-past three, and it's almost that now. Will you come,
Leonora, or wait for the shower to be over?"

Leonora preferred a walk in the rain to one alone, so they hurried
into their raincoats and were off.

"Our company's dwindling," observed Miss Crilly, as the door shut
upon Mrs. Post and Mrs. Crump, "but I don't want to go home
yet--need I, Miss Sterling?" "Certainly not! I want you all to
stay. Polly, you are queen of ceremonies--what shall we do next?"

"We might try some of Grandaunt Susie's exercises," twinkled Polly.

"Just the thing!"

"Who's Grandaunt Susie, pray?" Miss Crilly was frankly curious.

"Mother's grandaunt," explained Polly. "She was miserable, and
these exercises made her strong enough to do almost anything. She
is seventy-three,--or was when she was here, a year ago,--and
father himself says she doesn't look a minute over thirty-five!"

"Oh, my! Let's try'em! I want to look 'not a minute over
thirty-five'!" Miss Crilly waved her hands excitedly.

"How do you begin--this way?" Miss Mullaly sprang to her feet,
threw out her chest, and worked her arms up and down.

"Oh, no!" cried Polly. "That is not it at all! You take them
lying down!"

"Mercy!" cried Miss Lily.

"I'd like that!" declared Mrs. Albright.

"Good and easy!" Miss Crilly nodded.

"Yes, they are every one to be practiced in bed, before you get up
in the morning," resumed Polly.

"What if you don't wake early enough?" asked Mrs. Prindle with a
shrug.

"Then you're late for breakfast or lose your chance of going back
to thirty-five!" laughed Miss Crilly.

"How can you thrash your arms round in bed?" Miss Mullaly queried.

"You don't have to. It isn't like gymnastics."

"Well, do tell us, Polly! I'm just crazy to begin!" Miss Crilly
laughingly shook Polly's shoulders.

"There are so many of them," Polly drew a long, laughing breath, "I
hardly know which to take first. There is one for the legs--that
would help in walking. But you'll have to lie down first."

Miss Crilly and Miss Major hurried to the floor, Miss Mullaly
following.

"Oh, lie on the bed!" cried Miss Sterling.

"This is all right." asserted Miss Crilly. "Go on, Polly!"

"You want to turn just a mite on your right side. Now make your
right leg firm, and put your left toes against the top of your
right foot,--yes, that's it!--and tense the muscles of your left
leg--hard! Now relax! Tense again! Relax! You mustn't do it too
long at fi