id Aunt
Betty, throwing open the door to that room.

It had been entirely transformed. In place of the old-fashioned set of
furniture, the gorgeous flowered carpet, the dark walls and thick
curtains that had been in the room ever since they could remember,
were light-tinted walls, hard wood floors, with several rugs, a
modern light set of furniture, pictures on the walls, lace curtains at
the windows, all the latest style and very elegant. One thing only
made a discord: over the dainty bed was spread a gay-colored cover. It
disfigured the whole effect, but the girls apparently saw nothing out
of the way.

"Oh, how lovely!" cried Jenny.

"It's so dainty and sweet!" put in Grace. "Auntie, you have exquisite
taste."

Ruth looked her appreciation till her glance fell upon the bedspread;
then she hesitated.

"Nieces, do you like it? Could you suggest any change in it?"

"It is simply perfect as it is," said Grace warmly, while not to be
outdone by Grace, Jenny added with a sigh, "Nothing could improve it,
I'm sure."

Aunt Betty looked at Ruth, who was covered with confusion, but she
stammered, "I seem to be the only one to find fault to-day, but
indeed, auntie--if you want my honest opinion"--

"I do," said Aunt Betty, with a smile.

"Well then--couldn't you--couldn't you put on a white spread instead
of that gay one? That doesn't seem to suit the beautiful room."

Aunt Betty smiled again. "Take it off, then, and let's see!"

Ruth pulled off the spread, and there under it was a dainty lace one
as exquisite as the rest of the room.

"I guess we'll keep it off," said Aunt Betty, "though Jenny and Grace
seem to like it well enough; it certainly is an improvement."

Aunt Betty's manner was so peculiar as she said this, that the two
girls who had sacrificed truthfulness to please her, began to suspect
that there was more in it than they had thought; they were both rather
silent when they returned to the sitting-room and Aunt Betty began:--

"Nieces, I have a little plan to tell you about, though possibly you
may have suspected it"--with a sharp look at the two guilty ones.
"Perhaps you have heard that I have decided, by the advice of my
physician, to take one of you to live with me--provided you and your
parents are willing, of course. I shall ask a good deal of the one I
select, but I shall try to make it up to her. I shall formally adopt
her as my own, and, of course, make a distinction in her favor in my
wil