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 reason of long illness, grown old beyond her years.

“Poor Topsy,” she said kindly, “you need never steal again. You are to be taken care of now. I’d give you anything of mine rather than have you steal it.”

It almost seemed as though the black child understood the bond of sympathy held out to her, but she could only blink and rub her eyes. It was the first kindly word she had ever understood and it caused a queer feeling in her heart. Being pure and gentle herself, Eva soon