he
ambition of a lifetime would have been gratified, as by the stroke of a
magician's wand? Really and truly the General had tumbled (literally
tumbled) into their lives in the most unexpected fashion, and to begin
talking of presents upon an acquaintance of a month's standing proved
him to be something far superior to ordinary mortals. Jill made up her
mind to change the nickname of Victim for that of Magician from this
time forward.

Presently Betty appeared, a pensive, melancholy Betty, chilly about the
fingers, and nippy about the nose, much oppressed by the feeling that
she worked while others played, and had no thanks for her pains, and was
altogether too good for a world in which her excellencies were
unappreciated. As usual, her hair was dressed in accordance with her
mood, a brush dipped in water having been employed to flatten out the
curls which had been painfully achieved a few hours before.

The General looked at the dismal little figure with a twinkling eye.
Already he had been introduced to three separate Betty Trevors, and it
would be interesting to ascertain which of the various representations
approached nearest to the reality. Judging from Miss Betty's
conversation this afternoon, Christmas would appear to be her _bete
noire_ throughout the year, and she could see no bright spot in the
horizon. The presents which she had prepared were all failures; unlike
Jill, she wanted nothing in return; it was dull having "no one but
ourselves" in the house on the great day, while, on the other hand, it
would be horrid to have strangers. Mrs Vanburgh had gone off home to
enjoy herself, and had left the "Govies" in the charge of herself and
Cynthia Alliot to "cheer up and entertain," and how could they do it,
pray, a couple of girls like themselves? She scowled quite fiercely at
the General as she put the question, but he only chuckled in reply,
having already been treated to the history of Nan's first `At Home' from
the lips of an historian more sceptical than sympathetic.

"Aha! Those governesses! How many may they be? Do you still entertain
the few to conversation, and yourselves to the good things provided for
the many?" he cried teasingly, whereupon Betty assumed what she
conceived to be an air of haughty reproach, and replied coldly--

"We had four at our last reception. They all want to come again, and
were most agreeable. Two of them have gone home for the holidays, but
the others have no ho