Alfonsa was first approached with regard to the child. "Yes," she said, she would take the little one gladly; "and scrub and comb her every day for a week till she is clean enough to bring under the roof of the good, kind lady."
"But will the brother give her to us?" asked Mrs. Page.
"If he is wise, he will," said Alfonsa. "And he has always been wise."
Dionysio was pleased. His eyes brightened when the subject was broached to him.
"But she is not clean," he said. "I could not bring her to you as she is."
The talk with Alfonsa was then repeated. Dionysio had no objection to make, and Margarita herself was willing. A week of "quarantine," as Mr. Page humorously referred to it, and one morning Dionysio made his appearance, leading his sister by the hand. She wore a clean blue calico dress, and a red ribbon in her neatly braided hair. Her face was radiant, and when Mrs. Page approached, she at once went forward and placed one little brown hand in hers.
"I have never seen her do like that," said the boy. "She is so shy."
"I have come to live with you," said the child, gazing frankly around the tent till her glance included every member of the family.
"And you are welcome, my dear," said Aunt Mary, disarmed of her reserve and prejudice, much to the surprise of everybody. She said afterward that no one could have resisted such a charming face and manner. From that moment her subjugation was complete, and Margarita attached herself with equal affection to the kindly, if peculiar, old aunt. In a few days the child had adapted herself to all the ways of her new friends. Her amiable disposition and willingness to wait upon everybody soon endeared her to all the family. Nellie petted and caressed her—it did not seem to spoil her. She slept on a rug in the larger tent, wrapped in a blanket, and curled up like a kitten. It was as though the little orphan had always lived among them.