"What! in this great cap and glasses?" cried Golden, alarmed.
"Yes, indeed; you can't hide your round cheeks, and your red mouth, and your dimpled chin!" cried the child, in pretty triumph.
"I can keep out of Mr. Chesleigh's way, anyhow," Golden replied, as she buttoned the pretty dress and clasped a slight gold chain around the white neck of the child.
"Now you are quite finished," she said. "You look very sweet, and I hope you will enjoy yourself very much."
"Thank you," said the little girl, impulsively kissing her; then she added, a little pityingly: "It is a pity you cannot be dressed in white, and go to the ball, too, Mary. Do you never wish to?"
"Sometimes," admitted Golden, with her sweet frankness, and a soft, little sigh.
Ruby studied her attentively a moment, her dark head perched daintily like a bird's.
"I should like to see you in a ball-dress," she said. "It should be a white lace over blue satin, and looped with violets. You should have large, white pearls around your neck, and your hair hanging down and a bandeau of pearls to bind it. It is a great pity you are not rich, Mary. People say that you are too pretty to be a servant."
Something like a sob rose in Golden's throat and was hardly repressed. They had told her this so often.
She was beautiful, but it had only brought her sorrow. To her, as her mother, had been given—