I had gone into the clothes-press to play with my dolls--you know I still do play with them--that is, I go into some secret place and look at them at times when the children are not around.

So I was in there, sitting on the cedar-chest, and I couldn't help hearing what they said." She extracted another bonbon, bit into it, and shook her head: "And mother said to Eileen: 'Dearest, can't you learn to care for him ?' And Eileen--" "Drina!" he interrupted sharply, "you must not repeat things you overhear." "Oh, I didn't hear anything more," said the child, "because I remembered that I shouldn't listen, and I came out of the closet.

Mother was standing by the bed, and Eileen was lying on the bed with her hands over her eyes; and I didn't know she had been crying until I said: 'Please excuse me for listening,' and she sat up very quickly, and I saw her face was flushed and her eyes wet.

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