Heavens！　what　a　letter！　　A　million　pages　written　without　a　break。　　You　can　see　where　my　heart　is。　　I'm　as　excited　over　little　Sophie's　settling　in　life　as　though　she　were　my　own　darling　daughter。
  Respectful　regards　to　the　president。
  SAL。　McB。
  Dear　Gordon：
  That　was　an　obnoxious；　beastly；　low…down　trick　not　to　send　me　a　cheering　line　for　four　weeks　just　because；　in　a　period　of　abnormal　stress　I　once　let　you　go　for　three。　　I　had　really　begun　to　be　worried　for　fear　you'd　tumbled　into　the　Potomac。　　My　chicks　would　miss　you　dreadfully；　they　love　their　uncle　Gordon。　　Please　remember　that　you　promised　to　send　them　a　donkey。
  Please　also　remember　that　I'm　a　busier　person　than　you。　it's　a　lot　harder　to　run　the　John　Grier　Home　than　the　House　of　Representatives。　　Besides；　you　have　more　efficient　people　to　help。
  This　isn't　a　letter；　it's　an　indignant　remonstrance。　　I'll　write　tomorrowor　the　next　day。
  S。
  P。S。　　On　reading　your　letter　over　again　I　am　slightly　mollified；　but　dinna　think　I　believe　a'　your　saft　words。　　I　ken　weel　ye　only　flatter　when　ye　speak　sae　fair。
  July　17。　Dear　Judy：
  I　have　a　history　to　recount。
  This；　please　remember；　is　Wednesday　next。　　So　at　half…past　two　o'clock　our　little　Sophie　was　bathed　and　brushed　and　clothed　in　fine　linen；　and　put　in　charge　of　a　trusty　orphan；　with　anxious　instructions　to　keep　her　clean。
  At　three…thirty　to　the　minutenever　have　I　known　a　human　being　so　disconcertingly　businesslike　as　J。　F。　Bretlandan　automobile　of　expensive　foreign　design　rolled　up　to　the　steps　of　this　imposing　chateau。　　A　square…shouldered；　square…jawed　personage；　with　a　chopped…off　mustache　and　a　manner　that　inclines　one　to　hurry；　presented　himself　three　minutes　later　at　my　library　door。　　He　greeted　me　briskly　as　〃Miss　McKosh。〃　　I　gently　corrected　him；　and　he　changed　to　〃Miss　McKim。〃　　I　indicated　my　most　soothing　armchair；　and　invited　him　to　take　some　light　refreshment　after　his　journey。　　He　accepted　a　glass　of　water　（I　admire　a　temperate　parent）；　and　evinced　an　impatient　desire　to　be　done　with　the　business。　　So　I　rang　the　bell　and　ordered　the　little　Sophie　to　be　brought　down。
  〃Hold　on；　Miss　McGee！〃　said　he　to　me。　　〃I'd　rather　see　her　in　her　own　environment。　　I　will　go　with　you　to　the　playroom　or　corral　or　wherever　you　keep　your　youngsters。〃
  So　I　led　him　to　the　nursery；　where　thirteen　or　fourteen　mites　in　gingham　rompers　were　tumbling　about　on　mattresses　on　the　floor。　　Sophie；　alone　in　the　glory　of　feminine　petticoats；　was　ensconced　in　the　blue…ginghamed　arms　of　a　very　bored　orphan。　　She　was　squirming　and　fighting　to　get　down；　and　her　feminine　petticoats　were　tightly　wound　about　her　neck。　　I　took　her　in　my　arms；　smoothed　her　clothes；　wiped　her　nose；　and　invited　her　to　look　at　the　gentleman。
  That　child's　whole　future　hung　upon　five　minutes　of　sunniness；　and　instead　of　a　single　smile；　she　WHINED！
  Mr。　Bretland　shook　her　hand　in　a　very　gingerly　fashion　and　chirruped　to　her　as　you　might　to　a　pup。　　Sophie　took　not　the　slightest　notice　of　him；　but　turned　her　back；　and　buried　her　face　in　my　neck。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　supposed　that　they　could　take　her　on　trial。　　She　might　suit　his　wife；　he　himself　didn't　want　one；　anyway。　　And　we　turned　to　go　out。
