Arabella | Page 9

through a snow mist, and gulped and tried to speak,
and gulped again, neither of the two was aware that that little scene had
had a spectator, who was likewise an auditor.

Arabella, waking suddenly, bewildered by her strange surroundings,
got out of bed in her long, white night dress, with her brown hair in a
towsled mass on top of her head, and stole into the adjoining room.
There she clearly perceived the two women sitting before the fire, and
as she gradually began to realize who they were and where she was, she
caught the sound of her own name. Almost involuntarily she stood, a
fascinated listener, hearing with wonder and amazement the strange
tale concerning her which Mrs. Christie unfolded. Until that moment,
she vaguely knew that she had fallen heir to some money left by
somebody, and had not at all realized that with the fortune she had
come into possession of rich relations.
Her astonishment gave place to awe when she beheld the most
wondrous sight of all-- Mrs. Christie crying, and the little woman
wiping sympathetic tears from her own eyes. Hitherto she had always
believed that grown people never cried, and least of all, Mrs. Christie.
Moreover, the sight touched a new and strange chord in her own kindly
and generous nature, and she was deeply touched to hear the woman
say that she would be lonesome for her, Arabella. For her, too, those
tears were falling.
It marked a new era in her life, and the impression thus made upon her
she never lost. She felt for the first time that someone really cared, and
this knowledge had an important influence upon her future course of
action. She did not, however, let the others know of her presence, but
crept back to bed. There her attention was divided between the strange
and unaccustomed noises without and the thrilling story she had heard.
She repeated over and over to herself, as she lay awake, "I won't go to
any rich relations. No, I won't. I'll stay with her, if she wants me."
And so resolving, she fell asleep, only to be awakened, next time, by
the flood of morning sunshine which came streaming into her room
through the chintz curtains. She thought for a moment she was
dreaming, so oddly did the strange medley of noises, induced by the
bustle of the thoroughfare, intensified now with the coming of day,
break upon her ears. Amongst them all, however, she presently heard
Alicia's chirping voice in the adjoining room, exclaiming: "Oh, sister,

let the child sleep as long as she can. It will do her good, after the
fatigue of the journey."
To which the curt, dry tones of Mrs. Christie responded:
"Alicia, you'd spoil Arabella in jest about a week. Why, she ain't never
slept after six o'clock in her life."
Then Arabella remembered everything, and lost no time in getting up
and dressing as quickly as possible. She went out into the dining room,
where she was presently regaled with some of that delicious beverage
now known to her as coffee, golden brown and piping hot, some
buttered toast and crisp bacon. The little woman waited upon her as if
she had been a princess, and solely from the goodness of her own heart,
and in her delight at having a guest. These attentions were prompted by
no other motive. A word here, a little act there, added to the comfort of
both visitors, but especially to that of the little girl. Never in her life
before, nor in her many after vicissitudes, did Arabella enjoy a more
delightful experience than during her stay in those quarters over a shop,
within a stone's throw of noisy, over-crowded Third Avenue.

CHAPTER VI.
A SHOPPING EXPEDITION
On the following morning, after breakfast, the first question mooted
was that of visiting the shops. "I've got to get Arabella a dress," Mrs.
Christie declared, "and a hat and shoes as well, before I take her to see
her folks."
Arabella shivered at the mention of "folks," though with the reticence
which her lonely, unchildlike life had engendered, she made no allusion
to what she had overheard. Mrs. Christie, too, felt oppressed by the
dreaded ordeal before her of "facing the folks," and the little woman
was heartily in sympathy with her fears.

"We must make Arabella look as well as possible," she agreed, "and the
Third Avenue shops won't do. We'll have to go over to Sixth Avenue,
or even Broadway. Of course, things will be more expensive there, but
we must manage."
"There ain't much need of managing," laughed Mrs. Christie. "The
lawyer gave me a cheque for present expenses."
Alicia's eyes opened wide.
"How much?" she inquired.
"Two hundred."
"Two hundred!"
"Yes," answered Mrs. Christie, with