“It is well that some one finds me so,” he returned rather grimly. Ellen ran off to the post-office and brought back the daily paper and one letter for Miss Rindy, which she took and read in silence. Then she sat for a few moments gazing thoughtfully out of the window. Ellen meantime was looking over the paper. Presently her cousin turned to her and said, “Ellen, how would you like to spend your Christmas in the city with some of your old friends?” “I’d like it immensely, but there would be my travelling expenses, and I’d hate to go without some new clothes.” Strange that Jeremy Todd should have mentioned the same plan. “Don’t think I mind wearing my old ones here,” she added quickly, “but I haven’t anything very nice for evenings, you know, and my serge suit is getting pretty shabby; I have worn it so much.” “That is true; I hadn’t thought about the clothes, and I’m afraid we couldn’t afford both clothes and ticket.” Miss Rindy sighed. “Everything is so much higher nowadays that one’s income doesn’t cover more than half what it used to, and the income doesn’t increase with the price of other things. Well, we’ll say no more about it, but just settle down and have our holidays here.” But, as it turned out, there was a great deal more to be said about it. During the next few days Miss Rindy was rather short and grumpy, railing against high prices, the United States government, and things in general. Just why she was in this bitter mood Ellen could not find out, but it did not make for any great happiness on her part, for it increased her sense of dependence. “Never mind, Cousin Rindy,” she said one day when there had been a particularly sharp tirade against conditions, “I’ll soon be old enough to make my own living, and perhaps I may be able to help you, too.” Miss Rindy turned on her. “Don’t you ever say such a thing again. As if I were flinging at you. The thing that troubles me is that I can’t give you everything I’d like to.” “But, think what you do give me——” “Not another word. Go down and see if there is any mail.” Ellen went off, and in a short time was back, lugging a large box. “What in the world have you there?” inquired Miss Rindy. “That’s just what I don’t know. It is addressed to me, and Mrs. Perry said that as I was the only Ellen North in town it must be for me.” “Who sent it?” “No one that I know. Up in the corner it says it is from Mary West, Baltimore, and I don’t know any Mary West in Baltimore or anywhere else.” “Open it and we may find some explanation inside.” “It is fairly heavy,” said Ellen. Then she lifted the box to a chair and began tugging at the string, finally loosening it enough to remove the cover. There was a layer of tissue paper on top but nothing in the way of a card or note. Underneath the paper, carefully wrapped in a towel, was a white crêpe de Chine dress. Ellen shook it out and looked at her cousin in wonderment. “Did you ever?” she exclaimed.