I want to know all the things you are feeling so
glad about."

"Grandmamma, you'll do as much for me?" cried Judy. "Only, mine will
take an eagle to bring them down. They fly high. You might have bought
hers, I am confident, for a duck or a pigeon."

"I should like to make a bargain too, grandmother," said Norton; "if
you are in that mood."

"Do you think your thoughts are worth anything?" said his
grandmother;--"to anybody but yourself?"

"Whose are?" said David.

"Mine are not," said Matilda. She had flushed high, for she saw that
the old lady was in earnest; and five dollars was a good deal to her
just now.

"Everything is worth what it will fetch, though," said David. "I advise
you to close with the offer, Matilda. Five dollars is five dollars, you
know."

Matilda's eyes went doubtfully to Mrs. Lloyd.

"Yes," said the old lady smiling. "I will stand to my part of the
bargain, if you will stand to yours. But mind, I want _all_."

"There were so many things," Matilda began; "it would take me a good
while to tell them."

"Never mind; we have nothing better to do," said Mrs. Lloyd. "We are at
leisure."

"Time's nothing," said Norton, in great amusement.

"At ten dollars or so an hour," added David.

Poor Matilda was in some difficulty. She was furnishing the
entertainment of the whole circle; for even Mrs. Bartholomew put down
her paper, and Mrs. Laval was smiling, and Mrs. Lloyd was waiting, and
the children were all open-eyed. But she had nothing to be ashamed of;
and five dollars!--

"I was feeling glad about my watch," she began, "and about my
picture--O so very glad! I think they have hardly been out of my mind
all day."

"Picture? what picture?" said Judy.

"Hush!" said her grandmother.

"She didn't have any picture!" Judy went on. Matilda looked at her and
said nothing.

"Did you?" said Judy. "What was it? Is it in a locket?"

"You can attend to her afterwards, Matilda," said Mrs. Lloyd. "At
present you are engaged with me. There is nobody here but you and me."

Matilda sincerely wished it had been so; but she had several curious
pairs of ears listening to her.

"Then I was glad, I believe, about all the pleasure of last night, and
the Christmas tree, and my other presents; but that wasn't all. To-day
has been so very pleasant, and this afternoon particularly."

"This afternoon!" cried Judy. "Why she was away at that horrid Sunday
school."

"She don't think it is horrid," said No