"Hush, Rob!" said Mrs. March; "don't put such an idea into Nell's head. It isn't at all likely." "Well, you'll see, mamma. I'll bet you any thing." "Ladies don't 'bet,' Rob; and you know mamma hates to hear you say the word." "Oh, dear, mamma!" groaned Rob, "you hate all the nice words! I wish ladies were just like boys!" Late that evening, after Rob and Nelly were fast asleep, a large parcel was brought to their rooms, addressed to Mrs. March. She opened it, and found inside--sure enough, as Rob had said--the beautiful wax doll which Nelly had told them about; and, in the box with the doll, the little bundle of all Mrs. Napoleon's clothes. A note from Mrs. Williams to Mrs. March was pinned on the outside of the package. She said:-- "MY DEAR MRS. MARCH,--Will you allow me to give this doll to your dear, sweet little daughter, to supply the place of the lost Mrs. Napoleon. If you knew how great a pleasure it is to me to do this, I am sure you would not refuse it. Your little girl reminds me so strongly of my own little Elly, who died two years ago, that I only wish I could have her always with me. "Truly your friend, although a stranger, "ISABELLA WILLIAMS." "Well, Rob was right!" exclaimed Mrs. March, as she read this note. "See, Robert, what a beautiful doll has come for Nelly from that invalid lady she went to drive with this afternoon. Rob said she had bought it for Nelly, but I didn't believe it. I don't exactly like to take such a valuable present from a stranger." Mr. March was reading the note. "But we could not refuse," he said. "It would be cruel, when she wants to give it to Nelly because she looks so like her little child that is dead." "No," said Mrs. March; "of course we could not refuse." "She had one of the sweetest and saddest faces I ever saw," said Mr. March. "I do not think she will live long. I wish we could do something for her." "I will go and see her to-morrow morning, and thank her for the doll," said Mrs. March; "and then I will find out whether we can do any thing for her or not. I shall not let Nelly know any thing about the doll till we are all settled. I will pack it away in my trunk." "Yes, that will be much wiser," said Mr. March; "we won't have a second Mrs. Napoleon disaster." Later in the evening, Deacon and Mrs. Plummer arrived; and the next day was very much taken up in discussing plans with them, and making arrangements for going on their journey; and it was late in the afternoon before Mrs. March found time to go to the hotel where Mrs. Williams was staying. She found, to her great sorrow, that Mrs. Williams had left town at noon. She had gone, the landlord said, to Idaho Springs; where he believed she was to take the hot baths. Mrs. March wrote a note to her immediately, and the landlord said he would forward it; but he was not sure of her address, and Mrs. March was very much afraid it would never reach her.