When Lilian entered the apartment at the hall door, she peeped into the front room and saw her father working at his desk. Her mother had evidently retired. She knew better than to disturb her father when he was working on a case. He would be patient, but it was a real interruption at such times. She only tapped gently on the door, saying, “Good-night, Father, I’m in,” and waited till he turned his head, nodded and smiled, and turned again to his work. “I’m afraid he will forget, as he does sometimes, and then Mother will wake up and ask him if I’m in. I believe I’ll leave my wraps inside the door—there. If anybody does any prowling around, they’ll see my wraps.” With which ungrammatical remark, Miss North retired to her room, but not to sleep—yet. She had been so engrossed in the words and presence of her lover that she had not yet half looked at the ring, though she had seen that it was beautiful. Turning on her light, she held up her hand with the flashing gem upon it. “Oh, you dear Philip boy,” she said, “to get that exquisite thing for me!” But Lilian was big enough to value more than the clear diamond the sincere love of the giver, and slipped into her warm nest under the blankets to lie awake a long time, and go over the new, sweet story that Philip had told her once and again. Her little prayer was one of gratitude and her last thought was, “I shall see Philip tomorrow.”

In the morning, Mrs. North tapped on Lilian’s door and came in to visit with her. Lilian gave her mother a warm hug and then slipped her left hand into her mother’s. “Look!” said she.

“Oh, Lilian—just what I was afraid of!”

“Is it so dreadful, Mother?”

“Oh, no, my child, but you are so young to be engaged.”

“Not if you are sure, Mother. Besides we do not intend to be married for some time. I am not so terribly young, either. And I don’t see what possible objection you could have to Philip.”

Mrs. North smiled. “I liked him very much. He is unusually attractive, and his face is good as well as handsome.”

“That’s a dear mother! But I accepted the ring, Mother, with the understanding that if you and Father felt too bad about it I would not wear it, and we would not announce the engagement. But we can’t help caring for each other. I tried not to, because I thought Philip liked Ann Maria; and he was so polite to everybody that I thought his attentions to me might not mean anything.”

“Well, little girl, I’ll talk to your father, and see what he says. It was very dear of you to be willing to wait in regard to the ring, and the acknowledged engagement.” Mrs. North kissed Lilian, patted the little hand that wore the ring, and went out to talk to her husband.

“What do you think, Father?”

The judge considered a moment. “How old is Lilian?”

“Eighteen last month. And girls aren’t as grown up now as they used to be.”

“Oh, yes, they are. They just go to school longer. Well, Mother, I’d rather this hadn’t happened right now, of course. On the other hand, this young fellow has the qualities that would always appeal to Lilian; he is a good, clean boy, and will have means enough to support her. A father always has to think of that, you know. He is going into business with his father, unless that war over in Europe finally gets all our young men. It looks as if we should be in it pretty soon. How do you think Lilian would feel if she were not engaged to Philip and he goes to France?”

“She would probably be better satisfied to be openly engaged to him, for she seems to care for him so much. But how is one to know!”

“How does anybody know? How old were you when we were married, Mother?”

“Twenty.”

“And we had been engaged a year. This is not so much worse, is it?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“You talk it over with Lilian, Mother. Whatever you decide is acceptable to me. I like the young man and the family, and we do not want to spoil Lilian’s happiness. On the other hand, I do not like long engagements, if they can be avoided. Lilian has two or three years of school, Philip this one, and then business—or war.”

“So the learned judge wants his wife to decide after all.”

“Yes. I get enough experience in that line.”

At breakfast they all talked on general topics. Dick had had Louise Van Ness out to a concert the night before, and reported on the program, asking Lilian where she and Philip had gone. Plans for Christmas and New Year’s were discussed. Lilian had taken off the ring before coming to the table. No need to tell Dick until the matter was decided. Judge North and Richard departed for the city in due time, while Lilian and her mother were making the “house” neat. Lilian told her mother the latest news from Greycliff, with much interesting chatter about the Psyche Club, Virgie’s plans, the class work, and other activities. Very sweet and womanly was Lilian this morning. Finally, each found some bit of Christmas handwork to do, and sat down in the living room to discuss the important topic.

“I am trying to think it out, Lilian,” said Mrs. North. “I think that you know how I feel about it. We realize that it is important and serious to you both, and something about which you will finally decide yourselves. And both your father and I appreciate your fine attitude of consulting with us, and listening to our advice for the present. Your happiness and welfare are our first concern. Do you think that if you wear the ring this one happy week among the relatives, you could lay it off during the rest of the school year at Greycliff? I feel pretty sure that Miss Randolph would prefer it. I want you to be a real school girl this year, yet now it is too late to go back to the old relation with Philip. Do you think that you can get your lessons as well?”

