"Stop, Dora," said Hester suddenly. She sprang to her feet, clasping her hands, and her color varied rapidly from white to red. A sudden light poured in upon her, and she was about to speak when something--quite a small, trivial thing--occurred. She only saw little Nan in the distance flying swiftly, with outstretched arms, to meet a girl, whose knees she clasped in baby ecstasy. The girl stooped down and kissed the little face, and the round arms were flung around her neck. The next instant Annie Forest continued her walk alone, and Nan, looking wistfully back after her, went in another direction with her nurse. The whole scene took but a moment to enact, but as she watched, Hester's face grew hard and white. She sat down again, with her lips firmly pressed together.