re came a defiant sort of flash,
changing suddenly to something warmer than anger, stronger than pride,
making her shrink a little and say, hastily, "I don't find the Charlie I
left, but the Prince is there still, I see."

Turning to Mac with a sense of relief, she gently took off his
"winkers," as Jamie called them, and looked straight into the honest
blue eyes that looked straight back at her, full of a frank and friendly
affection that warmed her heart and made her own eyes brighten as
she gave back the glasses, saying, with a look and tone of cordial
satisfaction, "You are not changed, my dear old Mac, and I'm so glad of
that!"

"Now say something extra sweet to me, because I'm the flower of the
family," said Steve, twirling the blond moustache, which was evidently
the pride of his life.

Rose saw at a glance that Dandy deserved his name more than ever, and
promptly quenched his vanities by answering, with a provoking laugh,
"Then the name of the flower of the family is Cockscomb."

"Ah, ha! who's got it now?" jeered Will.

"Let us off easy, please," whispered Geordie, mindful that their turn
came next.

"You blessed beanstalks! I'm proud of you only don't grow quite out of
sight, or even be ashamed to look a woman in the face," answered Rose,
with a gentle pat on the cheek of either bashful young giant, for both
were red as peonies, though their boyish eyes were as clear and calm as
summer lakes.

"Now me!" and Jamie assumed his manliest air, feeling that he did not
appear to advantage among his tall kinsmen. But he went to the head
of the class in everyone's opinion when Rose put her arms around him,
saying, with a kiss, "You must be my boy now, for all the others are too
old, and I want a faithful little page to do my errands for me."

"I will, I will I'll marry you too, if you'll just hold on till I grow
up!" cried Jamie, rather losing his head at this sudden promotion.

"Bless the baby, what is he talking about?" laughed Rose, looking down
at her little knight as he clung about her with grateful ardor.

"Oh, I heard the aunts say that you'd better marry one of us, and keep
the property in the family, so I speak first, because you are very fond
of me, and I do love curls."

Alas for Jamie! This awful speech had hardly left his innocent lips when
Will and Geordie swept him out of the room like a whirlwind, and the
howls of that hapless boy were heard from the torture hall, where being
shut into the