- St. Clare and Marie are relaxing on a Sunday afternoon while Miss Ophelia goes to church.
- They’re chatting about Marie’s latest physical health complaint. She wants to send for a special doctor but St. Clare thinks she should just see Eva’s doctor. Oh, no, Marie responds, Eva’s doctor is fine enough but not for a "critical" illness. (What on earth does Eva have if it’s not a "critical" illness?)
- Miss Ophelia and Eva come home, and Miss Ophelia goes straight to her room. Soon, they hear having a massive conniption fit.
- Along she comes, dragging Topsy behind her.
- It turns out that Topsy has cut one of Miss Ophelia’s bonnet trimmings to pieces to make into jackets for dolls.
- I don’t know what to do with her anymore, Miss Ophelia admits.
- Again, Topsy blames her own bad behavior on her "wicked heart."
- Miss Ophelia begins to admit defeat.
- But then Eva calls Topsy, and they go to a little reading room in the corner of the verandah. St. Clare tiptoes over to look, then calls Miss Ophelia over.
- Topsy and Eva talk together. Eva asks the other girl why she doesn’t behave herself. Doesn’t she love anybody?
- Topsy replies that she doesn’t know anything about love. She’s never had anything to love and nobody has ever loved her.
- But what about Miss Ophelia? Eva asks, wouldn’t she love you if you were good?
- Topsy snorts and says Miss Ophelia can’t even bear to touch her.
- That’s when Eva says that she loves Topsy and wants Topsy to be good.
- The effect is amazing. When Topsy realizes that somebody loves her, she begins to cry. It transforms her forever.
- Miss Ophelia admits that she is prejudiced, but she didn’t know her feelings were so obvious to Topsy. Then she says she should model herself after Eva.