The big house did prove a Palace Beautiful, though it tooksome time for all to get in, and Beth found it very hard to passthe lions. Old Mr. Laurence was the biggest one, but after hehad called, said something funny or kind to each one of the girls,and talked over old times with their mother, nobody felt muchafraid of him, except timid Beth. The other lion was the fact thatthey were poor and Laurie rich, for this made them shy of acceptingfavors which they could not return. But, after a while, they foundthat he considered them the benefactors, and could not do enough toshow how grateful he was for Mrs. March's motherly welcome, theircheerful society, and the comfort he took in that humble home oftheirs. So they soon forgot their pride and interchanged kindnesseswithout stopping to think which was the greater.

All sorts of pleasant things happened about that time, for thenew friendship flourished like grass in spring. Every one likedLaurie, and he privately informed his tutor that "the Marches wereregularly splendid girls." With the delightful enthusiasm of youth,they took the solitary boy into their midst and made much of him,and he found something very charming in the innocent companionshipof these simple-hearted girls. Never having known mother or sisters,he was quick to feel the influences they brought about him, andtheir busy, lively ways made him ashamed of the indolent life he led.He was tired of books, and found people so interesting now that Mr.Brooke was obliged to make very unsatisfactory reports, for Lauriewas always playing truant and running over to the Marches'.

"Never mind, let him take a holiday, and make it up afterward,"said the old gentleman. "The good lady next door says he is studyingtoo hard and needs young society, amusement, and exercise. I suspectshe is right, and that I've been coddling the fellow as if I'd beenhis grandmother. Let him do what he likes, as long as he is happy.He can't get into mischief in that little nunnery over there, andMrs. March is doing more for him than we can."

What good times they had, to be sure. Such plays and tableaux,such sleigh rides and skating frolics, such pleasant evenings inthe old parlor, and now and then such gay little parties at thegreat house. Meg could walk in the conservatory whenever she likedand revel in bouquets, Jo browsed over the new library voraciously,and convulsed the old gentleman with her criticisms, Amy copiedpictures and enjoyed beauty to her heart's content, and Laurieplayed 'lord of the manor' in the most delightful style.

But Beth, though yearning for the grand piano, could notpluck up courage to go to the 'Mansion of Bliss', as Meg calledit. She went once with Jo, but the old gentleman, not beingaware of her infirmity, stared at her so hard from under hisheavy eyebrows, and said "Hey!" so loud, that he frightened herso much her 'feet chattered on the floor', she never told hermother, and she ran away, declaring she would never go thereany more, not even for the dear piano. No persuasions orenticements could overcome her fear, till, the fact coming toMr. Laurence's ear in some mysterious way, he set about mendingmatters. During one of the brief calls he made, he artfullyled the conversation to music, and talked away about greatsingers whom he had seen, fine organs he had heard, and toldsuch charming anecdotes that Beth found it impossible to stayin her distant corner, but crept nearer and nearer, as iffascinated. At the back of his chair she stopped and stoodlistening, with her great eyes wide open and her cheeks redwith excitement of this unusual performance. Taking no morenotice of her than if she had been a fly, Mr. Laurence talked onabout Laurie's lessons and teachers. And presently, as if theidea had just occurred to him, he said to Mrs. March . . .

"The boy neglects his music now, and I'm glad of it, forhe was getting too fond of it. But the piano suffers for wantof use. Wouldn't some of your girls like to run over, andpractice on it now and then, just to keep it in tune, you know,ma'am?"

Beth took a step forward, and pressed her hands tightlytogether to keep from clapping them, for this was an irresistibletemptation, and the thought of practicing on that splendidinstrument quite took her breath away. Before Mrs. March couldreply, Mr. Laurence went on with an odd little nod and smile . . .

"They needn't see or speak to anyone, but run in at any time.For I'm shut up in my study at the other end of the house, Laurieis out a great deal, and the servants are never near the drawingroom after nine o'clock."

Here he rose, as if going, and Beth made up her mind to speak,for that last arrangement left nothing to be desired. "Please, tellthe young ladies what I say, and if they don't care to come, why,never mind." Here a little hand slipped into his, and Beth lookedup at him with a face full of gratitude, as she said, in her earnestyet timid way . . .

