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all that darling little fellows with bright merry faces and endearing ways about them。 They were dabbling in the sand with their spades and buckets； building castles as children do； or playing with their big coloured ball； happy as the day was long。 And Edy Boardman was rocking the chubby baby to and fro in the pushcar while that young gentleman fairly chuckled with delight。 He was but eleven months and nine days old and； though still a tiny toddler； was just beginning to lisp his first babyish words。 Cissy Caffrey bent over him to tease his fat little plucks and the dainty dimple in his chin。
Now； baby； Cissy Caffrey said。 Say out big； big。 I want a drink of water。
And baby prattled after her：
A jink a jink a jawbo。 Cissy Caffrey cuddled the wee chap for she was awfully fond of children； so patient with little sufferers and Tommy Caffrey could never be got to take his castor oil unless it was Cissy Caffrey that held his nose and promised him the scatty heel of the loaf of brown bread with golden syrup on。 What a persuasive power that girl had！ But to be sure baby was as good as gold； a perfect little dote in his new fancy bib。 None of your spoilt beauties； Flora MacFlimsy sort； was Cissy Caffrey。 A truerhearted lass never drew the breath of life； always with a laugh in her gipsylike eyes and a frolicsome word on her cherryripe red lips； a girl lovable in the extreme。 And Edy Boardman laughed too at the quaint language of little brother。
But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky。 Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule。 The apple of discord was a certain castle of sand which Master Jacky had built and Master Tommy would have it right go wrong that it was to be architecturally improved by a frontdoor like the Martello tower had。 But if Master Tommy was headstrong Master Jacky was selfwilled too and； true to the maxim that every little Irishman's house is his castle； he fell upon his hated rival and to such purpose that the would be assailant came to grief and （alas to relate！） the coveted castle too。 Needless to say the cries of disfited Master Tommy drew the attention of the girl friends。
e here； Tommy； his sister called imperatively； at once！ And you； Jacky； for shame to throw poor Tommy in the dirty sand。 Wait till I catch you for that。
His eyes misty with unshed tears Master Tommy came at her call for their big sister's word was law with the twins。 And in a sad plight he was after his misadventure。 His little man…o'…war top and unmentionables were full of sand but Cissy was a past mistress in the art of smoothing over life's tiny troubles and very quickly not one speck of sand was to be seen on his smart little suit。 Still the blue eyes were glistening with hot tears that would well up so she kissed away the hurtness and shook her hand at Master Jacky the culprit and said if she was near him she wouldn't be far from him； her eyes dancing in admonition。
Nasty bold Jacky！ she cried。
She put an arm round the little mariner and coaxed winningly：
What's your name？ Butter and cream？
Tell us who is your sweetheart； spoke Edy Boardman。 Is Cissy your sweetheart？
Nao； tearful Tommy said。
Is Edy Boardman your sweetheart？ Cissy queried。
Nao； Tommy said。
I know； Edy Boardman said none too amiably with an arch glance from her shortsighted eyes。 I know who is Tommy's sweetheart； Gerty is Tommy's sweetheart。
Nao； Tommy said on the verge of tears。
Cissy's quick motherwit guessed what was amiss and she whispered to Edy Boardman to take him there behind the pushcar where the gentlemen couldn't see and to mind he didn't wet his new tan shoes。
But who was Gerty？
Gerty MacDowell who was seated near her panions； lost in thought； gazing far away into the distance； was in very truth as fair a specimen of winsome Irish girlhood as one could wish to see。 She was pronounced beautiful by all who knew her though； as folks often said； she was more a Giltrap than a MacDowell。 Her figure was slight and graceful； inclining even to fragility but those iron jelloids she had been taking of late had done her a world of good much better than the Widow Welch's female pills and she was much better of those discharges she used to get and that tired feeling。 The waxen pallor of her face was almost spiritual in its ivorylike purity though her rosebud mouth was a genuine Cupid's bow； Greekly perfect。 Her hands were of finely veined alabaster with tapering fingers and as white as lemon juice and queen of ointments could make them though it was not true that she used to wear kid gloves in bed or take a milk footbath either。 Bertha Supple told that once to Edy Boardman； a deliberate lie； when she was black out at daggers drawn with Gerty （the girl chums had of course their little tiffs from time to time like the rest of mortals） and she told her not let on whatever she did that it was her that told her or she'd never speak to her again。 No。 Honour where honour is due。 There was an innate refinement； a languid queenly hauteur about Gerty which was unmistakably evidenced in her delicate hands and higharched instep。 Had kind fate but willed her to be born a gentlewoman of high degree in her own right and had she only received the benefit of a good education Gerty MacDowell might easily have held her own beside any lady in the land and have seen herself exquisitely gowned with jewels on her brow and patrician suitors at her feet vying with one another to pay their devoirs to her。 Mayhap it was this； the love that might have been； that lent to her softlyfeatured face at whiles a look； tense with suppressed meaning； that imparted a strange yearning tendency to the beautiful eyes a charm few could resist。 Why have women such eyes of witchery？ Gerty's were of the bluest Irish blue； set off by lustrous lashes and dark expressive brows。 Time gas when those brows were not so silkilyseductive。 It was Madame Vera Verity； directress of the Woman Beautiful page of the Princess novelette； who had first advised her to try eyebrowleine which gave that haunting expression to the eyes； so being in leaders of fashion； and she had never regretted it。 Then there was blushing scientifically cured and how to be tall increase your height and you have a beautiful face but your nose？ That would suit Mrs Dignam because she had a button one。 But Gerty's crowning glory was her wealth of wonderful hair。 It was dark brown with a natural wave in it。 She had cut it that very morning on account of the new moon and it nestled about her pretty head in a profusion of luxuriant clusters and pared her nails too； Thursday for wealth。 And just now at Edy's words as a telltale flush； delicate as the faintest rosebloom； crept into her cheeks she looked so lovely in her sweet girlish shyness that of a surety God's fair land of Ireland did not hold her equal。
For an instant she was silent with rather sad downcast eyes。 She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue。 Inclination prompted her to speak out： dignity told her to be silent。 The pretty lips pouted a while but then she glanced up and broke out into a joyous little laugh which had in it all the freshness of a young May