“I am glad I have found you,” the lady said when Anne’s story was finished.  “You ought to be with your own people, of course, and I am your near kinswoman.  Your great-grandmother and my grandmother were sisters.  It is little that I have, but that little I shall gladly share with you.  I must take you with me when I go home next week.”

“Where is your home?” asked Anne.

“In Washington City.  I am one of the little army of government clerks,” Miss Dorcas explained.  “I come back every summer to spend my vacation here.  I walk in the dear old garden and read the dear old books and live again in the dear old days.  You do not understand now, child; but some day, if you live long enough, you will understand.”

Lizzie wailed aloud when she learned that Anne was to leave ’Lewis Hall,’ and in her heart Anne preferred her old home to her old cousin.

“You shouldn’t never have gone to a ’sylum,” said Mrs. Collins, wiping her eyes with her apron.  “But when one of your blood-kin lays claim to you, that’s diff’rent and I ain’t got no call to interfere.  I got sense enough to know my folks ain’t like yo’ folks.  Yours is the real old-time quality folks and you ought to be brung up with your own kind.  Now, we is a bottom rail that’s done come to the top.  My chillen’s got to be schooled and give book-learnin’.  Some day they’ll forget they was ever anything but top rails, and look down on their old daddy and mammy.”

“I ain’t, mammy; I ain’t never gwi’ look down on you,” declared Lizzie.

“That’s all right, honey,” answered Mrs. Collins.  “I want you to be hotty and look down on folks.  I never could l’arn to do it.  I was always too sociable-disposed.”

“No one can ever look on you except with respect, dear Mrs. Collins,” Miss Dorcas insisted.  “Certainly, Anne and I shall always regard you as one of her best friends.  She will want to come to see you next vacation, if you will let her.”

“Let her! and thank you, ma’am,” exclaimed Mrs. Collins.  “Now I’m going to unload them pantry shelves.  You shall have sweetmeats and jam and preserves and pickle for yo’ snacks, Anne, and I want you to think of Lizbeth Collins when you eat ’em.”

Before Anne and Cousin Dorcas went to Washington, it was resolved that they should visit Aunt Charity and Uncle Richard, who lived on a plantation eight miles from ‘Lewis Hall.’  Mrs. Collins doubted the wisdom of the plan, fearing lest some of the ’sylum folks on the lookout for Anne would be met on the public road.  Miss Dorcas, too, was a little uneasy.  It was finally decided that Anne should wear one of Lizzie’s frocks and her sunbonnet and that if they met any one on the road, Miss Dorcas was to say in a loud voice, “Lizzie!” and Anne was to answer, “Yes, ma’am.”

Mr. Collins brought out an old buggy with an old horse called Firefly and helped Miss Dorcas in, explaining carefully, “This ain’t no kicker and it ain’t no jumper.  It’s jest plain horse with good horse-sense.  If you don’t cross yo’ lines, you can drive him anywhere.”