can't afford it。 And ma always cries on holidays because she says they make her think of father。 Of course she can't help it； but it ain't cheerful。 Aunt Jane wouldn't have cried。 Aunt Jane used to say she never saw the man who was worth spoiling her eyes for。 But I guess I'll have to spend Christmas at home。〃
At the last moment； however； a cousin of Mrs。 Craig's in Charlottetown invited her for Christmas； and Peter； being given his choice of going or staying； joyfully elected to stay。 So we were all together； except Sara Ray； who had been invited but whose mother wouldn't let her come。
〃Sara Ray's mother is a nuisance；〃 snapped the Story Girl。 〃She just lives to make that poor child miserable； and she won't let her go to the party tonight； either。〃
〃It is just breaking Sara's heart that she can't；〃 said Cecily compassionately。 〃I'm almost afraid I won't enjoy myself for thinking of her； home there alone； most likely reading the Bible； while we're at the party。〃
〃She might be worse occupied than reading the Bible；〃 said Felicity rebukingly。
〃But Mrs。 Ray makes her read it as a punishment；〃 protested Cecily。 〃Whenever Sara cries to go anywhereand of course she'll cry tonightMrs。 Ray makes her read seven chapters in the Bible。 I wouldn't think that would make her very fond of it。 And I'll not be able to talk the party over with Sara afterwardsand that's half the fun gone。〃
〃You can tell her all about it；〃 comforted Felix。
〃Telling isn't a bit like talking it over；〃 retorted Cecily。 〃It's too one…sided。〃
We had an exciting time opening our presents。 Some of us had more than others； but we all received enough to make us feel comfortably that we were not unduly neglected in the matter。 The contents of the box which the Story Girl's father had sent her from Paris made our eyes stick out。 It was full of beautiful things； among them another red silk dressnot the bright； flame… hued tint of her old one； but a rich； dark crimson； with the most distracting flounces and bows and ruffles； and with it were little red satin slippers with gold buckles； and heels that made Aunt Janet hold up her hands in horror。 Felicity remarked scornfully that she would have thought the Story Girl would get tired wearing red so much； and even Cecily commented apart to me that she thought when you got so many things all at once you didn't appreciate them as much as when you only got a few。
〃I'd never get tired of red；〃 said the Story Girl。 〃I just love itit's so rich and glowing。 When I'm dressed in red I always feel ever so much cleverer than in any other colour。 Thoughts just crowd into my brain one after the other。 Oh； you darling dressyou dear； sheeny； red…rosy； glistening； silky thing！〃
She flung it over her shoulder and danced around the kitchen。
〃Don't be silly； Sara；〃 said Aunt Janet； a little stimy。 She was a good soul； that Aunt Janet； and had a kind； loving heart in her ample bosom。 But I fancy there were times when she thought it rather hard that the daughter of a roving adventureras she considered himlike Blair Stanley should disport herself in silk dresses； while her own daughters must go clad in gingham and muslinfor those were the days when a feminine creature got one silk dress in her lifetime； and seldom more than one。
The Story Girl also got a present from the Awkward Mana little； shabby； worn volume with a great many marks on the leaves。
〃Why； it isn't newit's an old book！〃 exclaimed Felicity。 〃I didn't think the Awkward Man was mean； whatever else he was。〃
〃Oh； you don't understand； Felicity；〃 said the Story Girl patiently。 〃And I don't suppose I can make you understand。 But I'll try。 I'd ten times rather have this than a new book。 It's one of his own； don't you seeone that he has read a hundred times and loved and made a friend of。 A new book； just out of a shop； wouldn't be the same thing at all。 It wouldn't MEAN anything。 I consider it a great compliment that he has given me this book。 I'm prouder of it than of anything else I've got。〃
〃Well； you're welcome to it；〃 said Felicity。 〃I don't understand and I don't want to。 I wouldn't give anybody a Christmas present that wasn't new； and I wouldn't thank anybody who gave me one。〃
Peter was in the seventh heaven because Felicity had given him a presentand； moreover； one that she had made herself。 It was a bookmark of perforated cardboard； with a gorgeous red and yellow worsted goblet worked on it； and below； in green letters； the solemn warning； 〃Touch Not The Cup。〃 As Peter was not addicted to habits of intemperance； not even to looking on dandelion wine when it was pale yellow； we did not exactly see why Felicity should have selected such a device。 But Peter was perfectly satisfied； so nobody cast any blight on his happiness by carping criticism。 Later on Felicity told me she had worked the bookmark for him because his father used to drink before he ran away。
