atious gallantry.

"Permit me!" And, with a smile of condescension, which seemed to say,
"The Bettersons are not used to this sort of thing; but they can always
be polite to the ladies," he took up the trunk by both handles, and went
politely _backward_ with it into the house, a performance at which Jack
would have smiled. I say _performance_ advisedly, for Betterson showed
by his bearing, lofty and magnificent even under the burden, that this
was not an ordinary act of an ordinary man.

Having set down the trunk in its place, he brushed his fingers with a
soiled handkerchief, and retired, exceedingly flushed and puffy in his
tight stock.

Vinnie thanked him with charming simplicity; while Cecie, on her lounge,
laughed slyly, and Mrs. Betterson looked amazed.

"Why, Lavinia! how did you ever dare?"

"Dare what?"

"To ask Mr. Betterson to carry your trunk?"

[Illustration: VINNIE'S STRATAGEM.]

"Why not?" said Vinnie, with round eyes.

"A gentleman like him! and a Betterson!" replied Caroline, in a whisper
of astonishment and awe.

"Who should have done it?" said Vinnie, trying hard to see the enormity
of her offence. "I couldn't very well do it alone; I am sure you
couldn't have helped me; and my friend who brought me over, he has done
so much for me already that I should have been ashamed to ask him.
Besides, he is not here, and I wanted the trunk. Mr. Betterson seems
very strong. Has he the rheumatism?"

"O Lavinia! Lavinia!"--and Caroline wrapped her red shawl despairingly
about her. "But you will understand Mr. Betterson better by and by. You
are quite excusable now. Arthur, dear! what do you want?"

"In her trunt, what she's doin' to dive me, I want it," said the boy,
invading the house for that purpose.

"Yes, you shall have it," cried Vinnie, skilfully giving his nose a wipe
behind the mother's back (it needed it sadly). "But is your name Arthur?
I thought they called you Chokie."

"Chokie is the nickname for Arthur," Lill explained.

Vinnie did not understand how that could be.

"It is the boys' invention; they are full of their nonsense," said
Caroline, with a sorrowful head-shake. "It was first Arthur, then Artie,
then Artichoke, then Chokie,--you see?"

Vinnie laughed, while her sister went on, in complaining accents,--

"I tell them such things are beneath the dignity of our family; but they
will have their fun."

Vinnie took from her trunk a barking dog and a candy meeting-house,
wh