  Then　who　should　come　toddling　straight　across　his　path　but　that　little　sunbeam　Allegra！　　Exactly　in　front　of　him　she　staggered；　threw　her　arms　about　like　a　windmill；　and　plumped　down　on　all　fours。　　He　hopped　aside　with　great　agility　to　avoid　stepping　on　her；　and　then　picked　her　up　and　set　her　on　her　feet。　　She　clasped　her　arms　about　his　leg；　and　looked　up　at　him　with　a　gurgling　laugh。
  〃Daddy！　　Frow　baby　up！〃
  He　is　the　first　man；　barring　the　doctor；　whom　the　child　has　seen　for　weeks；　and　evidently　he　resembles　somewhat　her　almost　forgotten　father。
  J。　F。　Bretland　picked　her　up　and　tossed　her　in　the　air　as　handily　as　though　it　were　a　daily　occurrence；　while　she　ecstatically　shrieked　her　delight。　　Then　when　he　showed　signs　of　lowering　her；　she　grasped　him　by　an　ear　and　a　nose；　and　drummed　a　tattoo　on　his　stomach　with　both　feet。　　No　one　could　ever　accuse　Allegra　of　lacking　vitality！
  J。　F。　disentangled　himself　from　her　endearments；　and　emerged；　rumpled　as　to　hair；　but　with　a　firm…set　jaw。　　He　set　her　on　her　feet；　but　retained　her　little　doubled…up　fist。
  〃This　is　the　kid　for　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　believe　I　need　to　look　any　further。〃
  I　explained　that　we　couldn't　separate　little　Allegra　from　　her　brothers；　but　the　more　I　objected；　the　stubborner　his　jaw　became。　　We　went　back　to　the　library；　and　argued　about　it　for　half　an　hour。
  He　liked　her　heredity；　he　liked　her　looks；　he　liked　her　spirit；　he　liked　HER。　　If　he　was　going　to　have　a　daughter　foisted　on　him；　he　wanted　one　with　some　ginger。　　He'd　be　hanged　if　he'd　take　that　other　whimpering　little　thing。　　It　wasn't　natural。　　But　if　I　gave　him　Allegra；　he　would　bring　her　up　as　his　own　child；　and　see　that　she　was　provided　for　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　　Did　I　have　any　right　to　cut　her　out　from　all　that　just　for　a　lot　of　sentimental　nonsense？　　The　family　was　already　broken　up；　the　best　I　could　do　for　them　now　was　to　provide　for　them　individually。　〃Take　all　three；〃　said　I；　quite　brazenly。
  But；　no；　he　couldn't　consider　that；　his　wife　was　an　invalid；　and　one　child　was　all　that　she　could　manage。
  Well；　I　was　in　a　dreadful　quandary。　　It　seemed　such　a　chance　for　the　child；　and　yet　it　did　seem　so　cruel　to　separate　her　from　those　two　adoring　little　brothers。　　I　knew　that　if　the　Bretlands　adopted　her　legally；　they　would　do　their　best　to　break　all　ties　with　the　past；　and　the　child　was　still　so　tiny　she　would　forget　her　brothers　as　quickly　as　she　had　her　father。
