e oughtn't to be. He
was under fire ever so many times with papa in the Philippines when he
was a little chap. You know he was the youngest captain in the army, at
one time, and was on General Grant's staff when he was still in short
trousers."

"Why, of course, I know," cried Gay, enthusiastically. "I heard some
officers talking about it one night at dinner just after it happened.
Papa toasted 'The Little Captain' in such a pretty speech that the
officers who had fought with your father cheered. But I never dreamed
then that I'd ever know his sister, or be sitting here holding his
picture, talking about him. I'm going to take possession of this," she
added, when all the other photographs were back in the box.

"You don't care, do you? I'd like it to add to my collection of heroes.
I'll put it in a frame made of brass buttons and crossed guns and all
sorts of ornaments that the officers have given me off of their
uniforms."

"No, I don't care," answered Kitty. "Allison has one like it, and I can
get another any time by writing home for it. I wish you would take it,
for that would give me such a fine thing to tease him about. I could
worry him nearly distracted."

"I don't care how much you tease him so long as I may keep the picture,"
laughed Gay. "I'm a thousand times obliged to you."

As she sat looking at it, she exclaimed, suddenly: "Kitty Walton, you're
an awfully lucky girl to have such nice boys in your family. I wish I
knew them. I haven't a brother or even a forty-second cousin."

"Well, you can know them if you'll come home with me to spend the
Christmas vacation. Ranald always brings a boy home with him for the
holidays, and mother said Allison and I might bring a friend. I'm sure
she'd rather have you than anybody else, she knows your father and
mother so well."

The amber lights in Gay's brown eyes deepened. "Oh, I'd _love_ to!" she
cried. "I'd dearly love to! It's too far to go away back to San Antonio
for such a short time, and I hated to think of the holidays, knowing
I'd have to stay here at the Hall, with all you girls gone. Are you sure
your mother won't object?"

"You wait and see," advised Kitty. "You don't know mammy! You'll not
have any doubt of your welcome when her letter comes."

"Oh, it would be too lovely for anything!" exclaimed Gay, listening with
a far-away look in her eyes, as Kitty began outlining plans for the
coming holidays. Presently, in sheer joy at the prospect, they pul