She was disappointed because life was no different than it was. She had hoped to find it as delightful as in those happy days before the war, when she played at kissing games and twined dandelion wreaths in her hair. But now it did not amuse her to play at post-office; she was sad because she was no longer able to be gay. As she passed the little cottage belonging to Mrs. Wicket, she thought to herself: "Yes, you've seen something of life. But not what I want to see, exactly. Look at you." Like Mrs. Grumble, she believed that Mrs. Wicket had nothing more to live for. "There you are," she said, "and there you'll be. Life doesn't mean even as much as a hayride, so far as you're concerned. "You, God," she cried, "put something in my way, just once." At that moment Juliet, who had been peeking out from behind the house, came skipping down the path to the road. As she drew near, her progress became slower; finally she stood still, and balanced herself on one leg, like a stork. "Hello," she said. Then she looked up and down the road, to see what there was to talk about. "I have a little house Mr. Jeminy made me out of boxes," she said at last. "No," said Anna. "Well, that's a fact," said Juliet, who had once heard Mr. Frye say, "Well, that's a fact," to Mr. Crabbe. "My goodness," said Anna, "isn't that elegant?" And she looked down at Juliet, who was staring solemnly up at her. "Yes, it is," said Juliet. "What were you doing," asked Anna, "when I came along?" "I was playing going to Milford," said Juliet. "Do you want to play with me?" It seemed to Juliet that playing was something for any one to do. Anna began to laugh. She had a mind to say, "Do you think I'm as little as you are?" But instead, she found herself thinking, "Oh, my, wouldn't it be fun." "Why," she cried, "I declare, I do want to play with you." "All right," said Juliet. And she turned soberly back to the barn, behind the house. But Anna sat down in the grass. "Just you wait," she said, "till I get my shoes and stockings off. I'm going to play proper." Presently their happy voices, linked in laughter, rose from behind the house, where Juliet was showing Anna how to play store. She tied her apron around her little belly, and came forward rubbing her hands. "Would you like some nice licorice?" she asked. "Everything's very dear." When she was tired of playing store, she began to imitate old Mrs. Tomkins, the carpenter's wife. "This is the way to have the rheumatism," she said. And she hopped around on one foot. After they were through playing, they sat quietly together in the hay, in the barn, without anything more to say. Anna was warm and happy; she wanted to hug Juliet, to hold her tight, to rock up and down with her. "There," she thought, "if I only had one like her." "What are you thinking about?" she asked, to tease her. "I was just thinking," said Juliet, "it's fun to play with people."