“It’s for you to wear on your watch-chain,” said Ruth.  “Now open it.”

Mr. Shirley pressed the tiny spring, and the locket flew open disclosing two miniatures beautifully painted.  One of Ruth with merry brown eyes and brown curls tied in a knot in her neck, and the other of a sweet-faced, tender-eyed woman whom Ruth much resembled.

“Popsy, dear,” said Ruth, “I couldn’t think of anything you would like half so well as these, so I took the money Uncle Jerry sent me last birthday and had them painted for you.  Isn’t it sweet of mamma?” she added softly.

“Nothing you could have given me would have pleased me so much,” said Mr. Shirley with an odd little choke in his voice.  “Those are the two dearest faces I could possibly see, and they shall go with me everywhere.”

“I’m so glad you like it.  And now, papa, let’s have the business plans.  It makes me feel very important to think that you are going to talk business with me.”

“Dear, I’m afraid it’s going to make you unhappy, and I hate to spoil our pleasant evening together.  Shan’t we get the birthday safely over, and put off the business plans until tomorrow?”

“Seems to me I remember that you are always telling me something about ‘never putting off until tomorrow,’ etc., etc.  No, sir,” she continued with mock sternness, “I want to hear all about it.”

Still her father hesitated, until Ruth said hopefully, “You haven’t lost all your money, have you?  That would be so romantic and interesting.  I think I should go out as a cook, and perhaps you could get a place as butler in the same house.  If it happened just now, though, I should have to feed them on birthday cake until I learned to make something else.”

Mr. Shirley threw back his head and laughed.  “You’re a good planner, Ruthie, but I hardly think you’ll be obliged to go out as a cook just yet.  I am sorry to disappoint you, but I really can’t say that I have lost any money.”

“Well, then, please tell me all about it, and I’ll listen very quietly,” said Ruth perching herself on the arm of the big chair.

“It’s just this, little daughter,” answered Mr. Shirley, putting his arm around Ruth and drawing her closer; “it has been decided that it will be a profitable thing for us to open a branch house in Germany, and it is important that some member of the firm should be over there for a year or two to start it.”

“And are you the one to go?” cried Ruth, clapping her hands.  “Why should you think that would make me unhappy, when it is one of the dreams of my life to go abroad?”

“That’s just where the trouble comes, Ruthie,” said her father tenderly.  “I have thought it all over carefully, and I cannot make myself think that it would be right or wise to take you over there with me for the first year.  For six months, at least, I shall be traveling nearly all the time, and I should neither want to take you with me nor to leave you in a pension.”