Part 48 (2/2)

And she's good, and brave, and sweet, and pretty.”

At that moment, Sue Milo was beautiful. All the tenderness of a heart starved of its rightful love looked from her eyes. And her face shone as if lighted by a flame. ”I--love you!” she said tremulously.

”Do you?”--there was an answering look of love in the eyes of the child.

”Oh, _so_ tenderly!”

The little face sobered. The small figure moved forward a step.

”I'm--I'm glad”--almost under her breath. ”Because--because I love _you_, too.” Then coming still closer, and looking earnestly into those eyes so full of gentle sweetness, ”Who--are--you?”

”Barbara,”--Sue's arms went out again, yearningly--”Barbara, I--am your mother.”

”Mother!”--the cry rang through the Close. The child flung herself into those waiting arms, clasping Sue with her own. ”Oh, mother!

Mother! _Mother_!”

”My baby! My baby!”

Now past the open door of the Church, walking two and two in their white cottas, came the choir. And their voices, high and clear, sang that verse of Ikey's song which Sue loved best--

”_O happy harbor of G.o.d's Saints!

O sweet and pleasant soil!

In Thee no sorrow can be found, Nor grief, nor care, nor toil!_”

Before the song was done, Barbara's hat was on, and with ”Lolly-Poppins” and the woolly lamb under an arm; with Sue similarly burdened with the Kewpie, the new doll, and the duck that could quack, the two went, hand in hand, across the lawn to that little white door through which forsaken babies had often come, but through which one lovingly claimed was now to go. And the little white door opened to the touch of Sue's hand--and through it, to a new life and a new happiness; to service sweet beyond words, went a new mother--and with her, a new-found daughter.

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