`` Mrs. Elliott , wo n't you take Mary Vance ? '' she said beseechingly . Miss Cornelia stared blankly . `` Me ! Take Mary Vance ! Do you mean keep her ? '' `` Yes -- keep her -- adopt her , '' said Una eagerly , gaining courage now that the ice was broken . `` Oh , Mrs. Elliott , PLEASE do . She does n't want to go back to the asylum -- she cries every night about it . She 's so afraid of being sent to another hard place . And she 's SO smart -- there is n't anything she ca n't do . I know you would n't be sorry if you took her . '' `` I never thought of such a thing , '' said Miss Cornelia rather helplessly . `` WO N'T you think of it ? '' implored Una . `` But , dearie , I do n't want help . I 'm quite able to do all the work here . And I never thought I 'd like to have a home girl if I did need help . '' The light went out of Una 's eyes . Her lips trembled .
She sat down on her stool again , a pathetic little figure XXXXX disappointment , and began to cry .
Cornelia Elliott Vance WO about if night of that to