Throughout her life Sylvia will remember that moment when she first measured Mrs.Owen's fine height and was aware of her quick, eager entrance; but above all else the serious gray eyes that were so alive with kindness were the chief item of Sylvia's inventory.
"I thought you were older,--or younger! I didn't know you would be just like this! I didn't know just when you were coming or I should have tried to be at home--but there was a meeting,--there are so many things, child!" Mrs.Owen did not sigh at the thought of her burdens, but smiled quite cheerfully as though the fact of the world's being a busy place was wholly agreeable.

She sat down beside Sylvia in the window-seat and took one of the cakes and nibbled it while they talked.

Sylvia had never been so wholly at ease in her life.

It was as though she had been launched into the midst of an old friendship, and she felt that she had conferred the greatest possible favor in consenting to visit this house, for was not this dear old lady saying,-- "You see, I'm lonesome sometimes and I almost kidnap people to get them to visit me.

I'm a terribly practical old woman.