Page 63 (1/1)

"I--oh, I'an to unbutton my raincoat, and her kindness soh I don't kno I s, especially when Mr Hynes, the stranger, was presented

He had been looking at me more intently than he kneith dark blue brilliant eyes, and he flushed as he touched e with Joy, who hovered about, eying me as if she still suspected some ruse on the part of Santa Claus

"Joy, you know Cousin Nelly?" I said; and at sound of ain at each other and then at h Bake here said you'd altered Altered!" twittered Aunt Frank She turned indignantly upon the Judge, isely attempted no defense "I didn't dreaht Have you--what is it? Nelly, dear, it's two years since I've seen you; of course you've--grown!"

But no a curb her hospitable instincts Her incoherence vanished as she grasped at a practical consideration

"But let Milly take you up stairs and get your things off," she said with an air as of one who solves probleht; come thee my twee"

Though she couldn't recognise er to claim me as a new friend So I escaped with her and Milly to the nursery, where I stayed as long as I dared, letting my cheeks cool

"The twee ithenough to have Christher'n Mamma, ain't I?" scoffed my other little cousin who had been sent to inquire into our delay He is perhaps a dozen years old, is called "Boy" officially, and Timothy, Jr, in the family records, and--like Joy--wasn't in the least afraid of me, after five minutes' acquaintance

Boy led me down to the others, but dinner was nearly over before I felt at ease I'h this one was not too statuesque to be surprised by my appearance al that every one wanted to look atI blushed and gave stupid anshen addressed, and even feared that I ht show myself at fault in the etiquette of a city table It was strange to have forks in so h of course I knehat the finger boere, I wasn't quite sure how to use them