t hidden
away under the stile. It was covered carefully with a newspaper, and,
wonder of wonders, bore a card with her name, "Miss Christina Lindsay."
She pulled it out breathlessly and tore off the cover. Beneath was a
perfect glory of garden flowers, great crimson and golden tulips,
narcissi, waxy white with golden hearts, purple hyacinths, filling the
woods with their perfume, and such a wealth of daffodils as would take
away the breath.

Christina stood with her arms full, and looked at them with a feeling
that was very much like dismay. There was only one garden in the
township that could produce a basket like that, and it belonged to her
mother's friends, the Grant Girls, but Christina well knew they had not
sent her the birthday gift. In a corner of the card was written in
very small letters, "From G. G."

Though Christina was nineteen she had never had what was termed in
Orchard Glen society, "a fellow." There was no girl having reached
such an age without the pleasant experience of a special notice from
some young man, but must stop and ask herself the reason. Christina
had long ago put her poverty down to her lack of beauty. But she was
not very much troubled over it, for her Dream Knight still rode gaily
just beyond the horizon, and who knew when he might not ride up to her
door? But though his outlines were very hazy, Christina knew in her
heart that he was altogether and entirely unlike Gavin Grant.

Gavin was shy and awkward, and had lived so long away on the back
concession with his Aunties, where the grass grew in the middle of the
corduroy road, that he had grown as queer and old-fashioned as they
were. But ever since the day Christina had saved him from Skinflint
Jenkins' horse-whip, he had shown a tendency to follow her with
adoringly humble eyes. He had made no further attempt to attract her
attention until now. And here was his first gift! And worst of all he
must have told his Aunts about it! Christina hastily pushed the basket
back, and seating herself upon the stile, looked down at it.

The first offering from Love's treasure house could not but make the
heart beat faster; but what a disappointment that it should come
through Gavin Grant of all people! How Jimmie would tease her, and how
Mary would laugh--Mary, who had so many beaux sending her presents that
she did not know what to do with them all. And Sandy,--no, Sandy would
not laugh. Sandy liked Gavin and said he was one