“Oh, yes! I’ll not be worrying about Ann Maria now, especially if I may wear the ring here!”

Lilian had scarcely finished her sentence when the telephone sounded, and she dropped her work into her chair while she ran to answer it. There was somebody at the other end of the line who brought out a pleased smile on Lilian’s face as she listened. “Oh, yes, we are up, and just sitting working on Christmas things. How can I answer that over the telephone? Yes, I think you’d better come over at once. All right, wait a minute—Mother, can we go out to lunch with Philip?”

“Most happy,” said her mother.

“Yes, Philip, she will; says ‘Most happy.’ Yes, it is pretty nearly all right. Come over and talk to her about it. Very well. Goodbye.”

Lilian came back smiling mischievously. “I told him to come over and talk it over with you. He is afraid to do it, I know.”

“Naughty child, you know that I can’t say anything disagreeable to him.”

“You won’t want to. Philip Van Buskirk is warranted to melt the hardest heart.”

“Yours, my daughter, was not hard to begin with!”

“It was adamant to every suitor till Philip appeared on the scene! Picture, if you can, the mid-Victorian Lilian scorning her suitors, but fainting in the arms of the true hero.”

“What is the name of your melodrama?”

“The Cruel Parent, or the Fate of Lilian North.”

Lilian was her gay self. Philip was coming. Her parents liked him, however doubtful they might be of the wisdom of an engagement. There would be more than a week in which to wear the beautiful ring. This itself would announce to the circle of Philip’s relatives the new relation. Then she and Philip could write during the months of separation, while they finished the school year. There would be vacations and all sorts of good times ahead. What a lovely world—for Philip loved her!

It took a little courage on Philip’s part to arrange this luncheon, but no effort was too great to win and please Lilian’s mother. Cathalina had heard him telephoning, the last few sentences, as she came into the library where he was. “Wasn’t that Lilian?” she asked.

“Yes, dear sister; I am inviting Mrs. and Miss North to go out to lunch with me.”

“Not going to ask us, too?” asked Cathalina, a little surprised.

“Not this time, Kit; the combination would be too much under the circumstances.”

“What do you mean, Philly?”

“I’ll tell you. Come over here, Cathalina.”

Philip led Cathalina to the window-seat where he and Lilian had visited more than once, during the house party of the previous summer.

“Cathalina, I asked Lilian to marry me last night.”

“Oh, Philip. And did she say she would?”

“Yes, but she wasn’t sure what her father and mother would think about her being engaged so young. She has heard them discuss those matters. I don’t know what she has said to her mother about it, and, of course, her father will not be home until night; but I couldn’t stand it to wait, so I called up and asked Lilian and her mother to go to lunch with me. Don’t you hope Mrs. North will be good to me?”

“Don’t worry. She will, I’m sure. Does Mother know?”

“I told her the other day that I was in love with Lilian, but I think that it was no news to her. I suppose she saw it last summer.”

“Were you really, Philip, last summer?”

“Indeed I was.”

“It is so dear of you to tell me about it. I thought when you asked me about whether Lilian cared much for those other boys that you must care a good deal, and I have been so glad that Lilian liked you. I could tell.”

“That was more than I could. But it’s all right now. How will you like Lilian for a sister?”

“She is lovely, and we girls that live with her know. You are both crazy about music, and both—Oh, everything is perfect about it. I’m crazy to see her. But I don’t wonder you want to have them to lunch alone till you know how you stand with Mrs. North. Are you going to tell Mother about it?”

“Right away, before I go.”

“That is good—I think that she will be pleased.”

“Mothers are not always so pleased, but she likes Lilian; she told me so.”

The luncheon went off successfully, Philip and Mrs. North feeling a little more at home together. That evening, also, Philip appeared again at the apartment, and Judge North took his hand at the door. Putting his other hand on Philip’s shoulder, he asked. “Is this the young man that wants to marry my little girl?”

“Yes, sir,” said Philip promptly and with dignity.

“Well, you could do worse!” concluded the judge, to Philip’s astonishment and amusement. The judge laughed, too, saying, “Here, Lilian, tell him what your mother’s conclusions are. We men have small chance, Philip, small chance,” and Judge North shook his head, pretending to be very solemn.

Lilian had her wraps at hand, for Philip was taking her to an entertainment. It was to be Broadway tonight.

Cathalina was over the next morning, The girls had an exciting visit in Lilian’s room, talking over the great event, looking at the ring which expressed so much, and recalling past incidents.

“Do you remember that time when Philip arrived at camp just in time to see you beat me in tennis?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Campbell told me then that Phil had a difficult problem on his hands, choosing between his sister and ‘best girl,’ but he thought that the ‘best girl’ stood first.”

“You don’t care, do you, Cathalina?”

