Madonna hanging over it. The Japanese screen half-folded back
showed a delicate toilet service of blue and white set forth on a marble
slab, and near by was the great bath-pan, with Turkish towels and a
sponge as big as Rose's head.

"Uncle must love cold water like a duck," she thought, with a shiver.

Then her eye went on to the tall cabinet, where a half-open door
revealed a tempting array of the drawers, shelves and "cubby holes,"
which so delight the hearts of children.

"What a grand place for my new things," she thought, wondering what her
uncle kept in that cedar retreat.

"Oh me, what a sweet toilet table!" was her next mental exclamation, as
she approached this inviting spot.

A round old-fashioned mirror hung over it, with a gilt eagle a-top,
holding in his beak the knot of blue ribbon that tied up a curtain
of muslin falling on either side of the table, where appeared little
ivory-handled brushes, two slender silver candle-sticks, a porcelain
match-box, several pretty trays for small matters, and, most imposing of
all, a plump blue silk cushion, coquettishly trimmed with lace, and pink
rose-buds at the corners.

That cushion rather astonished Rose; in fact, the whole table did, and
she was just thinking, with a sly smile,

"Uncle is a dandy, but I never should have guessed it," when he opened
the door of a large closet, saying, with a careless wave of the hand,

"Men like plenty of room for their rattle-traps; don't you think that
ought to satisfy me?"

Rose peeped in and gave a start, though all she saw was what one usually
finds in closets clothes and boots, boxes and bags. Ah! but you see
these clothes were small black and white frocks; the row of little boots
that stood below had never been on Dr. Alec's feet; the green bandbox
had a gray veil straying out of it, and yes! the bag hanging on the door
was certainly her own piece-bag, with a hole in one corner. She gave
a quick look round the room and understood now why it had seemed too
dainty for a man, why her Testament and Prayer Book were on the table
by the bed, and what those rose-buds meant on the blue cushion. It came
upon her in one delicious burst that this little paradise was all for
her, and, not knowing how else to express her gratitude, she caught Dr.
Alec round the neck, saying impetuously,

"O uncle, you are too good to me! I'll do anything you ask me; ride wild
horses and take freezing baths and eat bad-tasting messes, and let