Did
you forget about that?"
Betsy gave a wriggle of shame as she remembered that plan. "No, we
didn't forget it," she said. "We thought this would be a better way."
"But how'll 'Lias know who to thank?" asked Molly.
"That's no matter," said Betsy. Yes, it was Elizabeth-Ann-that-was who
said that. And meant it, too. She was not even thinking of what she was
saying. Between her and the stars, thick over her in the black, soft
sky, she saw again that dirty, disordered room and the little boy, all
alone, asleep with a piece of dry bread in his bony little fingers.
She looked hard and long at that picture, all the time seeing the quiet
stars through it. And then she turned over and hid her face on the rock.
She had said her "Now I lay me" every night since she could remember,
but she had never prayed till she lay there with her face on the rock,
saying over and over, "Oh, God, please, please, PLEASE make Mr. Pond
adopt 'Lias."
CHAPTER IX
THE NEW CLOTHES FAIL
All the little girls went early to school the next day, eager for the
first glimpse of 'Lias in his new clothes. They now quite enjoyed the
mystery about who had made them, and were full of agreeable excitement
as the little figure was seen approaching down the road. He wore the
gray trousers and the little blue shirt; the trousers were a little too
long, the shirt a perfect fit.
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