e whom Mrs. Betty Calvert stands sponsor for is surely to be
envied."

"I think so too, sir," said Len, beginning to thaw out under Judge
Breckenridge's good-natured smile.

When Dorothy and Molly came downstairs and joined them, they made a
merry party. Molly had changed her traveling dress for a clean frock,
and with her hair arranged prettily in the latest mode, made even Jim
Barlow "sit up and take notice." As for the Judge and his gayety, if
old in years, he was young in heart, and forgot his infirmities to
such an extent that Aunt Betty, entering suddenly, threw up her hands
in amazement.

"I knew this trip would make a wonderful improvement in you, Judge,"
said she, "but had no idea the change would be effected in so rapid a
manner."

"I just can't help it, Mrs. Calvert. To see these young folks about
me makes me feel young again, which reminds me that I have never been
happier than when I once took the boys and girls on a jaunt through
the Nova Scotia woods."

"A jaunt that ended in my giving a house party at Deerhurst," said
Dorothy. "That was after I had learned that I was not a homeless
waif, but the great-niece of Mrs. Betty Calvert."

"It was papa, if you remember, who ran down the clues leading to the
discovery that Mrs. Calvert was your relative," said Molly.

"And I'll never forget how overjoyed we all were when we knew to whom
our girl friend was related," and the old Judge leaned over and
stroked Dorothy's hand as he spoke.

"Then came my humiliation," said Aunt Betty in a reminiscent tone. "I
was forced to admit to you all that when my nephew's baby came I was
indignant, feeling that I was too old to have a squalling infant
forced upon me. Then, better thoughts prevailing, I saw in Dorothy
traces of my own family likeness and wanted to keep her. Then I
listened to Dinah and Ephraim, and finally took their advice to hunt
up a worthy couple unburdened with children of their own, and force
the child upon them to be reared in simple, sensible ways. When I
found that you had discovered the relationship between us, I did only
what my heart had been bidding me do for many years--took Dorothy to
my bosom, and into my household where she belonged."

Dinah came to the door to say that lunch was served, and the party
filed into the dining-room to continue the discussion at the table.

On the following morning--the day before Christmas--a great bundle of
presents arrived from one of the Baltimore dep