ack satin cloak with deep lace."

"She said nothing about lace," Matilda repeated. "But I shall learn
what is proper, in her company."

And Matilda's little head, despite her confusion, took the airy set
upon her shoulders which was with her the unconscious expression of
disdain or disapprobation. There was another burst of laughter.

"Your shoulders are older than your face, my dear," observed Mrs.
Lloyd. "Judith must take care what she does. I see there is something
in you."

Happily this speech was Greek to Matilda; she had not the least
knowledge of what called it forth. However, she took it as a sign that
Mrs. Lloyd was beginning to like her a little. All the more she was
sorry, as her feet went up the stairs that night, that the way was not
clear about the Christmas gift for the stately old lady.

She had meant to speak of it to the other children, but had no chance.
After Mrs. Laval called her to tell her about the coffee, the quartette
party was broken up; the two boys had left the room and not come back
again. So what would have been better disposed of at once, was of
necessity laid over to the next day. Matilda had scruples about taking
part in a gift that had anything to do with the promotion of drinking.
She knew well enough what liqueur was; she had tasted it on the
occasion of that first memorable visit she and Maria had made to Mrs.
Laval's house; she knew it was very strong, stronger than wine, she
thought; for people only drank it out of little glasses that would not
hold much more than a good thimbleful. She had seen it once or twice
already at Mrs. Lloyd's served after dinner. She had seen David and
Norton and Judy all take it. Now she herself was pledged to do all she
could in the cause of temperance. Her all would not be much here,
something said to her; nobody would mind what she thought or said;
true. Nevertheless, ought she not to do _what she could?_ according to
her old motto. And following her new motto, to "do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus," could she rightly join, even silently, in a plan to
make a present of drinking flasks and glasses? But if she refused, what
a fuss it would make!

Matilda went slowly up the stairs thinking of it; and arrived in her
room, she turned on the gas and opened her Bible and sat down to study
the question. She found she could not read, any more than those few
strong words; they seemed to cover the whole ground; "Whatsoever ye do,
in word or deed, do a