"Oh, not exactly refusing——"
"Begrudging, anyway, to rescue that innocent lamb——"
"She means black sheep," whispered Marjory, into Jean's convenient ear.
"From that institution. Peter Black! I'm just going to keep that child, anyway."
At this, all five laughed merrily. Rosa Marie, cheered by the sound, reached gravely into a paper bag, gravely handed each person a tulip bulb and appropriated one herself. She took a generous bite out of hers.
"We'll plant 'em in a ring around that snowball bush," said Mrs. Crane, rescuing the bitten bulb, bite and all. "That shall be Rosa Marie's own flower bed."
"There's a nursery on the second floor," said Mr. Black. "You girls must help us fix it up. And, Mabel, perhaps you would like to spend this money for some toys that would just exactly suit Rosa Marie."
Mabel beamed gratefully as she accepted the money and the responsibility. Never before had any one singled her out to perform a task that required discretion. It was always Jean, or Bettie, or sometimes even Marjory that was chosen. Never before had greatness been thrust upon Mabel. She lavished grateful, affectionate glances on Mr. Black and inwardly determined to save part of the cash with which to buy him a Christmas present, not realizing that that would be a misappropriation of funds.
Mabel, however, felt a pang of jealousy when Rosa Marie, digging contentedly in the sand at Mrs. Crane's feet, allowed her former guardian to depart absolutely unnoticed.