er hand.

"You feel sorry, don't you, old fellow? But this is what the rest of
the Happy-Go-Luckys have to bear all the time! I've been used to going
through the world picking up everything I fancied, with never a thought
for others who had to go without. This is a sort of experience week
for me! But cheer up, Prince Sobersides, and come along for a run!"

* * * * * *

"Girls, this is the Crimson Bag's last night, and it's my treat!"
announced Alene, when she met her friends Saturday evening.

They proceeded blithely down the street, dressed in their best, in
honor of the evening which was generally observed in the town as the
gala time of the week, when the stores were kept open to accommodate
the workingmen who were paid that night, and the young people
promenaded Main Street as far as the ice-cream parlors.

When the girls reached "Clyde's Parlors and Restaurant," as the highly
gilded sign in the window proclaimed it, they found the place crowded.

Ivy gave Laura a nudge and the latter, turning suddenly, collided with
another girl.

"I beg your pardon--Oh, Hermione, is it you?"

"You can't think it's my ghost that nearly knocked your hat off! Ah,
there's your other two-thirds, Alene and Ivy! How d'you do, girls?"
She paused for a chat until Vera with several other girls came along on
their way out of the store.

"Ah, good evening, Alene! Let me introduce my friends," she said,
proceeding with the ceremony and totally ignoring Laura and Ivy.

"And these are my friends, Miss Lee and Miss Bonner," said Alene.

Vera soon hurried her party away, but they had gone only a few steps
when she paused at a show case, apparently much interested in its
contents.

"I want to see what Alene Dawson is going to buy!" she explained in an
undertone. "That's the reason she likes to go with those girls; she
can 'show off' more with them and act the Lady Bountiful! Mamma says
it's a shame for her uncle to allow her so much money to throw away!"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, come along, girls; it's none of our affair," said she, but Vera's
words had aroused the curiosity of the others and they loitered beside
her.

All unconscious of their spying, Alene and her friends went their way.
Instead of taking seats at one of the many little tables placed
invitingly around, they stopped at the next counter. Alene unfastened
the crimson bag and gravely searched within it.

"More