tarted
violently, and cried, "Jack! What _has_ happened!" in a tone of dismay
which brought every eye upon him. Freckled nose, twinkling eyes,
outstanding ears--no change to be seen in these well-known features, but
the teeth--the teeth! Between lips extended in broadest of smiles
appeared horrible, isolated tusks standing out conspicuously from the
black gaps on either side. What in the name of all that was mysterious
and perplexing had happened to those rows of sound regular ivories which
had been his chief beauty five minutes before? And what an alteration
in his whole appearance! Extraordinary to think of the change which was
effected by the loss of half a dozen little teeth!

After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both
in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the
mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do! You look _so_
dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black
squares. It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create
shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!

The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last
parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round
with a narrow blue ribbon. It was addressed to Betty, and to her
rapturous surprise contained a line of congratulation from Cynthia
Alliot, and the exact duplicate of an artistic silver and enamel buckle
which she had admired on her friend's belt a few days before. She was
so entirely occupied crooning over this treasure, that she did not
notice that Pam had suddenly slipped from her chair and pushed the
screen aside, leaving the tall draped mystery fully exposed to view.

"It's my present," she explained proudly. "For mother. Just what she
wanted! Cook hid it for me, and covered it with these clothes." She
stood on tiptoe as she spoke, taking out the pins which held the
coverings together. They fell to the ground, and revealed a handsome
branching palm, standing four or five feet from the ground. Mrs Trevor
uttered an exclamation of incredulous surprise, and indeed every face
round the table expressed the same sentiment, for the plant was
obviously expensive, and how in the world could Pam have purchased it
out of an income of a penny a week?

"My darling! For me? That is indeed a magnificent present. Where did
it c