ppened. He found Bert scrambling to his feet,
brisk and angry. The child made a dash towards his brother, and seized
his hand.

"What's the matter?" asked Royal. No answer, but a renewed tug at his
hand to draw him away.

"The little fellow tried to jump the piazza railing and fell," explained
Mr. Lloyd, laughingly.

"Papa just asked him a question,--if he brought us a box Saturday night;
and as he didn't want to answer, he ran," spoke up Elsie.

"I didn't, I jumped!" cried the child.

Everybody laughed.

"Can't _you_ tell us?" asked Marge, looking at Royal. "_Did_ your
brother bring it?"

"Yes," answered Royal, flushing up.

"And who sent it?" asked Elsie, impatiently. She waited a moment for an
answer. As none came, she asked still more impatiently, "Do you _know_
the person who sent it?"

"Yes," in a hesitating voice.

"Did the person tell you not to tell?"

"No," in the same hesitating voice.

"Then why in the world _don't_ you tell? You've no right to keep it back
like this. It is our affair, not yours, and so it is our right to know
who it is. Don't you understand that we don't want people to send us
things--presents--and not know anything about who it is?"

Royal looked startled, and the flush on his face deepened. Elsie thought
she had conquered him, and chirped out an encouraging, "Come, now, who
was it?" But to her surprise the boy flung up his head with an angry
movement, and with a defiant glance at her said stubbornly,--

"I've a perfect right _not_ to answer your question, and I sha'n't!"

"Well, of all the brazen--"

"Elsie!" warned her father, "don't say anything more."

"You'll let me say one thing more, papa. Rhoda told us that this boy was
very accommodating, and he brought me such nice big eggs, I thought he
was, and meant to give him something to show my appreciation, and I'd
like to give it to him now. Here," taking something from her pocket,
"give this to your brother," she said to little Bert, who stood eying
her curiously. The child's hand opened involuntarily. Into it dropped a
_royal purple_ egg.

Royal saw and understood. "Give it back to her!" he cried.

Bert, feeling the passion in his brother's voice, drew off, and _flung_
the egg with all his might at Elsie. Luckily for her, it missed its aim
and whizzed past, striking some article with a breaking crash beyond
her.

"Oh! oh! oh! it's fallen on the painted eggs!" cried Marge, "and,"
running forward, "it has spoil