ng her own thick and promising
looking letter from her silk blouse where it had rustled and crackled
betrayingly all day. "I don't know about you girls, but I just can't wait
another second."

"Oh, please wait just a moment until I get my shoes off," begged Grace,
sinking down on the edge of the bed and removing the shoes from her aching
feet. "Oh dear," she moaned, "I know I'll have to get a size larger next
time, and if I do I'll be ashamed to be seen in the street."

"Well, even my patient and much-tried pedal extremities feel a little the
worse for wear to-night," admitted Mollie, as she flung a shoe
vindictively to the farthest corner of the room.

"And mine," agreed Betty, taking up the plaint. "I tell you what," she
added. "Let's all just get undressed and tumble into the big bed
and--enjoy ourselves."

The suggestion was unanimously accepted, and thereafter various soft and
filmy garments flew thick and fast as the girls got ready for the treat
which had been postponed all through the long, long day,--almost the
longest they had ever known.

"Come on, Gracie," called Mollie, as barely five minutes later three
figures sat propped up in the bed, waiting impatiently for the fourth.
"What's the use of primping to-night? Nobody's going to see you."

"You flatter yourself," drawled Grace, as she turned away from the mirror.
"Anyway, I once read that a girl should never allow herself to look
homely, even when she's alone."

"Goodness, if I have to work so hard to be beautiful," retorted Mollie,
holding her letter up to the light in a vain attempt to read its contents
through the envelope, "I'd rather be good and homely and comfortable."

"If all wishes were so easily granted," Grace began, but at the look in
Mollie's eyes thought better of it. "I meant," she corrected herself
blandly, "that, of course, you can never be anything but beautiful,
Mollie."

"Well, I don't know, of course," said Mollie, with the same vengeful light
in her eyes, "but I'm always suspicious of any one who goes to extremes."

"Never mind your suspicions, Mollie," cried Betty, with a happy ring in
her voice, as the last of the quartette climbed in under the covers. "All
that really interests me now is the fact that I have a couple of letters
that are just begging to be read."

"Yes, and I'd like to know if that's fair," said Grace, looking injured.
"We only got one apiece, while here you are rolling in luxury--"

"And they're both i