"She will be along in a few minutes. I ’m disappointed in her! I would n’t have believed it if I had n’t seen them. Promise not to breathe a word to a living soul, and I ’ll tell you something dreadful," began Fanny, in a tone that caused her friends to drop their work and draw their chairs nearer, as they solemnly vowed eternal silence. "I ’ve seen Sophie’s Christmas presents,--all but mine; and they are just nothing at all! She has n’t bought a thing, not even ribbons, lace, or silk, to make up prettily as we do. Only a painted shell for one, an acorn emery for another, her ivory fan with a new tassel for a third, and I suspect one of those nice handkerchiefs embroidered by the nuns for me, or her silver filigree necklace. I saw the box in the drawer with the other things. She’s knit woollen cuffs and tippets for the children, and got some eight-cent calico gowns for the servants. I don’t know how people do things in Switzerland, but I do know that if _I_ had a hundred dollars in my pocket, I would be more generous than that!" As Fanny paused, out of breath, Di and Do groaned in sympathy, for this was indeed a sad state of things; because the girls had a code that Christmas being the season for gifts, extravagance would be forgiven then as at no other time. "I have a lovely smelling-bottle for her; but I ’ve a great mind not to give it now," cried Di, feeling defrauded of the bracelet she had plainly hinted she would like. "I shall heap coals of fire on her head by giving her _that_;" and Dora displayed a very useless but very pretty apron of muslin, lace, and carnation ribbon. "It is n’t the worth of the things. I don’t care for that so much as I do for being disappointed in her; and I have been lately in more ways than one," said Fanny, listlessly taking up the screen she was to finish. "She used to tell me everything, and now she does n’t. I ’m sure she has some sort of a secret; and I do think _I_ ought to know it. I found her smiling over a letter one day; and she whisked it into her pocket and never said a word about it. I always stood by her, and I do feel hurt." "I should think you might! It’s real naughty of her, and I shall tell her so! Perhaps she ’ll confide in you then, and you can just give _me_ a hint; I always liked Sophie, and never thought of not giving _my_ present," said Dora, persuasively, for both girls were now dying with curiosity to know the secret. "I ’ll have it out of her, without any dodging or bribing. I ’m not afraid of any one, and I shall ask her straight out, no matter how much she scowls at me," said dauntless Di, with a threatening nod. "There she is! Let us see you do it now!" cried Fanny, as the bell rang, and a clear voice was heard a moment later asking if Mademoiselle was in. "You shall!" and Di looked ready for any audacity. "I ’ll wager a box of candy that you don’t find out a thing," whispered Do.