Page:The Lonesomest Doll.djvu/38

VII

Clotilde, the Queen

Nichette was talking so fast that she did not hear a soft step cross the toy-room beyond and pause in the doorway behind her.

“You do not like the Queen,” said a voice close to her ear, it seemed. “Why, pray?” Ni­chette jumped and almost dropped Mignon, she was so startled. She turned about and then her eyes and mouth made three big round O’s as she saw what was there. In the doorway stood a little girl, about as big as Nichette herself, dressed all in shining silk. But what made Ni­chette think “Oh” so hard was this: it seemed as though it must be Mignon herself standing there, this beautiful little girl was so like her. There

30