ut an owl clucking, Mumsy. I heard it, too, but nobody would
be coming to see us this time of night."

"It might be some young beaux coming to see you," suggested Mrs. Buck.
"You'd have plenty of them if you weren't so--so--businesslike."

Judith laughed merrily. "Well, I reckon they'd come anyhow if they
wanted to, but I must say, Mumsy, I'm kind of snobbish about your
so-called beaux. I might like the boys if they would only stop being
so silly and understand that I'm a human being with a mind and soul. I
reckon I've always been too busy to play much with the boys around
Ryeville. The old men like me though."

"That's not getting anywhere," complained Mrs. Buck, who frankly hoped
for a husband for her daughter, although her own matrimonial venture
had not been any too successful.

"That was a knock!" insisted the mother a moment later. Judith jumped
up from the hammock. "I'll go outside and see who it is."

"Indeed you won't! If it's callers you've got to receive them in the
house. Just light the lamp in the parlor and then open the door. I
ain't fit to see anybody so I won't go in."

Judith did as her mother directed, lit the lamp in the parlor and then
cautiously opened the door. Nobody was there, but a large dress box
was leaning against the door and fell into the hall when the door was
opened. The girl picked it up and carried it into the parlor.

"Mumsy! Come quick! I don't know what it is but it isn't a beau. Never
mind your dress, but just come!"

The string was broken by eager young hands, although Mrs. Buck begged
to be allowed to pick out the knots. The top of the box was snatched
off, disclosing much white tissue paper with a folded note pinned in
the center.

"It must be flowers," cried Judith. "I'm so excited I can't make up my
mind to take off the wrappings.

"Well, read the note! It's addressed to you," said Mrs. Buck.

"It says: 'To Miss Judith Buck, from her old fairy god-fathers.' Oh,
Mumsy, my old men are sending me some flowers, to wear to the ball, I
guess. I'll clip the stems to keep them fresh."

"Well, why don't you open 'em up?"

Layer by layer Judith removed the tissue paper. At last the precious
contents of the box were revealed--a white chiffon dress, delicately
broidered with tiny gold beads, with a twisted girdle of blue with
cloth of gold, a dainty blue comb set with brilliants. In a separate
wrapper at one end of the box, gold slippers and stockings were
discovered.

"