“Dear Ruth: 

“Hope you’ll like the clock.  We know you are fond of a good time(-keeper).  I am growing thin because I miss you so.  Not a morsel of food has passed my lips to-day; it has all gone in.  My kindest regards to Emperor William.

“Love to Uncle Jerry and Mrs. Jerry.

“Yours,”

“Joe.”

Ruth sat back in her chair quite overwhelmed by her latest gift.  “Isn’t that a dear clock, and aren’t they perfectly dandy boys?” she asked as she fished around in the bag which was growing empty.

“Here’s something from Dolly,” she added as she drew out a tiny package with a note attached.

“Dear Ruth” (the note said): 

“I’ve decided not to be jealous any more, and just to prove it I’m sending you my heart.

“Do write soon to

“Yours lovingly, Dorothy.”

Ruth hastened to open the package and found in a little box a tiny, gold heart.  “How lovely!  Dolly heard me say I wanted one of these little hearts,” she said in a satisfied tone.  “And isn’t it sweet of her to forgive me for letting Uncle Jerry marry you?” she added with a laugh.

“Now there are just two more packages; a small and a large.  Which shall I take?”

“Take the large one; you’ve just opened a small one,” advised Uncle Jerry.

Ruth pulled out a large, square package, and opened it to find a handsome album filled with snapshots of Glenloch scenes and Glenloch friends.

“That’s from Arthur, I know, though it doesn’t say so, and that’s what he’s been so busy and secret over all these last weeks.”

Ruth turned the leaves knowing that here, at least, she should find an unfailing source of pleasure.  There were single pictures and groups of all the girls and boys she knew best, some of them so funny she could hardly see for laughing.  There was Joe as the nice old lady; all the Candle Club boys in the costumes they wore at the last party; Ruth herself starting off on Peter Pan for a ride with Uncle Henry; Fuzzy in his most bewitching attitudes; and others so suggestive of the good times that had been that Ruth finally closed the book with almost a sigh.

“Well, now for the last package,” she said diving into the bag.  “Oh, here’s a note from Arthur that I didn’t find before.”  She tucked the envelope down in her lap, and opened first the little box to which was attached a note from Mrs. Hamilton.  In the box was a brooch, a holly wreath in delicate greenish gold with tiny rubies for berries.  The note said: 

“Dearest of borrowed daughters: 

“This is from Uncle Henry and me to remind you of the Christmas when you did so much for us.  I am beginning to miss you even as I write this, and I don’t like to think of our home without you.  Come to us again soon.  With much love,

“Aunt Mary.”

Ruth’s eyes were suspiciously misty as she held the note and the little box out to Mrs. Jerry.  “You’ll have to read that for yourself,” she said with a choke in her voice.