ly over before Reliance, trying very hard to
smother laughter, had a whispered consultation with Mrs. Willis, who,
after it was over, came back to her place by the fire. In a few minutes
she said, "Edna, dear, I wish you would go up to my room and see if you
can find my other pair of glasses. Look on the bureau and the table in
my room, and, if you don't find them there, look in the other rooms."

Very obediently Edna trotted off upstairs, searched high and low, looked
in this room and that, but no glasses were to be found. After much
hunting, she came down without them. She stepped slowly down the stair,
humming softly to herself. It was very quiet in the living-room, or did
she hear whispers, and subdued titters? Was Reliance or maybe Ben going
to play a trick on her? She heard a sudden "Hush! Hush!" as she reached
the door of the living-room, but she made up her mind that she would
appear perfectly unconcerned, and entered the room in a very don't-care
sort of manner. "I couldn't find----" she began and then stopped short,
for there, ranged around the room, were twelve little girls all smiling
to see the look of surprise on her face. So that was what the trick was.

"We're a surprise party," spoke up Esther Ann.

"And we're a good-by party, too," added Reba.

"We've all brought you something," Alcinda spoke.

"We are going to stay an hour," Letty added.

Here Esther Ann darted forward with a bag of nuts which she plumped down
in Edna's lap. "There," she said, "you must take those along with you."

Next, Reba presented a neat little book. It looked very religious, Edna
thought, but the cover was pretty and there was an attractive picture in
it.

Alcinda came next with a very ornate vase which Edna remembered seeing
on the glass case in Mr. Hewlett's store.

Letty brought the figure of a cunning cat playing with a ball; this Edna
liked very much. Some brought candy, some brought cakes, one brought a
paper doll, another a little cup and saucer, but each one had something
to contribute till Edna exclaimed: "Why, it is just like a birthday, and
these are lovely presents."

"Oh, they're nothing but some little souvenirs," remarked Esther Ann
loftily. "We wanted you to have them to remember us by."

"I shall never forget you, never," said Edna earnestly, "and I thank you
ever and ever so much." She gathered up her booty and piled it on the
table, then some one proposed a game, and they amused themselves till
gra