it's some
more of your extravagant capers. I don't know what I shall do with
you!"

But her eager fingers untied the string, while Leslie and Allison
executed little silent dances around the room and tried to stifle
their mirth.

The cover fell off at last, and the tissue-paper blew up in a great
fluff; and out of it rolled a beautiful long, soft, thick gray cloak
of finest texture and silken lining, with a great puffy collar and
cuffs of deep, soft silver-gray fox.

"Oh-h!" was all Julia Cloud could say as the wonderful garment slipped
out and spread about over the box and floor. And then the two children
caught it up, and enveloped her in it, buttoning it down the front and
turning the collar around her ears.

"It's yours, Cloudy, to keep you warm on the journey!" cried Leslie,
dancing around and clapping her hands. "Doesn't she look lovely in it,
Allison? Oh, isn't she dear?" and Leslie caught her and whirled her
around the room.

Then Allison brought the big square box, and demanded that it be
opened; and out of it came a small gray hat in soft silky beaver, with
a close gray feather curled quietly about it, that settled down on
Julia Cloud's lovely white hair as if it had been made for her.

"You don't mind, do you, Cloudy, dear? You don't think I'm officious
or impertinent?" begged Leslie anxiously. "It was Allison's idea to
get the hat to match the coat, and it was such a dear we couldn't help
taking it; but, if there is anything about them you don't like, we
got special permission for you to exchange them to-morrow morning."

"Like them!"

Julia Cloud settled down in a chair, and looked at herself in helpless
joy and admiration. Like them!

"But O children! You oughtn't to have got such wonderful, expensive
things for me. I'm just a plain, simple woman, you know, and it's not
fitting."

Then there arose a great clamor about her. Why was it not fitting? She
who had given her life for others, why should she not have some of the
beautiful, comfortable things of earth? It wasn't sensible for her to
talk that way. That was being too humble. And, besides, weren't these
things quite sensible and practical? Weren't they warm, and wouldn't
they be convenient and comfortable and neat? Well, then, "Good-night,"
finished Allison.

And so at last they said "Good-night," and went to their beds; but
long after the children were asleep Julia Cloud lay awake and thought
it out. God had been good to her, and was l