send his representative."

"I don't see anything that can be changed," said Ernestine slowly, as
they took a final peep into the sitting-room, "unless you put that
bracket with the figure under the picture over the mantel, and leave
that space between the windows for the head that Olive is going to paint
for you."

"Yes, I'll do that. And now come; you look so tired, dear. Kittie,
unhitch Prince for me, will you, while I lock up?"

"Oh, Bea, dear! I hope you will always be so happy," exclaimed
Ernestine, with a wistful sadness in her voice, as they drove slowly
home; and she laid her head on Bea's shoulder with a tired sigh. "It all
seems so lovely, and I am so glad, though I shall miss you so after you
are gone."

"But I'm not gone," said Bea, much touched, as she slipped her arm
around the frail form with a loving pressure. "I'll be over home every
day, and you will come and stay with me, and everything will be just as
it is now, except that Walter will be your brother, and you know he
loves you like one now."

"Yes, he is a dear fellow, and he will make you happy, I know. But I
will not have you always, as I have since I came home--there, the girls
have beaten us home, and Kat is waving her hat over the gate, so I
suppose the box has come from Ralph."

Bea drove faster, in pleased anticipation, and as soon as they drew
near, Kat cried excitedly:

"Hurry up! It's come! pretty near as big as the woodshed, and awful
heavy! Kittie and Jean are getting the nails out. Don't stop to hitch.
Prince is too glad to be here to go off of his own accord. Here,
Ernestine, let me carry you," and, as she spoke, she caught the frail,
light form in her strong young arms, and walked off to the house with
perfect ease, while Bea tied Prince, and followed in a flutter. Sure
enough, an immense box stood on the back porch, with the whole family
around it, waiting for the owner to unpack, and Bea went down on her
knees beside it, and began to throw out straw with an excited laugh.

"Oh, my patience! dishes!" cried Kittie, as the first bundles began to
appear, and immediately arose the most extravagant cries of delight and
approval, as one by one, Bea took out, and unwrapped the daintiest
morsels of china, exquisitely painted in grasses, butterflies and
flowers. Oh, how lovely they were; the frail, tiny things, looking more
like fairy waiters than anything intended for mortal use. Then came a
dozen tea-spoons, table-spoons, knives a