"Oh, we know all about it," returned Phillis, carelessly; but Dulce's bright face looked a little overcast. "Son Hammond is in the case; and we can all judge of a father's feelings by a certain example that shall be nameless. Good gracious, mammie! there comes the Alcides himself, and Dorothy has not cleared the tea-things! I vote we meet him in the garden, to avert breakages." And Phillis's proposition was carried out. But when they were all seated in the little parlor again, and the lamp was brought, sundry packages made their appearence, and were delightedly unpacked by the girls, Phillis assisting with great interest, in spite of her heroic speeches. "One can accept gifts from a cousin," she said, afterwards. Sir Harry had shown good taste in his purchases. The ornaments and knick-knacks were all pretty and well chosen. The good-natured fellow had ransacked the shops in Paris for such things as he thought would please his unknown cousins. The bracelets, and fans, and gloves, and laces, made Dulce almost dance with glee. The lace was for Aunt Catherine, he said; and there were gloves for everybody,--dozens and dozens of them. But the fans and bracelets were for the girls; and to-morrow he would get the bonbons for Dulce. And then, as the girls laughingly apportioned the spoil, he whispered something to Nan, at which she nodded and smiled. Mattie, who was carefully admiring the lace in her short-sighted way, felt something touch her elbow, and found Nan pushing a fan and a parcel of gloves towards her,--beautiful gloves, such as Isabel had in her trousseau. "Yes; take them; we have so many; and, indeed, we have no use for more than a fan apiece. Oh, you extravagant Harry!" Sir Harry laughed as he balanced the fan clumsily on his huge finger: "Take it; you are very welcome, Miss Mattie. You know we are quite old acquaintances; and, indeed, I look on you as a sort of cousin." "Oh, dear!--thank you; you are very good, Sir Harry," cried poor Mattie, blushing with pleasure. Never had she spent such a day in her life,--a day wherein she had not been once snubbed, except in that remark of Archie's about her collar, and that did not matter. "Poor little woman, she looks very happy!" observed Mrs. Challoner, benevolently, as Mattie gathered up her spoils and went out of the room, accompanied by Dulce. "She is such a good little soul, and so amiable, that it is a pity Mr. Drummond is always finding fault with her. It spoils him, somehow; and I am sure she bears it very well." She spoke to Nan, for her nephew seemed engrossed with tying up Laddie's front paw with his handkerchief. "I am afraid, from what she says, that they all snub her at home," returned Nan. "It seems Grace is the favorite; but you know, mother, Mattie is just a little tiresome and awkward at times."