THE CHILD WANDERS IN THE WOOD. 315 



everything in its gentlest aspect, that could 

 see no harm anywhere. A ready smile on the 

 face, and a smile in the form. Her shape 

 yielded so easily at each movement that it 

 seemed to smile as she walked. Her nose was 

 the least pleasing feature not delicate enough 

 to fit with the complexion, and distinctly up- 

 turned, though not offensively. But it was 

 not noticed ; no one saw anything beyond the 

 laughing lips, the laughing shape, the eyes 

 that melted so near to tears. The torn dress, 

 the straggling hair, the tattered shoes, the un- 

 mended stocking, the straw hat split, the 

 mingled poverty and carelessness perhaps 

 rather dreaminess disappeared when once 

 you had met the full untroubled gaze of those 

 beautiful eyes. Untroubled, that is, with any 

 ulterior thought of evil or cunning ; they were 

 as open as the day, the day which you can 

 make your own for evil or good. So, too, like 

 the day, was she ready to the making." 



The miserable, hapless fate of poor Dolly, 

 the horrible tragedy of her life and death, is 

 told with relentless truth and fidelity. In 



