the gift is
bare,'" said Clorinda, with a grimace. "That is my predicament
exactly. Well, I hope by next Christmas I'll not be quite bankrupt.
I'm going into Mr. Callender's store down at Murraybridge in February.
He has offered me the place, you know."

"Won't your aunt miss you terribly?" said Aunt Emmy gravely.

Clorinda flushed. There was a note in Aunt Emmy's voice that disturbed
her.

"Oh, yes, I suppose she will," she answered hurriedly. "But she'll get
used to it very soon. And I will be home every Saturday night, you
know. I'm dreadfully tired of being poor, Aunt Emmy, and now that I
have a chance to earn something for myself I mean to take it. I can
help Aunt Mary, too. I'm to get four dollars a week."

"I think she would rather have your companionship than a part of your
salary, Clorinda," said Aunt Emmy. "But of course you must decide for
yourself, dear. It is hard to be poor. I know it. I am poor."

"You poor!" said Clorinda, kissing her. "Why, you are the richest
woman I know, Aunt Emmy--rich in love and goodness and contentment."

"And so are you, dearie ... rich in youth and health and happiness and
ambition. Aren't they all worth while?"

"Of course they are," laughed Clorinda. "Only, unfortunately,
Christmas gifts can't be coined out of them."

"Did you ever try?" asked Aunt Emmy. "Think out that question, too, in
your thinking out, Clorinda."

"Well, I must say bye-bye and run home. I feel cheered up--you always
cheer people up, Aunt Emmy. How grey it is outdoors. I do hope we'll
have snow soon. Wouldn't it be jolly to have a white Christmas? We
always have such faded brown Decembers."

Clorinda lived just across the road from Aunt Emmy in a tiny white
house behind some huge willows. But Aunt Mary lived there too--the
only relative Clorinda had, for Aunt Emmy wasn't really her aunt at
all. Clorinda had always lived with Aunt Mary ever since she could
remember.

Clorinda went home and upstairs to her little room under the eaves,
where the great bare willow boughs were branching athwart her windows.
She was thinking over what Aunt Emmy had said about Christmas gifts
and giving.

"I'm sure I don't know what she could have meant," pondered Clorinda.
"I do wish I could find out if it would help me any. I'd love to
remember a few of my friends at least. There's Miss Mitchell ... she's
been so good to me all this year and helped me so much with my
studies. And there's Mrs. Martin out in Mani