"Oh sir, they do care, very very much!"

"Are you the musical girl?" he asked, without any startling"Hey!" as he looked down at her very kindly.

"I'm Beth. I love it dearly, and I'll come, if you are quitesure nobody will hear me, and be disturbed," she added, fearing tobe rude, and trembling at her own boldness as she spoke.

"Not a soul, my dear. The house is empty half the day, socome and drum away as much as you like, and I shall be obliged toyou."

"How kind you are, sir!"

Beth blushed like a rose under the friendly look he wore, but shewas not frightened now, and gave the hand a grateful squeeze becauseshe had no words to thank him for the precious gift he had given her.The old gentleman softly stroked the hair off her forehead, and,stooping down, he kissed her, saying, in a tone few people ever heard . . .

"I had a little girl once, with eyes like these. God bless you,my dear! Good day, madam." And away he went, in a great hurry.

Beth had a rapture with her mother, and then rushed up toimpart the glorious news to her family of invalids, as the girlswere not home. How blithely she sang that evening, and how theyall laughed at her because she woke Amy in the night by playingthe piano on her face in her sleep. Next day, having seen boththe old and young gentleman out of the house, Beth, after two orthree retreats, fairly got in at the side door, and made her wayas noiselessly as any mouse to the drawing room where her idolstood. Quite by accident, of course, some pretty, easy music layon the piano, and with trembling fingers and frequent stops tolisten and look about, Beth at last touched the great instrument,and straightway forgot her fear, herself, and everything else butthe unspeakable delight which the music gave her, for it was likethe voice of a beloved friend.

She stayed till Hannah came to take her home to dinner, but shehad no appetite, and could only sit and smile upon everyone in a general state of beatitude.

After that, the little brown hood slipped through the hedgenearly every day, and the great drawing room was haunted by a tunefulspirit that came and went unseen. She never knew that Mr. Laurenceopened his study door to hear the old-fashioned airs he liked. Shenever saw Laurie mount guard in the hall to warn the servants away.She never suspected that the exercise books and new songs which shefound in the rack were put there for her especial benefit, and whenhe talked to her about music at home, she only thought how kind hewas to tell things that helped her so much. So she enjoyed herselfheartily, and found, what isn't always the case, that her grantedwish was all she had hoped. Perhaps it was because she was so gratefulfor this blessing that a greater was given her. At any rate shedeserved both.

"Mother, I'm going to work Mr. Laurence a pair of slippers. Heis so kind to me, I must thank him, and I don't know any other way.Can I do it?" asked Beth, a few weeks after that eventful call of his.

"Yes, dear. It will please him very much, and be a nice way ofthanking him. The girls will help you about them, and I will pay forthe making up," replied Mrs. March, who took peculiar pleasure ingranting Beth's requests because she so seldom asked anything forherself.

After many serious discussions with Meg and Jo, the pattern waschosen, the materials bought, and the slippers begun. A cluster ofgrave yet cheerful pansies on a deeper purple ground was pronouncedvery appropriate and pretty, and Beth worked away early and late, withoccasional lifts over hard parts. She was a nimble little needlewoman,and they were finished before anyone got tired of them. Then she wrotea short, simple note, and with Laurie's help, got them smuggled ontothe study table one morning before the old gentleman was up.

When this excitement was over, Beth waited to see what wouldhappen. All day passed and a part of the next before anyacknowledgement arrived, and she was beginning to fear she had offendedher crochety friend. On the afternoon of the second day, she went outto do an errand, and give poor Joanna, the invalid doll, her dailyexercise. As she came up the street, on her return, she saw three,yes, four heads popping in and out of the parlor windows, and themoment they saw her, several hands were waved, and several joyfulvoices screamed . . .

"Here's a letter from the old gentleman! Come quick, and read it!"

"Oh, Beth, he's sent you . . ." began Amy, gesticulating withunseemly energy, but she got no further, for Jo quenched her byslamming down the window.

Beth hurried on in a flutter of suspense. At the door hersisters seized and bore her to the parlor in a triumphal procession,all pointing and all saying at once, "Look there! Look there!" Bethdid look, and turned pale with delight and surprise, for there stooda little cabinet piano, with a letter lying on the glossy lid, directedlike a sign board to "Miss Elizabeth March."

