YOURS WITH ALL MY HEART 



and walked out of the cottage, across the 

 lawn, to the big white house next door. 



The great white house sat back from the 

 street, and shrubs and vines gave it a 

 homelike air. 



Ting-a-ling-ling! I heard the bell ring 

 inside the hall, as the young woman laid her 

 hand on the bell-pull with an air of nervous 

 decision. How much that call meant for 

 my w r eal or woe I knew when I was older 

 and wiser. 



I heard a quick, light step, and the door 

 opened; a large, fair lady stood before us, 

 with red cheeks, and blue eyes that looked 

 kindly down upon me, as I kicked and wrig- 

 gled, in my haste to enter; she was dressed in 

 blue, the first color I learned to know and 

 love, for they called it my color; she smiled, 

 and said in a neighborly way: 



"Come in, Imogene! Where did you get 

 that lovely little creature?" 



I was happy at sound of her voice, which 

 was low-keyed and soothing, and I tried to 

 reach over to kiss her plump little hand, as 

 it rested on the door. There was a jeweled 

 ring on the third finger, with a deep blue 

 stone, set around with white, shining ones 



9 



