"But Susie does not need them," said the prudent little girl. "She has a black shoes and stockings in your cupboard that are very nice."
"But she could have two pairs. These would be so pretty with the red dress in the Jack Frost song. She could wear the black ones with the blue dress," said Cordelia, seized anew with her besetting sin and growing helpless in its grasp.
She asked the number of the shoes, finding it the same that Susie wore. Then she asked the price. She could buy the shoes and stockings for a dollar and a half.
"One dollar more than I have got," she said in feverish regret. She was intently silent for a little, then she turned, and, running quickly to the school-teacher, drew her to one side, where they could talk unheard.
"The Indian doll my grandmother made for me is very nice and new, for I have kept it in my trunk so much. I will give it to you if you please to give me one dollar—that is what they gave my grandmother for her dolls when she would sell them at the agency," Cordelia said, in eager undertone.
"Why, child, you surely cannot wish to sell your Indian doll that has a beaded buckskin dress just like the one your grandmother wore when she was your age?" said the school-teacher in surprise. "No, thank you, dear. You wish to give me pleasure, but I cannot accept it, for I know you love the little Indian grandmother better than you could the prettiest white doll in the Christmas box," she added, gratefully.
"It is very Indian-minded, and I do not now care for it," replied the girl, with a clouded face. "I wish to buy the little brown shoes and stockings in the glass box," pointing to the show-case. "I have only fifty cents."
"Why, of course, Cordelia, if you really wish to sell it," was the response. "The shoes and stockings are for Susie, I suppose, but are not the black ones nice enough?"
Cordelia had displayed the little black shoes and stockings to the teachers with a deal of pride.
"But the brown ones are much prettier for the Jack Frost song," she argued, pressingly.