“Not a bit. It is different, Lilian. Now I might fall in love myself, you know. And I’ll have Phil for a brother to be proud of always. This is so romantic; but you ought to have a great deal more of trouble, to have it like a story, you know.”

“I’ve had all the worries I want, Cathalina Van Buskirk, and it is terrible that I can’t wear his ring all the time!”

“But just think what a sensation it will make at the Christmas gathering at our house.”

“Am I going to be there?”

“Of course you are. Aren’t you going to be in the family? Two years ago when Hilary was visiting me, Cousin John had his sweetheart there. And I know a secret about Christmas, too. Phil told me. If you can’t wear a ring because it marks you as engaged, you can wear something else, can’t you?”

“Why, yes! I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder what it is. Can I wear it all the time?”

“Yes, if you want to.”

“He oughtn’t to give me anything more. The ring takes my breath away, as Phil did last night. Do you think I’m silly, Cathalina?”

“No, Lilian. It would be dreadful, with Phil thinking so much of you, if you could not care for him.”

“I wish old Hilary were here. I wrote her a tiny note this morning, before you came.”

“She ought to be at the family dinner, too, but I imagine it won’t be many years before she will. Campbell was struck with her that very time. We shall miss Campbell. I suspect that he is on his way to Cincinnati now. But I suppose you know all about their plans.”

“Hilary and I are very confidential, of course, but Hilary is shy about her love affair, and does not say much about Campbell. She writes him a long letter every week, though, and I think he writes oftener.”

Mrs. Van Buskirk came alone to call on Lilian and her mother that very afternoon. She was sweet and motherly to Lilian, and expressed her pleasure in the arrangement. The entire North family were invited to the family dinner at the Van Buskirk’s on Christmas evening, but Mrs. North felt uncertain about herself and the judge, for Christmas was a home day to Judge North. Lilian promised to be there, and Mrs. Van Buskirk told her laughingly that indeed she could not help herself, for Philip would be after her. Richard would speak for himself later.

The North home was well decorated these vacation days, for Philip either brought or sent flowers every day. Mrs. North insisted that Lilian’s health would be undermined by the extravagant boxes of candy which came, and new music, both classic and “rag-time,” found its place upon Lilian’s piano. Such a happy time it was. Philip accompanied Lilian, or at the Van Buskirk’s Cathalina accompanied them both, or Lilian played a violin obligato while Philip sang and Cathalina was at the piano.

On the night of the customary Christmas gathering, Philip drove over early for the Norths. The judge had concluded to go. “We might as well get acquainted with the relatives, Mother,” said he. Lilian had been at home with them for the day, and Philip had been over only once, bringing another little tribute early in the morning and saying his “Merry Christmas” to them all. Judge North stated once or twice that they were going to miss Philip as much as Lilian when the vacation ended. “Philip is getting to be a habit,” said he. The most fragrant pink roses of all that Philip had sent came for Lilian to wear to the family dinner.

They found the Van Nesses there when they arrived. Little Charlotte, older but just as pretty and spoiled, seized upon Philip at once and was greatly taken with Lilian. “Are you one of our cousins?” she asked.

“She is going to be, Charlotte,” replied Philip for Lilian. “Sit here between us and I’ll tell you about it.”

“Oh, yes! It will be like Juliet and John. Do you like her, Philip?”

“I should think I do, Charlotte.”

“Do you like Philip, Lilian?”

“Do you, Charlotte?”

“Oh, everybody likes Philip. Of course I do.”

“So do I.”

Meeting so many aunts, uncles, and cousins was somewhat exciting to Lilian, though she enjoyed it. But she knew how interested they all were in Philip’s choice. Many of the younger people she had met in the summer, and they greeted her as an old friend. Naturally graceful, and of a frank, friendly disposition, Lilian gained the approval of the assembled family. Ann Maria saw the flashing ring at once, and asked Philip if congratulations were in order. When he replied that they were she said, “Then you have mine, Philip,” and went up to Lilian, saying in a low tone, “Welcome into the family, Lilian.”

Nothing but the ring and Lilian’s presence indicated the engagement, but Mrs. Van Buskirk was especially thoughtful of Lilian and saw that she met all the friends at this annual family reunion. There were several packages for Lilian on the Christmas tree, among them the gift from Philip to which Cathalina had referred.

Philip stood near as Lilian opened the package, so prettily tied. “Your chains,” he explained gravely. “Let me put them on, please.”

“‘My chains!’ Oh!” Lilian laughed, as she took from the cotton two dainty gold circlets for her wrist. “Bracelets—how delicate and pretty. You have the most exquisite taste, Philip.” Cathalina came up just then, and Lilian held up her wrist, shaking her arm. “Hear them clank, Cathalina? Phil says these are my chains.”

“They are what I said you could wear all the time, you know,” said Cathalina.

“I shall, day and night.”