'I am thinking about myself,' said the girl shortly.
'And I am thinking about your cake,' said Mrs. Bywank. 'If it was a little earlier, I'd go at the raisins to-night.'
Wych Hazel started up with an exclamation.
'Now stop!' she said. 'If you begin to make a bit of fuss, I shall run away. Who wants cake? People can eat cake at other times, I suppose.'
'I suppose they can,' said Mrs. Bywank laughing, 'but this is a good time too. You must have your cake.'
'There will be no dress to stand with it,' said Hazel. 'The cake will feel lonelylike me.'
Mrs. Bywank sighed a little, stroking the pretty head.
'My dear,' she said, 'you will be dressed, whatever you wear.'
'Can you guess how?' said Wych Hazel. 'I have not heart to put on a white dress. And I could not get a new one here, if I wanted it, and I could not have it made up, if I did. And I wouldn't, if I could.'
'No,' said the old housekeeper, 'so my dear mistress said. "Bywank, it will be dreary work for my little Wych to choose her own wedding dress all alone. I must get it for her." Then she sat and thought awhile"No," she said,"the white would turn yellow, and the dark would fade." And she stopped for a good while then,' said the old housekeeper in a trembling voice; 'but by and by she spoke up, soft and tender"Bywank, if it is so,if it should be so,tell her to take some one she has; and give her my veil.And when she is wrapped in my loveand Dane's loveshe will not mind the dress." And you were asleep on her lap all the while, my dear.'