And I mean to keep your letter and read it over every time I feel myself getting bitter and hard again . '' `` Dear Miss Marshall , I 'm so glad you liked it , '' said Cyrilla frankly . `` We 're all your friends and would be glad to be chummy with you . Only we thought perhaps we bothered you with our nonsense . '' `` Come and see me sometimes , '' said Miss Marshall with a smile . `` I 'll try to be ` chummy ' -- perhaps I 'm not yet too old to learn the secret of friendliness . Your letter has made me think that I have missed much in shutting all young life out from mine as I have done . I want to reform in this respect if I can . '' When Cyrilla reached the front room she found Mrs. Plunkett there . `` I 've just dropped in , Miss Blair , '' said that worthy woman , `` to say that I dunno as I mind your making candy once in a while if you want to . Only do be careful not to set the place on fire . Please be particularly careful not to set it on fire . '' `` We 'll try , '' promised Cyrilla with dancing eyes . When the door closed behind Mrs. Plunkett the three girls looked at each other . `` Cyrilla , that idea of yours was a really truly inspiration , '' said Carol solemnly . `` I believe it was , '' said Cyrilla , thinking of Miss Marshall . Dorinda 's Desperate Deed Dorinda had been home for a whole wonderful week and the little Pages were beginning to feel acquainted with her . When a girl goes away when she is ten and does n't come back until she is fifteen , it is only to be expected that her family should regard her as somewhat of a stranger , especially when she is really a Page , and they are really all Carters except for the name . Dorinda had been only ten when her Aunt Mary -- on the Carter side -- had written to Mrs. Page , asking her to let Dorinda come to her for the winter . Mrs. Page , albeit she was poor -- nobody but herself knew how poor -- and a widow with five children besides Dorinda , hesitated at first .
She was afraid , with good reason , XXXXX the winter might stretch into other seasons ; but Mary had lost her own only little girl in the summer , and Mrs. Page shuddered at the thought of what her loneliness must be .
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