“You had better go home, then, and I will get a doctor to put something on your forehead.” “What, a doctor for this? Oh, my! that would be funny! The boys would all laugh at me!” “Still you have had a serious fall, and such things are often dangerous. Tell me where you live?” “Well, sir, if you insist upon it, I am going right by the house. It won’t take long to put a piece of wet paper on a fellow’s forehead; and as you want to see it done, I haven’t any objection, though mother and Ruthy will be surprised.” So James, unconscious of the tender gratitude which prompted the act, gave one hand to the stranger, and the two walked along together. “What is your name, my little man?” inquired the stranger, greatly interested in the boy. “James. James Laurence.” “Laurence? I met a young lady of that name not long ago—a very beautiful young lady.” “Was she in a store?” “Yes.” “Tall, with eyes that look like water in a shady place?” “She had soft, pleasant eyes.” “Did she tell you her other name? Was it Eva?” “That was her name.” “Well, then, you’ve seen one of the brightest, sweetest, darlingest girls that ever lived, sir; let me tell you that, if she is my sister.” “Then the young lady is really and truly your sister?” said the man, and a strange tone of disappointment broke into his naturally sad voice. “Really and truly she is my own sister; but no wonder you can’t just believe it, she’s so much grander and brighter than any of us. I never see a great, stone house like that I have just come away from, without thinking our Eva was made to live in it, and be a queen, with lots of common people to wait on her.” “What house have you just come from, my little friend?” “Mrs. Lambert’s!” “Ha!” “It is that great house on the corner, with so many flowers behind it. Eva is so fond of flowers, too. It is she who trains up the morning glory vines, and plants sweet peas and crimson beans among them. Sometimes I almost like our little garden as well as Mrs. Lambert’s. We plant our own flowers, you see, and that makes a difference in the way of enjoying them.” “It does, indeed! Do you go to Mrs. Lambert’s often?”