"She's an angel now," returned Ruth, "and I can't tell her I love her, but I can tell you and I want to stay with you forever 'n' ever and be called Ruth Henrietta Brackenbury."
"And so you shall. I must see Dr. Peaslee," she added musingly, "and Squire Field; they'll know how I must make it legal."
She put on her hat that very evening and went out, leaving Billy and Ruth to study their lessons.
When she came back Dr. Peaslee was with her. He brought a pocketful of roasted chestnuts for the children and told them such funny stories that they went laughing to bed.
Sometime later came an important looking envelope through the mail. Ruth brought it in. "Such a great big letter, Aunt Hester."
Miss Hester took it, opened it and looked over the contents. Then she called Ruth to her. "Ruth Henrietta Brackenbury," she said taking the child's face between her two hands, "that is your real name now and no one can dispute it. You shall never change it unless," she added with a little twist of a smile, "you should get married some day."
"But I never shall," returned Ruth soberly, "for I shall always want my name to same as yours. Is it really, really mine?"
"It is really yours in law, and you are my own little girl in the eyes of the law exactly the same as you would be any mother's."
"Oh, I am so glad, so glad," said Ruth.
Then they sat and hugged each other very tight till Billy came in with the wood.