Marigold shook her head smilingly.
"One of them is really more your friend than ours, I'm sure," Miss Holcroft continued. "Now you know, do you not?"
"No, indeed; I cannot imagine who they were," Marigold responded, looking puzzled.
"Farmer Jo and his mother have been here. They had been to see Mrs. Nowell, and afterwards they called here. They both seemed very disappointed you were not at home, did they not, Pamela?"
"Yes, I'm sure they were sorry to have missed you, Marigold," Miss Pamela said.
"Mrs. Adams said she was very fond of children."
"Oh, I wish I had been at home!" the little girl cried, in disappointed accents.
"We have promised to drive out to their farm one fine day," Miss Pamela continued. "If all is well, we will take you with us, Marigold."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, Aunt Pamela!"
Marigold had spoken in bright, glad tones; but now a shadow crossed her face, and in a few words she told them the sad story she had heard from old Mrs. Barker that afternoon. Her aunts listened in silence, but when she had finished her tale, Miss Holcroft took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes, whilst Miss Pamela's usually cold face was full of sympathy.