〃I thought Peter ought to be warned in time；〃 she said。
Even Pat had a ribbon of blue； which he clawed off and lost half an hour after it was tied on him。 Pat did not care for vain adornments of the body。
We had a glorious Christmas dinner； fit for the halls of Lucullus； and ate far more than was good for us； none daring to make us afraid on that one day of the year。 And in the eveningoh； rapture and delight！we went to Kitty Marr's party。
It was a fine December evening； the sharp air of morning had mellowed until it was as mild as autumn。 There had been no snow； and the long fields； sloping down from the homestead； were brown and mellow。 A weird； dreamy stillness had fallen on the purple earth； the dark fir woods； the valley rims； the sere meadows。 Nature seemed to have folded satisfied hands to rest； knowing that her long wintry slumber was coming upon her。
At first； when the invitations to the party had come； Aunt Janet had said we could not go； but Uncle Alec interceded in our favour； perhaps influenced thereto by Cecily's wistful eyes。 If Uncle Alec had a favourite among his children it was Cecily； and he had grown even more indulgent towards her of late。 Now and then I saw him looking at her intently； and； following his eyes and thought； I had； somehow； seen that Cecily was paler and thinner than she had been in the summer； and that her soft eyes seemed larger； and that over her little face in moments of repose there was a certain languor and weariness that made it very sweet and pathetic。 And I heard him tell Aunt Janet that he did not like to see the child getting so much the look of her Aunt Felicity。
〃Cecily is perfectly well；〃 said Aunt Janet sharply。 〃She's only growing very fast。 Don't be foolish； Alec。〃
But after that Cecily had cups of cream where the rest of us got only milk； and Aunt Janet was very particular to see that she had her rubbers on whenever she went out。
On this merry Christmas evening； however； no fears or dim foreshadowings of any coming event clouded our hearts or faces。 Cecily looked brighter and prettier than I had ever seen her； with her softly shining eyes and the nut brown gloss of her hair。 Felicity was too beautiful for words； and even the Story Girl； between excitement and the crimson silk array； blossomed out with a charm and allurement more potent than any regular loveliness and this in spite of the fact that Aunt Olivia had tabooed the red satin slippers and mercilessly decreed that stout shoes should be worn。
〃I know just how you feel about it； you daughter of Eve；〃 she said； with gay sympathy； 〃but December roads are damp； and if you are going to walk to Marrs' you are not going to do it in those frivolous Parisian concoctions； even with overboots on； so be brave； dear heart； and show that you have a soul above little red satin shoes。〃
〃Anyhow；〃 said Uncle Roger； 〃that red silk dress will break the hearts of all the feminine small fry at the party。 You'd break their spirits； too； if you wore the slippers。 Don't do it； Sara。 Leave them one wee loophole of enjoyment。〃
〃What does Uncle Roger mean？〃 whispered Felicity。
〃He means you girls are all dying of jealousy because of the Story Girl's dress；〃 said Dan。
〃I am not of a jealous disposition；〃 said Felicity loftily； 〃and she's entirely welcome to the dresswith a complexion like that。〃
But we enjoyed that party hugely； every one of us。 And we enjoyed the walk home afterwards； through dim； enshadowed fields where silvery star…beams lay； while Orion trod his stately march above us； and a red moon climbed up the black horizon's rim。 A brook went with us part of the way； singing to us through the darka gay； irresponsible vagabond of valley and wilderness。
Felicity and Peter walked not with us。 Peter's cup must surely have brimmed over that Christmas night。 When we left the Marr house； he had boldly said to Felicity； 〃May I see you home？〃 And Felicity； much to our amazement； had taken his arm and marched off with him。 The primness of her was indescribable； and was not at all ruffled by Dan's hoot of derision。 As for me； I was consumed by a secret and burning desire to ask the Story Girl if I might see HER home； but I could not screw my courage to the sticking point。 How I envied Peter his easy； insouciant manne