From the pleasant room she turned to the window, and her glance went across the sunny street and rested on the Big Front Door.
It opened presently, as she rather expected, and Bess and Louise came out with their work-bags, and stood talking to Aunt Zélie, who followed them.
"Dear, dear, how those children are growing! It seems only yesterday that they broke my window and came to confess."
As she watched them Miss Brown thought, as she had so often before, what a happy home that was, and how much of its brightness found its way over to her!
"Come for us early this afternoon, Carl, for we want to go out to Uncle William's," said Bess to her brother, who had joined them and was carefully marking his aunt's height on the wall.
"You are not expecting me to grow any more, I suppose," said that lady, laughing.
"I simply wish to prove to you that I am two inches taller, so you can't lord it over me any longer, madam."
"I was under the impression that the lording came from quite a different quarter."
"That is a base slander; you know I am your humble slave, so take it back," and Carl gave her a hug that compelled her to cry for mercy.
"If you must embrace me, let it not be in public; what will the neighbors think?" she said, as he released her.