ty?"

"He is coming home for your birthday," replied Hester.

"Good, kind, considerate old gentleman," responded Nan in her most
flippant voice. "Did he say anything more about that great and
auspicious event, Hetty?"

"He said a great deal more about it; in fact, the largest part of his
letter was about it; but I'm not going to talk it over now. I propose
that we all go to Nora's room after breakfast and discuss the letter.
There is a good deal to discuss, and it is very exciting," continued
Hester, a flush of brilliant colour coming into her cheeks.

The news that there was a good deal to discuss of an exciting character
restored even Nan's good humour. Breakfast was hurried over, and Annie
Forest and Nan rushed off to Nora's room to prepare her for the fact
that she was soon expected to hold a _levee_, and that the subject under
discussion was likely to be of a very rousing character.

Molly lingered behind in the breakfast-room; she looked anxiously at
Hester, who avoided her eyes. Hester did not wish to say anything to
make Molly unhappy, and she knew that her father's allusion to the
possible sale of the Towers would fill the poor little girl's heart with
the most acute misery.

Making a great effort, therefore, to fight down a nameless apprehension
on her own account, for what important business could be keeping Sir
John so long away from home, she said in a cheerful voice--

"Now, Molly, we're not going to croak, nor spend the day imagining all
kinds of unpleasant things. Father has written me a long letter, and
there are some things in it which I don't quite like; but I am not going
to talk them over at present. All the end of the letter is taken up with
Nan's birthday, and that is the matter we have to discuss just now. Come
along now to the library, and let's get it over."

Nora was still lying flat on her back; but all pain had long left her,
and she was practically quite well.

The subject of the letter was therefore discussed with intense animation
by the five eager girls.

Unlimited money, any amount of presents, and _carte blanche_ how to
spend the birthday in the most agreeable way was surely enough to turn
the brains of most people.

Many and wild were the plans which Nan proposed.

They would start for a picnic at six in the morning. They would order
ices from Nortonbury to arrive by special messenger at some impossible
place at an unearthly hour. They would have bonfires on the top of e