  Then　I　thought　about　you；　Judy；　and　of　how　bitter　you　have　always　been　because；　when　that　family　wanted　to　adopt　you；　the　asylum　wouldn't　let　you　go。　　You　have　always　said　that　you　might　have　had　a　home；　too；　like　other　children；　but　that　Mrs。　Lippett　stole　it　away　from　you。　　Was　I　perhaps　stealing　little　Allegra's　home　from　her？　　With　the　two　boys　it　would　be　different；　they　could　be　educated　and　turned　out　to　shift　for　themselves。　　But　to　a　girl　a　home　like　this　would　mean　everything。　　Ever　since　baby　Allegra　came　to　us；　she　has　seemed　to　me　just　such　another　child　as　baby　Judy　must　have　been。　　She　has　ability　and　spirit。　　We　must　somehow　furnish　her　with　opportunity。　　She；　too；　deserves　her　share　of　the　world's　beauty　and　goodas　much　as　nature　has　fitted　her　to　appreciate。　　And　could　any　asylum　ever　give　her　that？　　I　stood　and　thought　and　thought　while　Mr。　Bretland　impatiently　paced　the　floor。
  〃You　have　those　boys　down　and　let　me　talk　to　them；〃　Mr。　Bretland　insisted。　　〃If　they　have　a　spark　of　generosity；　they'll　be　glad　to　let　her　go。〃
  I　sent　for　them；　but　my　heart　was　a　solid　lump　of　lead。　　They　were　still　missing　their　father；　it　seemed　merciless　to　snatch　away　that　darling　baby　sister；　too。
  They　came　hand　in　hand；　sturdy；　fine　little　chaps；　and　stood　solemnly　at　attention；　with　big；　wondering　eyes　fixed　on　the　strange　gentleman。
  〃Come　here；　boys。　　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　　He　took　each　by　a　hand。　　〃In　the　house　I　live　in　we　haven't　any　little　baby；　so　my　wife　and　I　decided　to　come　here；　where　there　are　so　many　babies　without　fathers　and　mothers；　and　take　one　home　to　be　ours。　　She　will　have　a　beautiful　house　to　live　in；　and　lots　of　toys　to　play　with；　and　she　will　be　happy　all　her　lifemuch　happier　than　she　could　ever　be　here。　　I　know　that　you　will　be　very　glad　to　hear　that　I　have　chosen　your　little　sister。〃
  〃And　won't　we　ever　see　her　any　more？〃　asked　Clifford。
  〃Oh；　yes；　sometimes。〃
  Clifford　looked　from　me　to　Mr。　Bretland；　and　two　big　tears　began　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　　He　jerked　his　hand　away　and　came　and　hurled　himself　into　my　arms。
  〃Don't　let　him　have　her！　　Please！　　Please！　　Send　him　away！〃
  〃Take　them　all！〃　I　begged。
  But　he's　a　hard　man。
  〃I　didn't　come　for　an　entire　asylum；〃　said　he；　shortly。
  By　this　time　Don　was　sobbing　on　the　other　side。　　And　then　who　should　inject　himself　into　the　hubbub　but　Dr。　MacRae；　with　baby　Allegra　in　his　arms！
  I　introduced　them；　and　explained。　　Mr。　Bretland　reached　for　the　baby；　and　Sandy　held　her　tight。
  〃Quite　impossible；〃　said　Sandy；　shortly。　　〃Miss　McBride　will　tell　you　that　it's　one　of　the　rules　of　this　institution　never　to　separate　a　family。〃
  〃Miss　McBride　has　already　decided；〃　said　J。　F。　B。；　stiffly。　　〃We　have　fully　discussed　the　question。〃
  〃You　must　be　mistaken；〃　said　Sandy；　becoming　his　Scotchest；　and　turning　to　me。　　〃You　surely　had　no　intention　of　performing　any　such　cruelty　as　this？〃
  Here　was　the　decision　of　Solomon　all　over　again；　with　two　of　the　stubbornest　men　that　the　good　Lord　ever　made　wresting　poor　little　Allegra　limb　from　limb。
  I　despatched　the　three　chicks　back　to　the　nursery　and　returned　to　the　fray。　　We　argued　loud　and　hotly；　until　finally　J。　F。　B。　echoed　my　own　frequent　query　of　the　last　five　months：　　〃Who　is　the　head　of　this　asylum；　the　superintendent　or　the　visiting　physician？〃
  I　was　furious　with　the　doctor　for　placing　me　in　such　a　position　before　that　man；　but　I　could