“Mirandy will be glad to have her.”
“And she’d be company for me,” rejoined the other neighbor. “I haven’t any children.”
“Bella must choose for herself,” said Ruth kindly.
“I guess I’ll go with Mr. Perkins,” said the actor’s daughter. “Miz Holmes is real nice; but Doctor Holmes gives awful tastin’ medicine. I might be sick there and have to take some of it. So I’ll go to Miz Perkins. She has a doctor from Maybridge and he gives candy-covered pellets. I ate some once. Besides, Miz Perkins is lame and can’t get around so spry, and I can do more for her.”
“Now listen to that!” exclaimed the farmer. “Ain’t she a noticing child?”
“Well, Mrs. Perkins will be good to her, no doubt,” agreed the doctor’s wife.
“I’d like to know what you fresh city folks butted into this thing for!” demanded Miss Timmins. “If there’s any law in the land——”
“You’ll get it!” promised Tom Cameron.
“Go get anything you own that you want to take with you, Bella,” Ruth advised the shrinking child.
With another fearful glance at her aunt, Bella ran upstairs.