had seen the porter kissing our housemaid, and what a nice fellow
he was, with no airs, or affectation about him, and anything I
thought would be of interest.; but he didn't seem to pay much
attention, but walked along puffing his cigar, and once I
thought--I'm not certain, but I THOUGHT--I heard him say,
`Well, thank God, that's over!' When we got to the station he
stopped suddenly, and said, `Hold on a minute!' Then he shoved
these into my hand in a frightened sort of way; and said, `Look
here, youngster! These are for you and the other kids. Buy what
you like--make little beasts of yourselves--only don't tell the
old people, mind! Now cut away home!' So I cut."

A solemn hush fell on the assembly, broken first by the small
Charlotte. "I didn't know," she observed dreamily, "that there
were such good men anywhere in the world. I hope he'll die to-
night, for then he'll go straight to heaven!" But the repentant
Selina bewailed herself with tears and sobs, refusing to be
comforted; for that in her haste she had called this white-souled
relative a beast.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Edward, the master-mind,
rising--as he always did--to the situation: "We'll christen the
piebald pig after him--the one that hasn't got a name yet.
And that'll show we're sorry for our mistake!"

"I--I christened that pig this morning," Harold guiltily
confessed; "I christened it after the curate. I'm very sorry--
but he came and bow'ed to me last night, after you others had all
been sent to bed early--and somehow I felt I HAD to do it!"