g things as they could
find. This was the best possible thing to do.

"Mother," said Mabel that night, in the little go-to-bed talk. "Myra
has to wear a blue dress on Easter Day, when the rest of us will all
wear white. I am so sorry for her."

"Is Myra very sorry, too?" asked mother.

"Of course she is, mother: I found her crying over it this afternoon.
But she stopped pretty soon, and said she would not cry any more."
Then Mabel told about the "love-gift."

"I wish I could take some kind of a love-gift, too," said Mabel,
seeing that her mother thought this a beautiful thing.

"I am sure you could, if you would." said mother.

"Please, tell me how."

"No. it must be your own _love-thought_ first. You will have to-morrow
to think it out. Good-night, now."

Mabel thought and thought a long time, next day. At last she whispered
something to mother that made her look very happy, and say "Yes,
dear."

On Easter morning Mabel waited for Myra, that they might go to
Sunday-school together.

"Oh, oh!" cried Myra, as she saw Mabel, "you have on your pink dress
in-stead of your new white one. Now I don't mind my blue one."

"We sit in the same row, you know," said Mabel, "and we'll be near
together." She looked very happy. The two little girls with shining
faces went together to God's house, and One above looked down and
smiled upon them.

* * * * *

THE MYSTERY IN BILLY'S YARD.

"Something's going on over to our place."

Billy Wells walked into the school yard at noon with a face which
showed that the "something" was very important indeed. The other boys
gathered in a little crowd about him.

"What is it, Billy?"

[Illustration: "We sit in the same row," said Mabel.]

"Tell us, Billy."

"It's--somebody that's come there--"

"What for?"

"To stay, I guess. Acts that way."

"Friends of the folks?"

"No, we've never seen 'em before."

"Do you mean some kind of a tramp?"

"What's he doing?"

"Seems to be building a house."

"A house? Well, that sounds queer."

"Whereabouts?"

"In my father's back yard."

"Billy, you're joking."

"It's as true as I stand here."

"Well, go on and tell more about it. Did he skulk 'round as if he was
afraid?"

"Not a bit of it."

"Did he see you?"

"Well," Billy hesitated a little. "I didn't go so very near him."

"That's best for you," one of the boys shook his head wisely. "You
never can tell what these tramp fellows