," and, farther down, the words: "There
are seven beautiful things in this box for you.--S. C."

When the teacher had made her closing speech, all rose to go. The little
girl, as she put on her cap and the big buffalo coat, was the center of
interest, for the children crowded about her and handled her package.
The neighbor woman's daughter hung the closest, and even put one arm
around the little girl. The latter did not seem to notice any one, but
put the package under her coat and joined her mother.

When the pung drove up to the door the little girl lost no time in
getting into it. The eldest and the youngest brothers followed her.

The biggest and his mother tarried a little, however, the one to speak
to the Swede boy, the other to accost the cattleman.

There was a teasing look in the biggest brother's eyes as he gave the
Swede boy a slap on the back. "Good for you!" he said in an undertone;
"I'll never forget that, long 's I live." The Swede boy tried to answer,
hung his head, and finally made off. The biggest brother took up the
reins and, while he waited, continued to pick cotton from the lapels of
his overcoat.

Meanwhile the cattleman, coming out of the school-house ready for his
drive home, suddenly found himself face to face with a tearful little
woman who gratefully seized his big hands. "Oh, how _good_ of you!" she
cried; "how thoughtful and good and kind! Thank you! thank you!"

"What fer?" demanded the cattleman. "I hain't done nothin', my dear
lady."

"Oh, that will do to say," laughed the little girl's mother through her
tears, as she got into the pung and pulled one corner of the tick over
her head.

The little girl was silent during the homeward ride; and on their
arrival, when the family entered the kitchen, she dropped her package
beside the stove and began to take off her coat and cap. Her mother and
the biggest and the youngest brothers looked at her in amazement.

"Why, pet lamb," her mother said at last, "aren't you going to look at
your presents?" She picked up the package and carried it to the table.

The little girl slowly shook her head. The biggest brother saw that all
the bravado and indifference shown at the school-house were gone. In
their place was a look of keen pain. He lifted her and held her on his
lap, guessing, all at once, the secret of the seven gifts. "My baby
sister!" he said, and trusted himself to speak no further. She
understood, and put her head against his brea