ly, then laughed outright, as she glanced up into
his face, saying, "I thought it was you, papa, that took mamma."

"Oh! now, you begin to look something like the little girl I'm used to
hearing called Gertrude Ross; the one I like to buy presents for; the
other one that was here just a moment ago, gets nothing bought with my
money."

"See here," said her mother, and with a cry of delight Gertrude sprang
forward and caught from her hand a watch and chain very nearly the
counterparts of those little Elsie was displaying to her sister and
brothers.

"Oh, joy, joy!" she cried, dancing up and down, "thank you, mamma! Thank
you, papa! I'd rather have this than a dozen visits to New York. See,
Kate, isn't it a beauty?"

"Yes," returned her sister sullenly; "but I don't see why you should have
a watch and I only this ring; you're hardly more than a year older than I
am and not a bit better girl"

"Come, come, don't pout, Kitty," said her father, stroking her hair;
"your time will come. Harry's and Archie's too, and even little Sophie's,"
he added, catching the household pet up in his arms, to give her a hug and
kiss.

It was not until after tea that Mr. Ross missed his dog. "Where's Ranger?"
he asked of one of the servants.

"Dade, sir, I don't know," she answered. "Sure he went to the picnic wid
the rest of the childer, an' it's meself as hasn't seen him since."

"Harry," stepping out on the porch where the children, except the very
little ones, who had already been sent up to bed, were sitting listlessly
about, too weary with the day's sports to care for anymore active
amusement, "where's Ranger?"

"Ranger?" cried Harry with a start, "why sure enough, I haven't seen him
since he came home! and I don't think he came with us either."

"No, he didn't," said several young voices.

"I wonder where he can be," pursued Harry. "Shall I go and look for him,
papa?"

Mr. Ross was about to say yes, when his eye fell upon the face of his
youngest son who, he noticed, looked very red and somewhat troubled. "What
do you know about it, Archie?" he asked; "can you tell us what has become
of Ranger?"

"He behaved very bad indeed, papa," stammered the boy; "he killed a dear
little bird and tried to bite Vi, and me too--and I sold him."

The truth was out and Archie heaved a sigh of relief.

"Sold him?" repeated his father in a tone of mingled surprise and
displeasure.

"Yes, sir: to Jared Bates, for two cents. Here they ar