With that Rose went up to her room and after a time came down with an open letter in her hand. “I’ve been writing to Mrs. Hagood, and I’d like to read it to you, and have you tell me if it’s all right. “‘DEAR MADAM,’ “I thought first I wouldn’t say ‘dear,’” she explained, “for she never was dear to me, one little bit; but I thought it would be polite to, and I wanted to be polite. “‘Perhaps you think that I ought not to have taken those things to eat when I left your house, though they were not much more than I would have eaten at the supper which I did not have, and the basket I put them in was an old grape basket. So I send you fifty cents, which is all everything is worth, and more, too!’ “Fifty cents was all Ben paid for my dinner the next day, and it was a fine dinner. “‘I am living with a very nice family who are so kind to me. Mrs. Blossom found my relatives, and my real name is not Posey Sharpe, but Rose Shannon. My grandmother had left me property, so I am not a charity child any more, but have money of my own to pay for my board and clothes, and an education. I like Farmdale, and have good friends here. The paper I am writing on is from a box given me at Christmas.’” She paused and looked from one to another. “Will that do?” “I didn’t hear any regret for the way you left Mrs. Hagood,” said Mrs. Blossom. “No, nor you won’t hear any. I know I didn’t do right, but if she had done what was right herself it wouldn’t have happened. If I’d said anything, I should have said that, so I thought perhaps I’d better not say anything. I’ve always felt she might say that I took what didn’t belong to me, and I’m only too glad to send her the money. I would have liked to have added something to Mr. Hagood, but I was afraid if I did it would make trouble for him. She will be apt to read the letter to him, and he will be glad to know I am so nicely settled, but it will make her feel pretty bad to know that I can pay for my board and she not get the money,” and Rose gave a chuckle. “How did you sign yourself?” asked Miss Silence, who had been biting her lips to keep from laughing. “I just signed my name. I wasn’t going to say ‘Yours truly,’ or ‘sincerely,’ for I’m not hers, and it’s one of the joys of my life that I never shall be.” And Rose folded the letter into its envelope and patted on the stamp. CHAPTER XXI THE BOX FROM GREAT-AUNT SARAH It was some two weeks after Great-Uncle Samuel’s visit that the stage one day stopped at the Blossom’s. “Rose Shannon live here?” the driver asked. “Here’s a box for her I found over at Byfield.” “A box for me?” cried Rose, circling round it. “Who in the world can it be from?” “Perhaps when we open it we will know,” and Silence brought the hatchet and quickly had the cover loose. “There’s a letter,” as she lifted the lid. “No doubt that will tell.”