ay. It cost threepence. Wasn't it dear? Dora
Ellis and Vera Knowles clubbed together and bought me that at the
bazaar. It's supposed to be for matches. I am going to give it to Jack
at Christmas. That's Ethel's mother! She is really awfully nice,
though you wouldn't think so. That's Flora's little brother. Isn't he
like Mellin's Food? Ethel has silver brushes. I wish I might have
silver things. She is awfully proud of her dressing-table. If I stand
on my pillow I can just see over the curtain between our beds. I
painted eyes on my forehead one night, and tied my hair round it. It
looked lovely,--just like a monkey! and then I crept up quietly, and put
it over for Ethel to see. She did howl! Shall we go downstairs now?
You'll have a scrumptious tea. Visitors always do. That's one reason
why it's so nice having them coming to see you."

Miss Phipps and Mademoiselle were waiting in the drawing-room, and, to
the amusement of her sisters, Pixie became a model of decorum the moment
she entered their presence, and handed about cake and tea in the most
staid and deliberate fashion. To see her stand with her heels drawn
neatly together in the first position; to hear her demure, "Yes, Miss
Phipps!" "No, Miss Phipps!" was almost too much for Esmeralda's
composure, and she was glad to leave the house with the promise of
having Pixie to spend a long day in town at the beginning of the
following week, while that young lady herself was so eager to return to
her companions and hear their criticisms on her visitors that she bore
the parting with wonderful resignation.

Fortunately for all, approval was unanimous, and the girls declared in a
breath that never, no never, had they seen anyone so "simply sweet" as
Bridgie, so "frightfully pretty" as Esmeralda. Bridgie was a darling;
her eyes were so kind and loving and sorry for you, and didn't she look
an angel when she smiled? Esmeralda was like a queen; they could quite
imagine that she had a temper, but when she laughed she had the sweetest
dimples! Did her hair curl naturally? Fancy! She was really and truly
like a picture, and not a bit like a person who was alive. Didn't they
look ducks together--one so fair, and one so dark? So on, and so on,
until Pixie was one big beam of joy and contentment.

During the next fortnight Pixie spent no less than three days with her
sisters, and had the felicity of helping to choose the little house, in
which they were t