d her susceptibilities. The hours passed quickly to nine
o'clock, then Mary said it was time for her to go.

'Do you want to stay a little longer, Mr. Boddy,' she said, 'or will
you go home with me?'

'I'd rather walk home in good company than alone, Miss Mary,' he
replied. 'I call it walking, but it's only a stump-stump.'

'But it would be worse if you couldn't walk at all,' Mary said.

'Right, my dear, as you always are. I've no call to grumble. It's a bad
habit as grows on me, I fear. If Lyddy 'ad only tell me of it, both
together you might do me good. But Lyddy treats me like a spoilt child.
It's her old way.'

'Mary shall take us both in hand,' said Lydia. 'She shall cure me of my
sharp temper and you of grumbling, grandad; and I know which 'll be the
hardest job!'

Laughing with kindly mirth, the old man drew on his woollen gloves and
took up his hat and the violin-bag. Then he offered to say good-bye.

'But you're forgetting your top-coat, grandad,' said Lydia.

'I didn't come in it, my dear.'

'What's that, then? I'm sure _we_ don't wear such things.'

She pointed to a chair, on which Thyrza had just artfully spread the
gift. Mr. Boddy looked in a puzzled way; had he really come in his coat
and forgotten it? He drew nearer.

'That's no coat o' mine, Lyddy,' he said.

Thyrza broke into a laugh.

'Why, whose is it, then?' she exclaimed. 'Don't play tricks, grandad;
put it on at once!'

'Now come, come; you're keeping Mary waiting,' said Lydia, catching up
the coat and holding it ready.

Then Mr. Boddy understood. He looked from Lydia to Thyrza with dimmed
eyes.

'I've a good mind never to speak to either of you again,' he said in a
tremulous voice. 'As if you hadn't need enough of your money! Lyddy,
Lyddy! And you're as bad, Thyrza; a grown-up woman like you, you ought
to teach your sister better. Why there; it's no good; I don't know what
to say to you. Now what do you think of this, Mary?'

Lydia still held up the coat, and at length persuaded the old man to
don it. The effect upon his appearance was remarkable; conscious of it,
he held himself more upright and stumped to the little square of
looking-glass to try and regard himself. Here he furtively brushed a
hand over his eyes.

'I'm ready, Mary, my dear; I'm ready! It's no good saying anything to
girls like these. Good-bye, Lyddy; good-bye, Thyrza. May you have a
many happy Christmas, children! This isn't the first as you've made a
hap