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“Do you live all alone in that big house?” she asked wonderingly one day.

“All alone,” said the Tall Lady.

“Did you always live alone?”

“No. I had a sister living with me once. But I don’t want to talk about her. You’ll oblige me, Charlotte, by not talking about her.”

“I won’t then,” agreed Charlotte. “I can understand why people don’t like to have their sisters talked about sometimes. Lily Mitchell has a big sister who was sent to jail for stealing. Of course Lily doesn’t like to talk about her.”

The Tall Lady laughed a little bitterly. “My sister didn’t steal. She married a man I detested, that’s all.”

“Did he drink?” asked Charlotte gravely. “The matron’s husband drank and that was why she left him and took to running an orphan asylum. I think I’d rather put up with a drunken husband than live in an orphan asylum.”

“My sister’s husband didn’t drink,” said the Tall Lady grimly. “He was beneath her, that was all. I told her I’d never forgive her and I never shall. He’s dead now–he died a year after she married him–and she’s working for her living. I dare say she doesn’t find it very pleasant. She wasn’t brought up to that. Here, Charlotte, is a turnover for you. I made it on purpose for you. Eat it and tell me if you don’t think I’m a good cook. I’m dying for a compliment. I never get any now that I’ve got old. It’s a dismal thing to get old and have nobody to love you except a cat, Charlotte.”

“I think it is just as bad to be young and have nobody to love you, not even a cat,” sighed Charlotte, enjoying the turnover, nevertheless.

“I dare say it is,” agreed the Tall Lady, looking as if she had been struck by a new and rather startling idea.

* * * * *

I like the tall lady with the Black Eyes ever so much, thought Charlotte that night as she lay in bed, but I love the Pretty Lady. I have more fun with the Tall Lady and the Very Handsome Cat, but I always feel nicer with the Pretty Lady. Oh, I’m so glad her little girl had mouse-coloured hair.

Then the most wonderful thing of all happened. One day a week later the Pretty Lady said, “Would you like to come and live with me, Charlotte?”

Charlotte looked at her. “Are you in earnest?” she asked in a whisper.

“Indeed I am. I want you for my little girl, and if you’d like to come, you shall. I’m poor, Charlotte, really, I’m dreadfully poor, but I can make my salary stretch far enough for two, and we’ll love each other enough to cover the thin spots. Will you come?”

“Well, I should just think I will!” said Charlotte emphatically. “Oh, I wish I was sure I’m not dreaming. I do love you so much, and it will be so delightful to be your little girl.”

“Very well, sweetheart. I’ll come tomorrow afternoon–it is Saturday, so I’ll have the whole blessed day off–and see the matron about it. Oh, we’ll have lovely times together, dearest. I only wish I’d discovered you long ago.”

Charlotte may have eaten and studied and played and kept rules the rest of that day and part of the next, but, if so, she has no recollection of it. She went about like a girl in a dream, and the matron concluded that something more than sulphur and molasses was needed and decided to speak to the doctor about her. But she never did, because a lady came that afternoon and told her she wanted to adopt Charlotte.

Charlotte obeyed the summons to the matron’s room in a tingle of excitement. But when she went in, she saw only the matron and the Tall Lady with the Black Eyes. Before Charlotte could look around for the Pretty Lady the matron said, “Charlotte, this lady, Miss Herbert, wishes to adopt you. It is a splendid thing for you, and you ought to be a very thankful little girl.”