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The stately China trees, where, in years gone by, Lilly and Claudy had watched the chirping robins, were again clad in their rich, golden livery; and, as Beulah looked up at the red brick walls that had sheltered her head in the early days of orphanage, it seemed but yesterday that she trod these walks and listened to the wintry wind sighing through these same loved trees.
The first time this occurred Beulah was deeply wounded; she had loved Claudia very warmly, and her superciliousness was hard to bear. But the slight was repeated several times, and she learned to pity her weakness most sincerely. "Ah!" thought she, "how much better it was that Lilly should die than live to grow up a heartless flirt like Claudy! Much better, little sister! Much better!"
He would be sure to bump some of his pretty bright feathers out, if he rolled over the shells two or three times," answered Lilly, pointing to a China tree near, where a flock of robins were eagerly chirping over the feast of berries. "Why, Claudy! how can you wish the poor little fellow such bad luck?" The dark, thoughtful eyes, full of deep meaning, rested on Claudia's radiant face.
Beulah, you don't love me now, because Lilly is dead! Oh, I could not keep her God took her!" "Yes, I do love you, Claudy more than ever; but you must come to see me. I cannot go to that house again. I can't see your mamma Grayson. Come and see me, darling!" She drew her bonnet over her face and hurried out. "Where do you live?
Beulah chanced just then to turn toward the asylum, and saw one of the oldest girls running across the common. The shadow on her face deepened, and she looked around for Claudia and Lillian. They had tired of sliding, and were busily engaged picking up pine burrs at some little distance in the rear. "Come, Claudy Lilly our matron has sent for us; come, make haste."
And the little elf snapped them emphatically in Beulah's face. "Make a pie of robies, indeed! I would starve before I would eat a piece of it," chimed in Lilly, with childish horror at the thought. Claudia laughed with mingled mischief and chagrin. "You say you would not eat a bit of roby-pie to save your life? Well, you did it last week, anyhow." "Oh, Claudy, I didn't!" "Oh, but you did!
Passing her arm around Beulah's waist, she hastily kissed her brow, and only said: "God bless you, my dear, noble Beulah!" "I do not see that I am at all magnanimous in giving away other people's money. If I had earned it by hard labor, and then given it to Claudy, there would have been some more show of generosity.
She pressed his hand affectionately, watched his receding form as long as she could trace its outline, and then went slowly back to the dormitory. Falling on her knees by the side of Lilly's empty couch, she besought God, in trembling accents, to bless her "darling little sister and Claudy," and to give her strength to perform all her duties contentedly and cheerfully.
The tears dried in her brilliant eyes, and she clinched her little fist with an exalted opinion of her protective powers. "Claudy, I do not ask you to fight for her; I want you to love her. Oh, love her! always be kind to her," murmured Beulah. "I do love her better than anything in the world, don't I, Lilly dear!" She softly kissed one of the child's hands.
"Claudy, you do not wish to be dependent on a man who dislikes you?" "Not if I can help myself!" "And you certainly do not wish to be the means of preventing Mrs. Grayson from having a comfortable home with her brother?" Claudia burst into tears.
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