wish, be it little or
much; for it is all your own, Sybil," replied Lyon Berners, putting his
purse in her hands.

"Oh, no, I don't want that; but you must give Tabby as much money as she
may require, to make some purchases for me."

"Yes, certainly," said Mr. Berners, taking back his pocket-book.

"Me! me make purchases for you, my lamb? La! whatever can you want in
this awful--There I go again!" exclaimed Miss Tabby in dismay.

"You have too much curiosity, you good old soul. But here, come with me,
and I will tell you what to buy for me--after you have instructed me as
to what I shall want," said Sybil, laughing archly, as she led the way
to a rude arbor at a short distance.

"Now, Tabby, what I want you to buy for me, is everything in the world
that is needed for a bran, spic and span new baby!"

"La! Miss Sybil; whose baby?" inquired the astonished housekeeper, with
her mouth and eyes wide open.

"Tabby, don't be a goose!"

"But, Miss Sybil, I don't know what you mean!"

"Tabby, I'm not 'Miss Sybil' to begin with! I'm Mrs. Berners, and have
been married more than a year, and you know it, you stupid old Tabby!"

"But, Miss Sybil, or ratherwise Mrs. Berners, if I must be so
ceremonious with my own nurse-child, what has that to do with what
you've been a-asking of me to buy?"

"Nothing at all," answered Sybil, half-provoked and half-amused at the
dullness of the old housekeeper. "Nothing whatever. But you must go out
and buy everything that is required for the wardrobe of a young child;
and you must find out what _is_ necessary, for I myself haven't the
slightest idea of what that is."

The housekeeper looked at the lady for a moment, in questioning doubt
and fear, and then, as the truth slowly penetrated her mind, she broke
forth suddenly with:

"Oh, my good gracious! Miss Sybil, honey! you don't mean it, do you?"

"Yes, I do, Tabby; and I thank heaven every day for the coming
blessing," said the young wife, fervently.

"But oh, Miss Sybil, in such a place as this--There I go again!"
exclaimed the housekeeper, breaking off in a panic, and then adding, "I
an't fit to come to see you; no that I an't. I'm always a forgetting,
especially when you talk so sensible!"

"What's the matter with you Tabby? Are you crazy? you never thought I
was going to stay _here_ for such an event, did you? In a public resort
like this? Tabby, I'm shocked at you! No! I shall be home at Black Hall
to receive the little st