And just then she was surprised to see, coming toward the doll counter, the same lady who, the day before, had been in with the little girl Dorothy and the boy Dick.
“Where is that pretty doll I looked at yesterday?� asked the lady of the girl clerk. “I mean the one with the brown eyes?�
“This is it, Madam,� was the answer. “I put it aside for you,� and the girl lifted down the Sawdust Doll. To look at her you never would have thought that, a few hours before, she had been dancing around with the Calico Clown.
“Yes, that is the doll I want for my little girl,� said the lady. “It is one of the most beautiful I have seen in the store. Her brown eyes are so very pretty. I’ll take her.�
And then began some adventures for the Sawdust Doll. She was dusted off with a soft brush, and it tickled her face so that she wanted to sneeze, but she knew she would not dare do that with all the people around. Then the clerk wrapped some soft paper around her, and more paper on the outside of that and tied it with a string.
“Gracious! I hope I don’t smother!� thought the Sawdust Doll.
She wished she might have a chance to say good-bye to the White Rocking Horse, and to the Candy Rabbit, the Monkey on a Stick, the Bold Tin Soldier, the Lamb on Wheels, and the Calico Clown.
But of course this could not be done while all the people were looking on. But the Tin Soldier, the Calico Clown, and others were thinking to themselves rather sad thoughts.
“There goes our Sawdust Doll!� thought the Clown. “I suppose I’ll never see her again.�
“And I’ll never have another chance to drive a bad rat away from her with my tin sword,� thought the Tin Soldier.