“You children—you four girls—are the heirs in question. I want you to get ready to go to Milton as soon as possible. You will live in the old Corner House and I shall see, with the Probate Court, that all your rights are guarded,” Mr. Howbridge said. It was Dorothy, the youngest, who seemed first to appreciate the significance of this great piece of news. She said, quite composedly: “Then we _can_ buy some candy ’sides those pep’mint drops for Aunt Sarah, on Saturdays.” CHAPTER III THE OLD CORNER HOUSE “Now,” said Tess, with her most serious air, “shall we take everything in our playhouse, Dot, or shall we take only the best things?” “Oh-oo-ee!” sighed Dot. “It’s so hard to ’cide, Tess, just what _is_ the best. ’Course, I’m going to take my Alice-doll and all her things.” Tess pursed her lips. “That old cradle she used to sleep in when she was little, is dreadfully shabby. And one of the rockers is loose.” “Oh, but Tess!” cried the younger girl. “It was _hers_. You know, when she gets really growed up, she’ll maybe want it for a keepsake. Maybe she’ll want dollies of her own to rock in it.” Dot did not lack imagination. The Alice-doll was a very real personality to the smallest Kenway girl. Dot lived in two worlds—the regular, work-a-day world in which she went to school and did her small tasks about the flat; and a much larger, more beautiful world, in which the Alice-doll and kindred toys had an actual existence. “And all the clothes she’s outgrown—and shoes—and everything?” demanded Tess. Then, with a sigh: “Well, it will be an awful litter, and Ruth says the trunks are just squeezed full right now!” The Kenways were packing up for removal to Milton. Mr. Howbridge had arranged everything with Ruth, as soon as he had explained the change of fortune that had come to the four sisters. None of them really understood what the change meant—not even Ruth. They had always been used—ever since they could remember—to what Aggie called “tight squeezing.” Mr. Howbridge had placed fifty dollars in Ruth’s hand before he went away, and had taken a receipt for it. None of the Kenways had ever before even _seen_ so much money at one time. They were to abandon most of their poor possessions right here in the flat, for their great uncle’s old house was crowded with furniture which, although not modern, was much better than any of theirs. Aunt Sarah was going to take her special rocker. She insisted upon that. “I won’t be beholden to Peter for even a chair to sit in!” she had said, grimly, and that was all the further comment she made upon the astounding statement of the lawyer, that the eccentric old bachelor had not seen fit to will all his property to her! There was a bit of uncertainty and mystery about the will of Uncle Peter, and about their right to take over his possessions. Mr. Howbridge had explained that fully to Ruth.