Her daughter might think otherwise, or might think that she thought so, but I knew better.

However, I did not like to pain Mother by refusing offerings which, to her, were expressions of sympathy and regard, so I had no protest and tried to enthuse over the gifts and loans.

After all, what did they amount to?
One tea-rose bred from Dorinda's carefully tended bush, or one gushful story book selected by Almena Doane from the new additions to the town library and sent because she thought "Mrs.
Comfort might find it sort of soothin' and distractin'," meant more real unselfish thought and kindly feeling than all the conservatory exotics and new novels which the rich girl's whim supplied from her overflowing store.

I was surprised only that the whim lasted so long.
Behind all this, I think, and confirming my feeling, was the fact that Miss Colton did not repeat her call.

A week or more passed and she did not come.