The words had hardly left his lips when a sharp tap at the window made them all jump. Then a woman's voice spoke in piteous accents.

"Oh let me in, good people! my baby and I are starving to death, and freezing in this bitter winter wind."

"Oh who is it? who is it?" cried several of the girls, sending frightened glances in the direction from which the voice had come.

"I'll soon see," said Harold, hurrying toward the window.

But a gruff voice spoke from the hall. "Don't mind her, sir; she's a gypsy liar and thief; she stole the baby from its mother."

Harold paused, stood uncertainly in the middle of the floor for an instant, then turning quickly, retraced his steps, went to the hall door and glanced this way and that.

"There is no one here," he said, then burst into a laugh as, turning round once more, he perceived Mr. Lilburn quietly seated near the open door into the adjoining parlor where the older people were. "Cousin Ronald, may I ask what you know of that gypsy and the stolen child?"

"What do I ken about her, laddie?" queried the old gentleman in his turn. "Wad ye insinuate that I a.s.sociate wi' sic trash as that?"

"Oh she's quite a harmless creature, I've no doubt," laughed Harold.

"O Uncle Harold, please let her in," pleaded Grace, with tears in her sweet blue eyes.

"Why, my dear little Gracie, there's n.o.body there," he answered.

"But how can we be sure if we don't look, Uncle Harold? Her voice did sound so very real."

"What is the matter, Gracie dear?" asked a sweet voice, as a beautiful lady came swiftly from the adjoining parlor and laid her soft white hand on the little girl's head.

"O Grandma Elsie, we heard a woman begging to come in out of the cold, and--oh there don't you hear her?"

"Oh let me in, dear good ladies and gentlemen! I'm freezing, freezing and starving to death!" wailed the voice again.

By this time all the occupants of the other parlor were crowding into this.

"Captain," said Grandma Elsie, "will you please step to the window and open it?"

"Mother, Cousin Ronald is responsible for it all," laughed Harold.

"We may as well let Gracie see for herself," Mrs. Travilla replied in a kindly indulgent tone.

Harold at once stepped to the window, drew back the curtains, raised the sash and threw open the shutters, giving a full view of all the grounds on that side of the house;--for the clouds had cleared away and the moon was shining down on snowladen trees and shrubs and paths and parterres carpeted with the same; but no living creature was to be seen.

Grace holding fast to her father's hand, ventured close to the window and sent searching glances from side to side, then with a sigh of relief, said, "Yes, I do believe it was only Cousin Ronald; and I'm ever so glad the woman and her baby are not freezing."

At that everybody laughed, and timid, sensitive little Grace hid her blushing face on her father's shoulder, as he sat down and drew her to his side.

"Never mind, darling," he said soothingly, pa.s.sing an arm affectionately about her and softly smoothing her curls with his other hand, "it is good natured amus.e.m.e.nt; we all know what you meant and love you all the better for your tenderness of heart toward the poor and suffering."

"Yes, dear child, your papa is quite right, and I fear we were not very polite or kind to laugh at your innocent speech," said Grandma Elsie.

At that instant the tap on the window was repeated, then the voice spoke again, but in cheerful tones. "Dinna fret ye, bit bonny la.s.sie, I was but crackin' me jokes. I'm neither cauld nor hungry, and my bairns grew to be men and women lang syne."

"There now! I know it's Cousin Ronald," laughed Rosie, "and indeed I should hope he was neither cold nor hungry here in our house."

"If he is," said Grandma Elsie, giving the old gentleman a pleasant smile, "we will set him in the warmest corner of the ingleside and order refreshments."

"I vote that those suggestions be carried out immediately," said Edward.

"Harold, if you will conduct our kinsman to the aforesaid seat, I will, with mamma's permission, ring for the refreshments."

Both Harold and Herbert stepped promptly forward, each offering an arm to the old gentleman.

"Thanks, laddies," he said, "but I'm no' so infirm that I canna cross the room wi'out the help o' your strong young arms, and being particularly comfortable in the chair I now occupy, I shall bide here, by your leave."

"Then, if you feel so strong would it tire you to tell us a story, Cousin Ronald?" asked Walter, insinuatingly. "We'd like one ever so much while we're waiting for the refreshments."

"The refreshments are ready and waiting in the dining room, and you are all invited to walk out there and partake of them," said Grandma Elsie, as the servants drew back the sliding doors, showing a table glittering with china, cut-gla.s.s and silver, loaded with fruits, nuts, cakes, confectionery and ices, and adorned with a profusion of flowers from the conservatories and hothouses.

"Don't you wish you were grown up enough to call for whatever you might fancy from that table?" whispered Rosie to Lulu as they followed their elders to its vicinity.

"Yes--no; I'm very willing to take whatever papa chooses to give me,"

returned Lulu. "You see," she added laughing at Rosie's look of mingled surprise and incredulity, "there have been several times he has let me have my own way and I didn't find it at all nice; so now I've really grown willing to be directed and controlled by him."

"That's a very good thing."

"Yes; especially as I'd have to do it anyhow. Papa, may I have something?" she asked as at that moment he drew near.

"Are you hungry?" he queried in turn.

"Yes, sir."

"Then you may have some ice-cream, a little fruit, and a small piece of sponge cake."

"Not any nuts or candies?"

"Not to-night, daughter; sometime to-morrow you may."

"Thank you, sir; that will do nicely," she responded in a cheerful, pleasant tone and with a loving look and smile up into his face.

She felt amply rewarded by the approving, affectionate look he gave her in return.

"I shall help you presently when I have waited upon Evelyn and Rosie,"

he said. "What will you have, my dears?"

When the refreshments had been disposed of, it was time for the usual short evening service, then for the younger ones to go to their beds.

Capt. Raymond stepped out upon the veranda and paced it to and fro.

Presently Max joined him. "I came to say good night, papa," he said.

"Ah good night, my son," returned the captain, pausing in his walk, taking the hand Max held out to him and clasping it affectionately in his. "You had a fine, exciting game this morning out there on the lawn.

I was glad to hear my boy avow his attachment to the glorious old flag his father has sailed under for so many years. I trust he will always be ready to do so when such an avowal is called for, as long as he lives."