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"Hello," Octavia said "Would you like to enter a picture in the art show?"

The child stared at her She did not speak "Every entrant gets a box of crayons and a pad of drawing paper," Octavia explained "The rule is that the picture has to be on a piece of paper the size of one of these" She flipped through the blank sheets of drawing paper "When it's ready, bring it back here"

The girl's anxious gaze shifted fro paper and the crayons She put her hands behind her back, evidently afraid that she rab the art supplies

She shook her head very fiercely

"Anne?"

The woallery a few days ago rushed out of Seaton's Antiques Her head swiveled rapidly as she searched the sidewalk in both directions with the slightly frantic look ahas disappeared

"Anne, where are you?"

"I' around Relief flashed across her face The expression was followed by stern exasperation

"You must not disappear like that" She walked swiftly toward her daughter "How? This may not be Seattle, but the sa in the ," Anne said in a tiny, barely audible voice She kept her shtly behind her back "I didn't touch anything, honest"

Octavia studied the wo toward her Anne's mother appeared to be in her late twenties but if you had only seen her eyes, you would have added twenty years to her age

"Hello," Octavia said in her best professional tone "I'allery the other day"

"I'ha you"

"Not in the least," Octavia said cheerfully "I noticed that she was looking at the poster featuring the Children's Art Show I thought she ht like to participate I have room for more pictures"

Gail looked down at Anne "Thank you, but I'm afraid Anne is very shy"

"Who cares?" Octavia looked at Anne "Lots of artists are shy I'll tell you what, why don't you take these crayons and the paper home with you? You can draw your picture in private where no one else can watch you at work When it's ready, just ask your allery"

Anne looked at the crayons and the paper as though they were ht disintegrate if she were to touch the ly and held out the crayons and the paper

For a long moment, Anne did not move Then, very slowly she untwisted her arms from behind her back, reached out, and took the supplies frohtly to her chest, she stepped back and looked at her ht lit Gail's face An instant later her pleasure was marred by what seemed to be uncertainty She hesitated and then seemed to brace herself

"How much do I owe you for the crayons and the paper?" she asked

"The Children's Art Show has been underwritten by the Bright Visions gallery, which is sponsoring it," Octavia said "All the entrants receive the same basic supplies"

"Oh, I see" Gail relaxed visibly "Thank Miss Brightwell for the crayons and paper, Anne"