“Poor Elsa,” exclaimed Betty, whose generous heart was quickly touched.
“Her dearest doll,” sighed Alice, pityingly.
Ben, seated on the ottoman again beside his sister, put his arm close around her.
“If Susie were to be given to any one of you three girls, which would you rather should have her?” Miss Ruth asked.
Betty and Alice looked at one another.
Ben gave Alice a hug and said: “I vote for Elsa’s having the doll,—though you didn’t ask me!” he added, hanging his head.
From looking at one another, Betty and Alice had turned to look at Susie, who sat on the cushion in the chair by the table, just where Elsa had placed her.
Betty was the first to speak: “If Elsa had Susie, I know she would let us play with her.”
Then Alice, generously swallowing her own disappointment, said: “Betty has Max and Janet, and I have Ben, so I—I think Elsa better have Susie.”
“Because she has only her grandmother to live with,” put in Betty.