wasn't it," she asked, hovering, "to come than to send?"

"Why, of course, dear; it always is."

A meditative silence followed. Then Anna languidly inquired, "Who is
it?"

"Nobody but Charlie."

The inquirer brightened: "And why isn't Charlie as good as any one?"

"He is, to-night," replied the elder beauty, "except--the one
exception."

"Oh, Connie"--a slight flush came as the seated girl smilingly drew her
sister's hands down to her bosom--"there isn't any one exception, and
there's not going to be any. Now, that smile is downright mean of you!"

The offender atoned with a kiss on the brow.

"Why do you say," asked its recipient, "'as good as any one,
_to-night_'?"

"Because," was the soft reply, "to-night he comes from--the other--to
explain why the other couldn't come."

"Why!"--the flush came back stronger--"why, Connie! why, that's
positively silly--ha, ha, ha!"

"I don't see how, Nan."