“You see I always was such a goose—crying when I ought to laugh, and hard as a rock when I ought to cry. Don’t let anybody know that you ever saw me like this. But I tell you, girls, it isn’t every day that one can get so much joy out of a trumpery bracelet, and save half the price too. You have no idea how much money that old paper has saved for Carter. I’ll be bound he’s chuckling over it yet.” CHAPTER LXIV. THE ADOPTION. Eva, whose face had changed from red to white, with a swift transition of feeling, came forward suddenly, and threw her arms around Mrs. Carter’s neck. “Oh, how good you are! How I love you! Can we do anything—anything on earth to repay all this?” she cried, in a warm outburst of gratitude. “It seems to me that I could fall down and worship you!” “There! there! That’s all nonsense, my dear. Just remember that there is only one thing you can do, and having once refused, I can never ask you again after this, not wanting to buy love.” “Oh, don’t say that, Mrs. Carter. It was because they could not spare me—because they were in such trouble, and needed help so much. Even now——” “Stop a minute, dear. Does your heart go with me?” “Yes! yes!” “Will you go with me now? That is, will you let me arrange this with your mother. The people down yonder don’t want your help. I do. My life in that grand mansion is lonely. I haven’t been brought up to reading, and music, and such things. I want some one to write my notes, do my spelling, and sing to Carter—and am ready to pay for it. If you are willing to work for men that sell goods, why not work for me at double the price? I don’t mean to keep you away from home; there needn’t be a day that you can’t come here. Besides, I have an idea about Ruthy. You shall learn to drive the pony-carriage, and take her out every morning. I’ll have an elevator put up in the house, and she shall just be lifted up to Herman’s studio—in fact there’ll be no break up about it. Say now, once for all, will you come?” “Oh, if you knew how I wish it; but poor Ruthy!” “She don’t look so terribly troubled,” said Mrs. Carter, glancing at the gentle girl. “I shall like the rides _so_ much,” said Ruthy. “Then, perhaps, I might see what the Park is like.” “Of course you shall, with plenty of cushions, and a gentle horse. There can be nothing like it. There now, you see, Eva.” Eva went close to her sister, knelt down, and laying her cheek against the pale, tremulous face, whispered, “Sister, darling, could _you_ let me go.” “We should not be much apart,” answered Ruth. “And she is so good.” While the girls were consulting together, Mrs. Carter went into the kitchen, where she found Mrs. Laurence pressing the mortgage down with the poker into a flaming bed of coals. The scarlet light shone on her face, giving it the glow of long-banished smiles. She closed the stove as Mrs. Carter came up, beaming with good nature, and spoke eagerly.