every few minutes. Once I got up at four o'clock
in the morning. I went out. I had a cold afterwards, and a bad sore
throat, but I never told anybody how I got it. If I was excited about my
poor little birthday, what will you be to-morrow?"

"I don't know," said Pauline. "Listen, girls. I am so excited in one
sense that I couldn't be any more so. I am so excited that I'm not
excited. Can you understand what I mean?"

"No, I'm sure I can't a bit," said Briar.

"And it's quite likely," continued Pauline, "that I shall have no sleep
at all the night after my birthday."

"What do you mean now?" asked Briar.

Pauline looked mysterious. The two girls glanced at her. Suddenly Pauline
put one arm around Briar's neck and the other arm round Patty's neck.

"You are the nicest of us all--that is, of course, except Verena," she
said. "I have always been fonder of you two than of Adelaide or Josephine
or Helen or Lucy. As to Pen, well, I don't suppose any of us feel to Pen
as we do to the rest. She is so different. Yes, I love you two. I love
you just awfully."

"It is sweet of you to say that; and, seeing that you are to have a
birthday so soon, it makes us feel sort of distinguished," said Briar.

"How old are you, Briar?"

"I'll be thirteen next May. That's a long time off. I do wish my birthday
had waited until Aunt Sophy came on the scene."

"And my birthday comes in the winter," said Patty--"near Christmas; but I
dare say Aunt Sophy will give us a good time then, too."

"I do like her awfully," said Pauline. "Now, girls, I want to ask you a
question. I know you won't tell, for you are not the sort to tell."

"Of course we won't tell, Paulie."

"And you love me, don't you?"

"Yes," echoed both little girls.

"This is my question. If I do something that is not just exactly
absolutely right, will you still love me?"

"Why, of course. We're not so wonderfully good ourselves," said Briar.

"I know what you are thinking of," said Patty. "You are thinking of
Punishment Day. But we have forgotten all about that."

"I was thinking of Punishment Day. And now I want to say something. I
want to make the most tremendous confidence. I want to tell you the most
tremendous secret."

"Oh!" echoed both.

"Light that candle, Briar," said Pauline.

Briar crossed the room, struck a match, lit the candle, and then turned
to see what her darling Paulie wished further.

"Bring it right over here," said Pauline. "Put it on