"I'm just tying up the last ones," said Elise. "Don't be afraid to look; yours is safely hidden away. Now, here's what I want to know." She picked up a gold seal ring, which, however, had no crest or monogram cut on it,--and a bronze paper cutter. "They're lovely," said Patty, as she looked at them. "Who catches these?" "That's just what I don't know. I bought the ring for Roger and the paper cutter for Kenneth Harper; he's coming to-night. But I'd like to change them about and give the ring to Ken, and the paper knife to Roger. Would you?" "No, I wouldn't," said Patty, bluntly. "Why do you want to do such a thing?" "The ring is much the handsomer gift," said Elise, who had turned a trifle pink. "Of course it is," said Patty, "and that's why you should give it to your brother. It's too personal a gift to give to a boy friend." "That's what I was afraid of," said Elise, with a little sigh. "But Roger won't care for it at all, and Kenneth would like it heaps." "_Because_ you gave it to him?" asked Patty, quickly. "Oh, I don't know. Yes, perhaps so." "Nonsense, Elise! You're too young to give rings to young men." "Ken isn't a young man, he's only a boy." "Well, he's over twenty-one; and anyway, I know it wouldn't be right for you to give him a ring. Your mother wouldn't like it at all." "Oh, she wouldn't care." "Well, she ought to, and I think she would. Now, don't be silly; give the ring to Roger, and if you want something grander than this bronze jig for Ken, get him a book. As handsome a book as you choose; but a book. Or something that's impersonal. Not a ring or a watch-fob, or anything like that." "But he gave you a necklace,--the day we sailed for Paris." "Fiddle-de-dee! It was only a locket, with the merest thread of a gold chain; and anyway, I never wore it but once or twice." "Well, you oughtn't to have accepted it, if a personal gift is so reprehensible." "Elise, you're a goose!" said Patty, losing her patience at last. "A gift like that is not in very good taste from a boy to a girl; but from a girl to a boy, it's very much worse. And, anyway, it was different in my case; for Ken and I are old friends, which you and he are not. And, beside, father knew about it, and he said as a parting keepsake it was all right. But at a Christmas tree, in your own house,--Elise, you'll make a great mistake if you give Kenneth Harper a seal ring." "All right, Patty, you know I always do just as you say, so I'll give it to Roger." Patty knew she had judged rightly in the matter, but she also knew that Elise was greatly disappointed at her decision. She had already noticed that Elise liked handsome Kenneth, but if she did, that was only an added reason why she should not make him a present of a ring. "She ought to have had more sense!" Patty said to herself, indignantly. "And I'm sorry if she's sorry; but I couldn't let her do such a foolish thing!" CHAPTER IV A SPLENDID TREE