your company on that day."

"Have no fear, mother," Quincy said. "I wish very much to meet the
author that father and you are so greatly pleased with. Of course Aunt
Ella is coming?"

"Certainly," answered his mother. "I understand that the author has been
stopping with her since the reception."

"I shall invite five friends," said Quincy, "and you may depend upon
me."

To his mother's surprise he gave her a slight embrace, a light kiss upon
her cheek, and was gone.

The sun showed its cheerful face on Christmas morning. The snow that
fell a fortnight previous had been washed away by continued heavy rains.
A cold wind, biting, but healthful, quickened the pulse and brought
roses to the cheeks of holiday pedestrians.

The programme for the meals on Christmas day had been arranged by Mrs.
Sawyer as follows: Breakfast at nine, dinner at one, and a light supper
at six. It had always been the rule in the Sawyer family to exchange
Christmas gifts at the breakfast hour. Quincy was present, and his
father, mother, and sisters thanked him for the valuable presents that
bore his card. Father, mother, and sisters, on their part, had not
forgotten Quincy, and the reunited family had the most enjoyable time
that they had experienced for a year.

As Quincy rose to leave the table, he said to his mother, "I have
another gift for father and you, but it has not yet arrived. I am going
to see about it this morning."

"You will be sure to come to dinner, Quincy," fell from his mother's
lips.

"I promise you, mother," he replied. "I would not miss it for anything."

A little after noontime, the Chessman carriage arrived at the Beacon
Street mansion of the Hon. Nathaniel Adams Sawyer, and a moment later
Mrs. Ella Chessman and the young author, Bruce Douglas, were ushered
into the spacious and elegant parlor. They were received by Mr. and Mrs.
Sawyer and their daughter Florence.

Twenty minutes later a carriage arrived before the same mansion. Its
occupants were Sir Stuart Fernborough, his granddaughter, and Mdme.
Archimbault. A few minutes later Mr. and Mrs. Leopold Ernst appeared,
having walked the short distance from their rooms on Chestnut Street.
The new arrivals were presented to Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer by Mrs. Chessman,
and a pleasant ante-prandial conversation was soon under way.

From behind the curtains of a second-story window of the mansion, a
young miss had watched the arrival and departure of the carriages. As
the