to take the card upstairs, Gregson?"

"No, mem!" said Gregson, somewhat heated. "Hi do not carry cards above the
second floor."

"It's somebody to see Helen!" cried Flossie, clapping her hands softly and
enjoying her older sister's rage.

"Give it to me!" exclaimed Belle, snatching the card from the tray. She
turned toward her sisters to read it. But when her eye lit upon the name
she was for the moment surprised out of speech.

"Goodness me! who is it?" gasped Hortense.

"Jessie Stone--'Miss Jessie Dolliver Stone.' Goodness me!" whispered
Belle.

"Not the Stones of Riverside Drive--_the_ Stones?" from Hortense.

"Dud Stone's sister?" exclaimed Flossie.

"And Dud Stone is the very nicest boy I ever met," quoth Hortense,
clasping her hands.

"I know Miss Jessie. Jess, they all call her. I saw her on the Westchester
Links only last week and she never said a word about this."

"About coming to see Helen--it isn't possible!" cried Hortense. "Gregson,
you have made a mistake."

"Hi beg your pardon--no, mem. She asked for Miss Helen. I left 'er in the
reception parlor, mem----"

"She thinks one of us is named Helen!" cried Belle, suddenly. "Show her
up, Gregson."

Gregson might have told her different; but he saw it would only involve
him in more explanation; therefore he turned on his heel and in his usual
stately manner went to lead Dud Stone's sister into the presence of the
three excited girls.

Jessie by no means understood the situation at the Starkweather house
between Helen and her cousins. It had never entered Miss Stone's head, in
fact, that anybody could be unkind to, or dislike, "such a nice little
thing as Helen Morrell."

So she greeted the Starkweather girls in her very frankest manner.

"I really am delighted to see you again, Miss Starkweather," Jess said,
being met by Belle at the door. "And are these your sisters? I'm charmed,
I am sure."

Hortense and Flossie were introduced. The girls sat down.

"You don't mean to say Helen isn't here?" demanded Jess. "I came
particularly to invite her to dinner to-morrow night. We're going to have
a little celebration and Dud and I are determined to have her with us."

"Helen?" gasped Belle.

"Not Helen Morrell?" demanded Hortense.

"Why, yes--of course--your Cousin Helen. How funny! Of course she's here?
She lives with you; doesn't she?"

"Why--er--we have a--a distant relative of poor mamma's by that name,"
said Belle, haughtily. "She--she