"Some grown person, Sally?" Mrs. Ladue asked anxiously.
"Yes," answered Sally, almost smiling, "some grown person. That is," she added, "if you call Fox Sanderson a grown person."
"Fox Sanderson is a dear good boy," replied Mrs. Ladue. "I wish you had a brother like him, Sally,—just like him."
"I wish I did," said Sally, "but I haven't. The next best thing is to have him just Fox Sanderson. Will you be satisfied with him, mother, dear,—if I can get him to go?"
Again Mrs. Ladue smiled. "Quite satisfied, dear. I can trust you, Sally, and you don't know what a relief that is."
"No," said Sally, "I s'pose I don't." Nevertheless she may have had some idea.
That thought probably occurred to her mother, for she laughed a little tremulously. "Kiss me, darling, and go along."
So Sally kissed her mother, tenderly and again and again, and turned away. But her mother called her back.
"Sally, there is a ticket in my bureau, somewhere. And, if you can find my purse, you had better take that, too. I think there is nearly two dollars in it. It is a pretty small sum for Christmas shopping, but I shall be glad if you spend it all."
Sally turned to kiss her mother again. "I shan't spend it all," she said.