Miss Agrippina de Crespigney, attended by Sophia and Lamia, stood in the hall to welcome them home. She took Gloria by the waist, kissed her on both cheeks and said: “You are looking very well, my dear. How much you have grown!” And then Gloria returned her caresses and her compliments, saying: “You are looking finely, aunt. You are not changed at all. I think no one is changed except David Lindsay and myself. I think people must grow up and stay so until they become very old.” But quick Miss Grip had already turned to her nephew to shake hands with him, and left Gloria free to receive the welcome of her colored friends. “How you has growed! My patience alibe, how you has growed, honey!” was the greeting of ’Phia. “’Deed I is mighty proud to see you, Miss Glo’, ’deed is I!” was the cordial exclamation of Lamia. “You had better prove your feelings in a more practical manner by showing your mistress up to her room,” said prompt Miss Grip. “Come on, Miss Glo’!” said the unceremonious girl. “Yes, indeed, Lamia, I do wish to lay off my wraps. I have been wearing them so long,” responded the young lady, as she followed her maid up the broad staircase to the large southeast room overlooking the sea, which had been hers in her childhood. “Ain’t it just lovely, Miss Glo’?” triumphantly exclaimed the girl, as she threw open the door and displayed the renovated and decorated chamber, blooming like a rose in its pink silk and white lace curtains, its pink velvet and white satin chairs, and its pink and white walls and carpet. “Isn’t it just lovely, now, Miss Glo’?” repeated the pleased maid. “Oh, dear, yes, I suppose it is; but it isn’t like my dee-ar old room at all! Not even the fireplace!” she sighed, as she turned to the glowing coals on a polished steel grate that had replaced the blazing hickory logs of the old open chimney that was so familiar to her childhood. “Why, you don’t like it, Miss Glo’!” exclaimed the girl in surprise and disappointment. “Oh, yes, I do; but—it is not like home at all! Nothing is like home, and I feel as if I had come into a strange house, and should never reach home again!” sighed the homesick child, as she laid her hat on the pretty counterpane of white crochet over pink silk. “And we took such pains to please you!” said the maid, sorrowfully. “Poor Lamia! Well, I am pleased, only I would like to have seen my old room once more just as it was. Come now and help me to dress. My boxes have arrived, I suppose. They were sent by express to Leonardtown last week.” “Oh, yes, Miss, soon as ebber de letter an’ de keys come by mail, us sent daddy wid de wagon to Lennuntowm to fetch de boxes home, which dey rove safe an’ soun’, an’ I unpacked dem an’ put all de fings ’way in de boorers an’ ward’obes.” “That was right. Just give me the blue cashmere suit and the lace that is with it.”