"For me?" gasped Beth, holding onto Jo and feeling as if sheshould tumble down, it was such an overwhelming thing altogether.

"Yes, all for you, my precious! Isn't it splendid of him? Don'tyou think he's the dearest old man in the world? Here's the key inthe letter. We didn't open it, but we are dying to know what he says,"cried Jo, hugging her sister and offering the note.

"You read it! I can't, I feel so queer! Oh, it is too lovely!"and Beth hid her face in Jo's apron, quite upset by her present.

Jo opened the paper and began to laugh, for the first words shesaw were . . .

"Miss March:"Dear Madam - "

"How nice it sounds! I wish someone would write to me so!" saidAmy, who thought the old-fashioned address very elegant.

"'I have had many pairs of slippers in my life, but I never hadany that suited me so well as yours,'" continues Jo. "'Heartsease ismy favorite flower, and these will always remind me of the gentlegiver. I like to pay my debts, so I know you will allow 'the oldgentleman' to send you something which once belonged to the littlegrand daughter he lost. With hearty thanks and best wishes, I remain"'Your grateful friend and humble servant,'JAMES LAURENCE'."

"There, Beth, that's an honor to be proud of, I'm sure! Laurietold me how fond Mr. Laurence used to be of the child who died, andhow he kept all her little things carefully. Just think, he's givenyou her piano. That comes of having big blue eyes and loving music,"said Jo, trying to soothe Beth, who trembled and looked more excitedthan she had ever been before.

"See the cunning brackets to hold candles, and the nice greensilk, puckered up, with a gold rose in the middle, and the prettyrack and stool, all complete," added Meg, opening the instrumentand displaying its beauties.

"'Your humble servant, James Laurence'. Only think of hiswriting that to you. I'll tell the girls. They'll think it'ssplendid," said Amy, much impressed by the note.

"Try it, honey. Let's hear the sound of the baby pianny,"said Hannah, who always took a share in the family joys and sorrows.

So Beth tried it, and everyone pronounced it the most remarkablepiano ever heard. It had evidently been newly tuned and put in apple-pie order, but, perfect as it was, I think the real charm lay in thehappiest of all happy faces which leaned over it, as Beth lovinglytouched the beautiful black and white keys and pressed the bright pedals.

"You'll have to go and thank him," said Jo, by way of a joke,for the idea of the child's really going never entered her head.

"Yes, I mean to. I guess I'll go now, before I get frightenedthinking about it." And, to the utter amazement of the assembledfamily, Beth walked deliberately down the garden, through thehedge, and in at the Laurences' door.

"Well, I wish I may die if it ain't the queerest thing I eversee! The pianny has turned her head! She'd never have gone inher right mind," cried Hannah, staring after her, while the girlswere rendered quite speechless by the miracle.

They would have been still more amazed if they had seen whatBeth did afterward. If you will believe me, she went and knockedat the study door before she gave herself time to think, and whena gruff voice called out, "come in!" she did go in, right up toMr. Laurence, who looked quite taken aback, and held out her hand,saying, with only a small quaver in her voice, "I came to thank you,sir, for . . ." But she didn't finish, for he looked so friendly thatshe forgot her speech and, only remembering that he had lost thelittle girl he loved, she put both arms round his neck and kissedhim.

If the roof of the house had suddenly flown off, the oldgentleman wouldn't have been more astonished. But he liked it.Oh, dear, yes, he liked it amazingly! And was so touched andpleased by that confiding little kiss that all his crustinessvanished, and he just set her on his knee, and laid hiswrinkled cheek against her rosy one, feeling as if he had got hisown little granddaughter back again. Beth ceased to fear himfrom that moment, and sat there talking to him as cozily as ifshe had known him all her life, for love casts out fear, andgratitude can conquer pride. When she went home, he walked withher to her own gate, shook hands cordially, and touched his hatas he marched back again, looking very stately and erect, likea handsome, soldierly old gentleman, as he was.

When the girls saw that performance, Jo began to dance a jig,by way of expressing her satisfaction, Amy nearly fell out of thewindow in her surprise, and Meg exclaimed, with up-lifted hands,"Well, I do believe the world is coming to an end."