put her request, which being granted, the little girls were soon gazing
in at Mrs Powter's shop-front. The heads were still there, a long row
of them, some fair, some dark, some with blue eyes, some with black.

"Now, which should you choose?" asked Susan with much interest; "a wax
or a china one?"

"A wax one," said Sophia Jane; "because I could brush her hair."

"But you couldn't wash her," objected Susan; "and china wears best."

Sophia Jane did not seem disposed to linger long, though generally she
was never tired of Miss Powter's window. She did not enter into the
matter with nearly enough spirit to please Susan, who as they walked on
suggested:

"If I were you I should have that one--the last in the row, with fair
hair. She's rather like Grace, and you see, as their bonnets will be
alike, we might call them sisters."

"If I buy a head at all perhaps I may," was Sophia's puzzling remark.

"Well, but you're sure to," said Susan. "Next week I shall have the
half-crown, and we can go and choose it together. You mean to, don't
you?"

"Perhaps I do and perhaps I don't," answered S