“Oh! what an object! Poor child!” whispered Annie. “And how pretty,” she added, as the child turned around and faced her.
“Little one,” said Harcourt, “I have brought you a very kind, good friend, who will be a mother to you, until we can find your lady.”
The waif looked and “took stock” of the woman, and then solemnly expressed her approval.
“Yes, I like her.”
“She will get you some clean clothes to wear,” added Harcourt.
“And let me have a bath first?” inquired the child.
“Yes, indeed!” Annie exclaimed, breaking into the conversation, “that will be the very first thing I will do for you, and right away, too.”
“Oh, thank you, ma’am; thank you ever so much! I like you ever so much, too. I think—yes, I am quite sure you are possessed of common sense.”
Annie looked surprised, and then laughed merrily.
The child was rather disconcerted, and hastened to say, in explanation: