"You know perfectly well, you bad child, that papa and I have been the gainers since you came to us, and now--" she stopped just in time.
"'And now,' what ?" asked Mabel.
"Here we are at the hospital," broke in Nora without giving Jessica time to answer.
The little party waited what seemed to them an interminable length of time; although it was in reality not more than five minutes before the attendant returned with the news that they might see the patient in 47.
Grace had purposely voiced their request in so low a tone that Mabel had not heard her mention the patient's name, and she accompanied the four girls without the faintest idea of what their call might mean to her.
"Now for it," breathed Grace, as they paused at the door of 47.
"Come in," said a sweet voice, in answer to the attendant's knock, and the five girls were ushered into Mrs.Allison's presence.
"How are my young friends, to-day!" she cried gayly, rising from the easy chair in which she was sitting and coming forward with out-stretched hands.
"Very well, indeed," replied Grace, Anne and Nora in a breath as they shook hands.
"Mrs.Allison," said Grace hurriedly, "these are my friends, Miss Jessica Bright and Miss Mabel Allison." The woman who was in the act of acknowledging the introduction to Jessica started violently when Grace pronounced Mabel's name, dropped Jessica's hand and began to tremble as she caught sight of Mabel, who stood behind Jessica, an expression of amazement in her brown eyes, that the patient's name should be the same as her own.
"Who--who--" gasped the woman, pointing at Mabel, then overcome sank into her chair, covering her face with her hands.
Grace sprang to her side in an instant, kneeling beside her chair.
"Mrs.Allison," she cried impulsively.

"Forgive me.

I should not have startled you so.

I did not really know, although I felt sure that--" But Mrs.Allison had uncovered her face and was looking eagerly at Mabel, who stood the picture of mystification.
"Who is that young girl who bears the name of my baby, and where did she come from ?" asked the patient hoarsely.
"Speak to her," whispered Jessica, pushing Mabel forward.
"I am Mabel Isabel Allison--" began Mabel, but before she could proceed further the woman had risen, and clasping the girl in her arms, began smoothing her hair and kissing her, laughing and crying hysterically.
"You are my baby girl that I lost long ago, my own little Mabel.

I know it.