ith great
interest, in spite of her heroic speeches.

"One can accept gifts from a cousin," she said, afterwards.

Sir Harry had shown good taste in his purchases. The ornaments and
knick-knacks were all pretty and well chosen. The good-natured fellow
had ransacked the shops in Paris for such things as he thought would
please his unknown cousins. The bracelets, and fans, and gloves, and
laces, made Dulce almost dance with glee. The lace was for Aunt
Catherine, he said; and there were gloves for everybody,--dozens and
dozens of them. But the fans and bracelets were for the girls; and
to-morrow he would get the bonbons for Dulce. And then, as the girls
laughingly apportioned the spoil, he whispered something to Nan, at
which she nodded and smiled.

Mattie, who was carefully admiring the lace in her short-sighted way,
felt something touch her elbow, and found Nan pushing a fan and a
parcel of gloves towards her,--beautiful gloves, such as Isabel had in
her trousseau.

"Yes; take them; we have so many; and, indeed, we have no use for more
than a fan apiece. Oh, you extravagant Harry!"

Sir Harry laughed as he balanced the fan clumsily on his huge finger:

"Take it; you are very welcome, Miss Mattie. You know we are quite old
acquaintances; and, indeed, I look on you as a sort of cousin."

"Oh, dear!--thank you; you are very good, Sir Harry," cried poor
Mattie, blushing with pleasure.

Never had she spent such a day in her life,--a day wherein she had not
been once snubbed, except in that remark of Archie's about her collar,
and that did not matter.

"Poor little woman, she looks very happy!" observed Mrs. Challoner,
benevolently, as Mattie gathered up her spoils and went out of the
room, accompanied by Dulce. "She is such a good little soul, and so
amiable, that it is a pity Mr. Drummond is always finding fault with
her. It spoils him, somehow; and I am sure she bears it very well."
She spoke to Nan, for her nephew seemed engrossed with tying up
Laddie's front paw with his handkerchief.

"I am afraid, from what she says, that they all snub her at home,"
returned Nan. "It seems Grace is the favorite; but you know, mother,
Mattie is just a little tiresome and awkward at times."

"Yes; but she is very much improved. And I must say her temper is of
the sweetest; for she never bears her brother any malice." But at that
moment Mattie re-entered the room: and Sir Harry, releasing Laddie,
proceeded, as in duty bound,