During the last few days parcels had arrived by every post, and from the
most unexpected sources; while good, kind Maud had come home from Paris
with a box full of spoils from the Louvre and Bon Marche. Lilias
declared that her heart leapt within her when she reflected that she had
originated the beneficent scheme; but Nan vowed that it made her tired
even to look at the things, and reflect how hard-worked she must have
been; and Kitty, as has been seen, went in absolute fear of her life!

"I never want to see another pin-cushion so long as I live!" she
announced tragically, as she tacked the label on the last of these
useful articles, and tossed it impatiently to her companions. "If you
charge more than one and six for that beauty, it's a cheat, for it's a
regular museum of odds and ends. Heigho! this grows monotonous. Let me
go out into the garden and begin preparations there. My master mind is
wasted sitting here sewing on labels. I want scope--variety!"

"You can't get it then, until you have finished the work on hand. It
ought not to matter to you what you do, so long as you are helping
forward," said Lilias severely. "To-morrow morning will be plenty of
time to arrange the tables."

"If it is fine! I am sorry to discourage you, but it is raining
already. I see five drops on the window-pane," announced Elsie in a
tone of satisfaction, born of the remembrance that she had "told them
so!" months ago, and that they had refused to believe her; but her
triumph was short-lived, for the girls only laughed at her five drops,
called her their "faithful croaker," and altogether played such havoc
with her dignity that she retired within her shell in displeasure. Had
the occasion been less important, she would have flown to her room to
pour out her woes to the ever-sympathetic diary; but no personal slight
could be allowed to interfere with work to-day, for at four o'clock Jim
would arrive, and never should it be said that the Rendell girls were
engaged on their own devices when the one and only brother returned to
his home! The first few hours after Jim's arrival could be spent in no
other way than gazing upon him, in drinking in his words, and hanging
around him in adoring admiration.

By four o'clock the porch-room was abandoned, and each sister, attired
in her best blouse and freshest skirt, was craning her head out of the
dining-room window, while Kitty Maitland hovered in the background,
scarcely less exc