“No,” Eva replied. “Mrs. Friend told me that Susetta is to have a tutor come from the city each day, and I suppose I am to have lessons with her.”
Poor little Eva little dreamed that educating the orphan was not in Mrs. Green’s scheme.
Few were the girl’s belongings, and those were soon packed in a satchel which had belonged to her father. Lovingly Eva touched it, and it was hard for her to keep back the tears when she remembered the big, fine man who had owned it. How sad he would be if he knew that his only little girl—But she put the thought away from her and smiled brightly up at her friend. It would not do for her to be recalling the once happy home and the two who had so loved her.
“Amanda,” she said, trying to speak cheerily, “would you like to wear my blue ring while I am away? Maybe it would be sort of company for you.”
Amanda choked as she replied: “Oh, Eva, I’d be so glad to wear it. Maybe it would help me to be brave, the way you are. I’ll just look at the ring and remember that you love me, and then I won’t care so much if the other girls are mean.”
“There!” Eva announced as she snapped the clasp of the satchel. “My wardrobe is packed and I am ready to depart for my future palatial residence at Restwell.” Then she laughingly added, as she caught hold of her friend and swung her around: “Amanda, do smile! You look as though you were at a funeral. Really, now, things might be ever so much worse. I might be going miles and miles away from you, but, as it is, I shall be near enough to run over and see you often.”
At that moment a small girl put her head in the dormitory-door and called excitedly: “Eva! Eva Dearman! Are you here? There’s the grandest kerridge come to get you. My, don’t I envy you though! Wouldn’t I like to be leavin’ this dismal old orphans’ home and going to live in a castle, like as not, where there’s servants with gold buttons to wait on you.”
Eva hurriedly put on her hat and coat, and then, kissing her friend, she whispered: “Don’t cry, Amanda. Somehow I feel sure that something ever so nice is going to happen soon for both of us. I can’t think what it will be, but I feel it in my bones, and you can’t guess what good prophets my bones are,” she added merrily as they started down the stairs.
Mrs. Friend was waiting in the hall, and she and Amanda walked out to the gate with Eva, Amanda carrying the satchel, as she would gladly have carried all of her friend’s burdens if only she could.
A liveried footman helped Eva into the carriage, to the envy of all the orphans, who were watching from the windows of the Home.