“I’m up here now, and anyway, I’d better show you where to keep your things.  Where’s your key?”

Jewel laid down the doll and opened her leather side-bag, producing the key tied with a little ribbon.

Mrs. Forbes unlocked the trunk, lifted out the tray, and began in a business-like manner to dispose of the small belongings that had last been handled so tenderly.

“Mrs. Harry certainly knows how to pack,” ran her thoughts, “and she’d naturally know how to sew.  These things are as neat as wax, and the child’s well fixed.”  In the tray, among other things, were a number of doll’s clothes, some writing materials, a box of different colored hair ribbons, and a few books.

“Glad to see a Bible,” thought Mrs. Forbes.  “Shows Mrs. Harry is respectable.”  She glanced at the three other books.  One was a copy of “Heidi,” one was “Alice in Wonderland,” and the third a small black book with the design of a cross and crown in gilt on the cover.  Mrs. Forbes looked from this up at the child.

“What’s this?  Some kind of a daily book, Julia?”

“I—­yes, I read it every day.”

“Well, I hope you’ll be faithful now your mother’s gone.  She’s taken the trouble to put it in.”

Jewel’s eyes had caught a glimpse of green color.  Eagerly she reached down into the trunk and drew out carefully a dress in tiny checks of green and white.

“That’s my silk dress,” she said, regarding it fondly.

“It is very neatly made,” returned Mrs. Forbes repressively.  “It doesn’t matter at all what little girls have on if they are clean and neat.  It only matters that they shall be obedient and good.”

Jewel regarded her with the patience which children exercise toward the inevitable.  “I’d like to fix Anna Belle’s drawer myself,” she said modestly.

“Very well, you may.  Now here are your shoes and slippers, but I don’t find any rubbers.”

“No, I never wear rubbers.”

“What?  Doesn’t it rain in Chicago?”

“Oh yes indeed, it rains.”

“Then you must get your feet wet.  I think you better have had rubbers than a silk dress!  What was your mother thinking of?”

Jewel sighed vaguely.  She wondered how soon Mrs. Forbes would go away.

This happy event occurred before long, and the little girl amused herself for a while with rearranging somewhat the closet and drawers.  Then putting on her hat and taking her doll with her, she stole quietly down the thickly carpeted stairs, and opening the heavy hall door, went out upon the piazza.  It was sheltered from the wind, and wicker chairs were scattered about.  Jewel looked off curiously amid the trees to where she knew, by her father’s description, she should find, after a few minutes’ ramble, the ravine and brook.  Pretty soon she would wander out there.  Just now the sun was warm here, and the roomy chairs held out inviting arms.  The child climbed into one of them.  Father would come back here some happy day and find her.  The thought brought a smile, and with the smile on her lips, her head fell back against a yielding cushion, and in a minute she had fallen asleep.  Anna Belle toppled over backward.  Her plumed hat was pushed rakishly askew, but little she cared.  Her eyelids had fallen, too.