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 best? And are there any of them with whom she would be likely to spend the night?"

The little sick girl seemed to hesitate, and colored slightly as she answered:

"I really could not say, mother. Nattie is older than I am, and I don't know a great deal about her. I have heard her say, though, that she didn't care much about any of the girls; and I don't think there is a single one whom she would go to spend a day and night with."

"Nattie is rather cross, sometimes, isn't she?" asked Mr. Stone, fixing a pleasant smile on the little girl's face.

Hattie colored again, and looked toward her mother.

"You may tell the gentleman all that he asks, to the best of your ability," said the mother. "He knows Nattie better than we do, and would not ask anything from a bad motive, or mere curiosity."

Thus encouraged, Hattie answered, after a