e the story of the blue beads, and
to show her those Esther had sent, and those that Aunt Prissy had
given her. Faith was sure that she herself could tell the beads apart,
and equally sure that no one else could do so.

Louise was waiting at the gate when Faith came from school. At the
first sight of her Faith was hardly sure that it was Louise; for the
little girl at the gate had on a beautiful fur coat. It was made of
otter skins, brown and soft. On her head was a cap of the same fur;
and, as Faith came close, she saw that Louise wore fur mittens.

"Oh, Louise! Your coat is splendid," she exclaimed. "And you look so
pretty in it; and the cap and mittens." And Faith looked at Louise,
smiling with delighted admiration.

Louise nodded happily. "My father sent to Albany for them. A man
brought them last night," she said. "You do truly like them?" she
questioned, a little anxiously.

"Of course! Any girl would think they were beautiful. Aunt Prissy will
be just as glad as I am," declared Faith. "What's in that big bundle?"
she added, as Louise lifted a big bundle from beside the gate.

But if Louise heard she made no reply, and when Faith offered to carry
the package she shook her head laughingly. Faith thought it might be
something that Louise wanted to work on that evening, and was so
intent on telling of her father's visit, the blue beads, and the
promised visit to her own dear home in March, that she did not really
give much thought to the package.

Aunt Prissy was at the window watching for the girls, with the three
little boys about her. They all came to the door, and Aunt Prissy
exclaimed, just as Faith had done, over the beauty of Louise's new
possessions. "But what is in that big bundle, Louise?" she asked, when
the little lame girl had taken off coat, cap and mittens, and stood
smiling up at her good friend.

"Once you said to me that a present was something that any one ought
to be very happy to receive," she said.

"Yes, I remember. And I know you are happy over your father's gift,"
replied Mrs. Scott.

Louise nodded, and began unwrapping the bundle.

"This is my present to Faith," she said, struggling to untie the heavy
string.

"Let me, Louise; let me," and Donald was down on his knees and in a
moment the bundle was opened, and Donald exclaimed:

"My! It's a coat exactly like Louise's."

"There's a cap too, and mittens," said Louise eagerly. "Do try it on."

Donald stood holding the coat; an