"Well, I'm off," he said, abruptly turning on his heel, thinking within himself that if his promise to Agnes was to be kept during his parents' absence it would be well to begin at once. "Beaten off the field?" asked Hugh, laughing, while he turned round to give his mother a passing kiss. "Teasing again, my boy," she said gently. "Only on the surface, mother," he answered lightly. "Do you not think that the surface of a mirror sometimes gets scratched, and cannot reflect back the same perfect image it should?" Hugh shook his head. "Mother, I shall be late," he said, turning the handle of the door, and wishing to escape. She smiled archly. "Next week there will be no mother to run away from, so listen, Hugh. Can't you invent some remedy for that tongue of yours?" "I wasn't doing a bit of harm, mother, then." "But if you _could_ you would be 'able to bridle the whole body.' Think of that, Hugh! Can you not make up your mind to try?" "All right, mother, I'll see about it." "Not in your own strength though, dear." He nodded, and seeing that he was let off, he darted through the door and was gone in a moment. Mrs. Headley turned back with a momentary look of pain, then, as if those words were whispered in her ear she heard: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike _good_." And at that word she went into the dining-room with a smile on her face, and seated herself at her preparations with peace in her heart. "What are you going to do for poor people this Christmas, mother?" said Minnie, throwing her arms round her mother's neck in her warm-hearted little way. Mrs. Headley looked up from the close embrace with a smile, and answered, "We shall not be able to do very much this year, Minnie; but I have not forgotten." "I did not think you had, only I do like to know." At this moment Agnes entered the room, bearing in her arms a heap of garments, which she deposited on the table, saying to her mother, "This is all I can find, and they will need a good many stitches." "I dare say they will," said Mrs. Headley; "but we must all help." Minnie peered curiously at the assortment of clothes, and exclaimed, "Why, there's my old frock, Agnes! Whatever are you going to do with that?" "This is part of what we are going to do for Christmas," said her mother. Minnie looked incredulous, and turned over her brother's worn jacket with the tips of her rosy fingers rather disdainfully. Agnes already had seated herself at the table, and was proceeding to examine each garment with critical eyes. Mrs. Headley glanced at the little face opposite her, but made no remark as she leaned over to reach the old dress, which Minnie thought so useless. "This wants a button, Minnie; get the box, and see if there is one like the others there."