“Anna Belle can hardly wait to see my present,” she said, lifting her shoulders and smiling at her mother.

“She ought to know one thing that’s there, certainly,” replied Mrs. Evringham mysteriously.

Jewel held the doll up in front of her.  “Have you given me something, dearie?” she asked tenderly.  “I do hope you haven’t been extravagant.”

Then with an abrupt change of manner, she hopped up into her chair eagerly, and the others took their places.

The very first package that Jewel took out was marked—­“With Anna Belle’s love.”  It proved to be a pair of handsome white hair-ribbons, and the donor looked modestly away as Jewel expressed her pleasure and kissed her blushing cheeks.

Next came a box marked with her father’s name.  Upon opening it there was discovered a set of ermine furs for Anna Belle,—­at least they were very white furs with very black tiny tails:  collar and muff of a regal splendor, and any one who declined to call them ermine would prove himself a cold skeptic.  Jewel jounced up and down in her chair with delight.

“Winter’s coming, you know, Jewel, and Bel-Air Park is a very swell place,” said her father.

“And perhaps I’ll have a sled at Christmas and draw Anna Belle on it,” said the child joyously.  “Here, dearie, let’s see how they fit,” and on went the furs over the blue cashmere wrapper, making Anna Belle such a thing of beauty that Jewel gazed at her entranced.  The doll was left with her chubby hands in the ample muff and the sumptuous collar half eclipsing her golden curls, while the little girl dived under the cloth once more for the largest package of all.

This was marked with her mother’s love and contained handsome plaid material for a dress, with the silk to trim it, and a pair of kid gloves.

Jewel hopped down from her chair and kissed first her father and then her mother.  “That’ll be the loveliest dress!” she said, and she carried it to her grandfather to let him look closer and put his hand upon it.

“Well, well, you are having a nice birthday, Jewel,” he said.

“Yes,” she replied, putting her arm around his neck and pressing her cheek to his.  “We couldn’t put the boat under the tablecloth, but I’m thinking about it, grandpa.”

After breakfast they all went out to the covered piazza to read the lesson.  It was a fine, still morning.  The pond rippled dreamily.  The roar of the surf was subdued.  From Jewel’s seat beside her grandfather she could see her namesake glinting in the sun and gracefully rising and falling on the waves in the gentle breeze.

They had all taken comfortable positions and Mrs. Evringham was finding the places in the books.

Mr. Evringham spoke quite loudly:  “Well, this is a fine morning, surely, fine.”

“It is that,” agreed Harry, stretching his long legs luxuriously.  “If I felt any better I couldn’t stand it.”