"IS she coming to-night, mamma?" asked Marion.
"Yes, dear, I think so. We shall know very soon now. Papa will be here
in about ten minutes."
Marion and Elvie Reade ran to the window. They were very anxious to see
this little cousin who was coming home with papa.
"Rebie'll be our new sister; won't she?" said Elvie.
"Yes. And papa said we must be real kind to her, for she hasn't any papa
or mamma now."
"Yes, we will. I guess--Oh! there's papa, now. And--oh! Marion! Rebie's
crying. Let's go kiss her."
Out ran the two little girls, while mamma stood in the doorway with
little Ernest, and aunt Maria stood on the steps.
Little Rebie couldn't help crying, yet she liked her new home for all
that. But her cousins kissed her so lovingly, that Rebie soon smiled
through her tears.
And when baby Ernest said, "Ernie love oo, tousin Rebie," she laughed a
soft little laugh. Then they thought Rebie wouldn't feel lonely any
more.
"I think your papa _most_ as good as my papa," Rebie whispered to Elvie
after they had gone to bed that night. Elvie thought him a _little_
better, but she was too polite to say so.
[Illustration: REBIE'S NEW HOME.]