been again
recalled to the wonders which Isabel was distributing, and he had
turned aside to dispose of his treasure, he heard a sound of soliloquy
half aloud, 'I wonder whether she has it!' from Clara, who stood a
little apart.

'What?' asked Louia.

'My ivory clasp with the Madonna,' said Clara. 'Jem and I thought it
the only thing worthy of Miss Conway.'

'Hem!' said Louis; 'it is not your fault, Clara; but it would be
graceful to learn to receive a favour.'

'A favour, but not a grand thing like this,' said Clara, showing a
beautiful little case of working implements.

'Hardly worth, even intrinsically, your mother's bracelet,' said Louis.
'But I am not going to talk treason to the family doctrine, though it
is very inconvenient to your friends.'

'Then you think we ought not to have done it?'

'That depends on what I can't decide.'

'What's that?'

'Whether you give it out of love or out of pride.'

'I think we gave it out of one, and excused it by the other.'

'Very satisfactory. To reward you, here is something for you to do. I
shall never get at Aunt Kitty to-night. I see the midshipman, young
Brewster, will not relinquish her; so will you or will she administer
this letter to the Lady of Eachalott?'

'You don't mean that is Tom Madison!' exclaimed Clara. 'Why, it is
like copper-plate. No more Fitsgoslings!'

'No, indeed! Is he not a clever fellow? He has just reached the stage
of civilization that breaks out in dictionary words. I have been, in
return, telling him the story of the Irish schoolmaster who puzzled the
magistrate's bench by a petition about a small cornuted animal, meaning
a kid. But I should think it would be very edifying to Charlotte to
see herself commemorated as the individual at the Terrace, and his
grandfather as his aged relative. He sends the old man ten shillings
this time, for he is promoted. Don't you think I may be proud of him?
Is Mary gone home? She must hear about him.'

As he turned away in search of Mary, Clara felt a soft hand on her
shoulder, and Isabel beckoned her to follow into the back drawing-room,
where the tree was burnt out and deserted.

'I may thank _you_,' said Isabel, in a low, sweet voice, pressing her
hand.

'And Jem,' said Clara; 'he thought of it first.'

'It is the most beautiful Christmas gift; but I do not like for you to
part with it, my dear.'

'We both wished it, and grandmamma gave leave. We longed for you to
have some