“They have a market-garden, I believe?” said Mrs. Danforth, still struggling with the chain.
“Yes,” replied Mrs. Everett, “and they raise excellent lettuce and radishes; I can safely recommend their garden products to you. May I help you with that chain, Mrs. Danforth?”
“Thank you, I have it free now,” said Mrs. Danforth, leaning back and changing the subject.
When Cummings came noiselessly in again, with a large pasteboard box, almost full of tin soldiers, picture-books and such playthings, she suggested very respectfully. “Miss Elsa has the lower drawer of her bureau full of toys, ma’am.”
“Are you sure Miss Elsa does not play with them, Cummings?”
The gray-haired woman shook her head primly: “Oh, no, ma’am; she never touches them,”—which was the truth, so far as Cummings knew.
“Very well; bring them also,” said Mrs. Danforth.
As a result, some battered dolls’ furniture, two or three boxes of games, and one small china doll were added to the collection in the pasteboard box. Cummings took the now-filled box out to Mrs. Everett’s carriage, and the kind-hearted woman drove away, happy in having secured both money and playthings for the Convalescent Home.
When Elsa was ready for bed that night, she opened the lower drawer of the white bureau to take out Bettina. Her hand fell upon heaped-up ruffled and embroidered garments.