A PRESENT. 
379 
cannot imagine who can have sent it. Are 
you sure it is for me?” 
“ The gentleman gave it to me for you,” 
said Richard; “and, besides, there is your 
letter on the top. He brought it himself 
as far as the gate; but I could not persuade 
him to come in. He said he was afraid.” 
“I know!” exclaimed Sidney, triumph¬ 
antly. “I know who made it!—the One 
that cut out your winders, aunt, and built 
our rustic seat,—Jack Short.” 
“Pshaw!” said Matilda: “no wonder 
we could not guess when Dick called him 
a gentleman. Gentleman , indeed !” She 
looked at Annie as she spoke; but Annie 
was looking another way. 
“You do not mean to say that Jack made 
this beautiful table ?” said Miss Winston. 
“ Yes, ma’am, and he made it for you. 
He has been busy about it ever since he got 
well, and only finished it day before yester¬ 
day. He was afraid after it was done that 
it was not good enough; hut I told him you 
would be delighted with it.” 
“ Indeed I am, and still more at receiving 
it from him. You may tell him that I shall 
