Christmas Eve came, and found Di still in the dark, which fact nettled her sadly, for Sophie tormented her and amused the other girls by pretended confidences and dark hints at the mystery which might never, never be disclosed. Fan had determined to have an unusually jolly party; so she invited only her chosen friends, and opened the festivities with a Christmas tree, as the prettiest way of exchanging gifts and providing jokes for the evening in the shape of delusive bottles, animals full of candy, and every sort of musical instrument to be used in an impromptu concert afterward. The presents to one another were done up in secure parcels, so that they might burst upon the public eye in all their freshness. Di was very curious to know what Fan was going to give her,--for Fanny was a generous creature and loved to give. Di was a little jealous of her love for Sophie, and could n’t rest till she discovered which was to get the finer gift. So she went early and slipped into the room where the tree stood, to peep and pick a bit, as well as to hang up a few trifles of her own. She guessed several things by feeling the parcels; but one excited her curiosity intensely, and she could not resist turning it about and pulling up one corner of the lid. It was a flat box, prettily ornamented with sea-weeds like red lace, and tied with scarlet ribbons. A tantalizing glimpse of jeweller’s cotton, gold clasps, and something rose-colored conquered Di’s last scruples; and she was just about to untie the ribbons when she heard Fanny’s voice, and had only time to replace the box, pick up a paper that had fallen out of it, and fly up the back stairs to the dressing-room, where she found Sophie and Dora surveying each other as girls always do before they go down. "You look like a daisy," cried Di, admiring Dora with great interest, because she felt ashamed of her prying, and the stolen note in her pocket. "And you like a dandelion," returned Do, falling back a step to get a good view of Di’s gold-colored dress and black velvet bows. "Sophie is a lily of the valley, all in green and white," added Fanny, coming in with her own blue skirts waving in the breeze. "It does me very well. Little girls do not need grand toilets, and I am fine enough for a ’peasant,’" laughed Sophie, as she settled the fresh ribbons on her simple white cashmere and the holly wreath in her brown hair, but secretly longing for the fine dress she might have had. "Why didn’t you wear your silver necklace? It would be lovely on your pretty neck," said Di, longing to know if she had given the trinket away. But Sophie was not to be caught, and said with a contented smile, "I do not care for ornaments unless some one I love gives me them. I had red roses for my _bouquet de corsage_; but the poor Madame Page was so _triste_, I left them on her table to remember her of me. It seemed so heartless to go and dance while she had only pain; but she wished it."