Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/196

 house was full of them, little and big, but Unex was her only lawful child. Now he had gone away and forgotten her the same as his father had done, although she loyed him with every hair of her head, every drop of her blood, every beat of her heart, not because he was lawful or because he was her first-born, but because he was the child of her heart-love, while all the others were the children of the flesh.

Seraphine was almost a woman in spite of her smallness and childishness, and Budda Ben had worshiped her ever since that Christmas Day when Mary left her on the wood-pile alone with him. Budda never saw anything wrong with her for she never laughed at his infirmities and queer ways, but took his part whether he was right or wrong. When she wanted things Mary refused to let her have, Budda gave them to her. Last year when she craved to go off to town to school Budda sent her, although he had to dig up every cent he had saved and buried to keep, just as he had when Mary wanted a wedding-dress. But Mary had children enough left to look after her and take care of her when old age came to make her weak and helpless. Without them, she might fare poorly, for she had no husband or father or brother to depend on.

She was able to laugh and dance and sing