Claudia here interrupted:  “I should like to go well enough, if you will take Beulah too.  Lil, are you going?”

“No, no.”  Lillian broke away from the stranger’s clasping arm and rushed toward her sister; but Miss White sat between them, and, catching the child, she firmly, though very gently, held her back.  Lilly was very much afraid of her, and, bursting into tears, she cried imploringly: 

“Oh, sister! take me, take me!”

Beulah sprang to her side, and said, almost fiercely:  “Give her to me; she is mine, and you have no right to part us.”  She extended her arms toward the little form struggling to reach her.

“The managers have decided that it is for the child’s good that Mrs. Grayson should adopt her.  We dislike very much to separate sisters, but it cannot be avoided; whole families can’t be adopted by one person, and you must not interfere.  She will soon be perfectly satisfied away from you, and instead of encouraging her to be rebellious, you ought to coax her to behave and go peaceably,” replied Miss White, still keeping Beulah at arm’s length.

“You let go Lilly, you hateful, ugly, old thing you!  She shan’t go if she don’t want to?  She does belong to Beulah,” cried Claudia, striding up and laying her hand on Lilly’s arm.

“You spoiled, insolent little wretch!” muttered Miss White, crimsoning to the roots of her fiery hair.

“I am afraid they will not consent to go.  Fanny, suppose you take Claudia; the other seems too reluctant,” said Mr. Grayson, looking at his watch.

“But I do so want that little blue-eyed angel.  Cannot the matron influence her?” She turned to her as she spoke.  Thus appealed to, Mrs. Williams took the child in her arms, and caressed her tenderly.

“My dear little Lilly, you must not cry and struggle so.  Why will you not go with this kind lady?  She will love you very much.”

“Oh, I don’t want to!” sobbed she, pressing her wet cheeks against the matron’s shoulder.

“But, Lilly love, you shall have everything you want.  Kiss me, like a sweet girl, and say you will go to my beautiful home.  I will give you a cage full of the prettiest canary birds you ever looked at.  Don’t you love to ride?  My carriage is waiting at the door.  You and Claudia will have such a nice time.”  Mrs. Grayson knelt beside her, and kissed her tenderly; still she clung closer to the matron.

Beulah had covered her face with her hands, and stood trembling like a weed bowed before the rushing gale.  She knew that neither expostulation nor entreaty would avail now, and she resolved to bear with fortitude what she could not avert.  Lifting her head, she said slowly: 

“If I must give up my sister, let me do so as quietly as possible.  Give her to me; then perhaps she will go more willingly.  Do not force her away!  Oh, do not force her!”

As she uttered these words her lips were white and cold, and the agonized expression of her face made Mrs. Grayson shiver.