The quick tears sprang to the salesgirl's eyes, and she turned abruptly
away, to arrange some dolls upon the shelves behind her.
"After all, love is better than riches," she reflected, as the picture
of the crippled child in the humble home arose in her mind, and she
gave a sidelong glance at Katy's thin face and shabby dress.
"You will be sure to save this very doll for me, won't you?" pleaded
the child.
"I can't put it aside for you," she explained, "because the
floor-walker would not allow that; but I'll arrange so you will have
one of the lot, never fear."
"But I want this one," declared Katy.
"My goodness gracious, you foolish midget! They're all as much alike
as rows of peas in a pod," exclaimed her friend, a trifle impatiently.
"No," insisted the little girl. "All the others have red painted
buckles on their shoes, but this doll has blue buckles; and I'm sure
Ellie would prefer blue buckles, 'cause we've often talked about it
when we played choosing what we'd like best."
"Well, well!" laughed Julia. "All right, Katy: I'll save it, if I can."
Satisfied by this promise, the child ran away; for customers began to
come in, and to loiter would be to lessen her chance of gaining the
treasure which to herself she already called Ellie's.
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