“But we cannot accept such a gift from the Ambassador!” Bab protested, feelingly.
“The Ambassador did not give us Beauty, Bab!” exclaimed Mollie.
But Barbara had thrown her arms around Ruth’s neck. “You are just the dearest, sweetest friend in the world, Ruth Stuart!” she cried. “And I’d love you more than ever if I could. But Mollie and I cannot accept Beauty from you. You have done too much for us.”
“Well, Bab,” laughed Ruth, “you are the most difficult person in the world to bestow a present upon; but I am not guilty.”
“Then who has given Beauty to us?” demanded Bab.
“No other person than Cousin Betty in St. Paul!” answered Mistress Mollie. “Do you remember, Bab? Mother wrote that Cousin Betty meant to give us a beautiful present when she came home. The present was to be a horse, and Cousin Betty is going to give us the money to take care of it. Mother was to buy the horse when she returned to Kingsbridge. When you wrote of your ride on Beauty, mother wrote to Ruth to inquire if the horse were for sale. The Ambassador and Dorothy were both willing to sell her to us, but to no one else.”
“I do not know what we have ever done to deserve such good fortune.” Barbara spoke so solemnly that her friends all laughed.
“But I have more news, and better news for you, Bab!” cried Mollie, triumphantly, “mother is willing for us to bring Eunice home with us for the winter!”
“Dear little Eunice!” Bab said, kissing the Indian girl.
“I shall never cease to be grateful to you and to your mother for this kindness,” declared Mr. Winthrop Latham, taking Barbara’s hand. “You know the difficult situation in which I am placed in regard to Eunice. I dare not take the child home, at present, to live with my sister-in-law and my nephew. It seemed even more cruel to send Eunice to boarding school while the child knows nothing of the world. But, if your kind mother will keep her with you, let her go to school, and teach her just a little of what you know, I shall be deeply in your debt.”