senger?" he asked as he came up; "unless, of
course, you're going to stop for some one else?"

"Do get in," she urged shyly. "No, I'm all alone--going on an errand."

"I guessed it--not the errand, but the being alone. You looked so small,
wrapped up in all these furs, I felt you needed company," explained
Richard, smiling down into the animated young face, with its delicate
colour showing fresh and fair in the frosty air. There was something
very attractive to the young man in this girl, who seemed to him the
embodiment of sweetness and purity. He never saw her without feeling
that he would have liked just such a little sister. He would have done
much to please her, quite as he had followed her suggestion about the
church-going on Christmas Day.

"I'm rushing down to find a scarf of a certain colour for Rob,"
explained Ruth, too full of her commission to keep it to herself. "You
see, she's playing _Katherine_ to-night. The girl who was to have played
it--Ethel Revell--is ill. Do you know any of Miss Copeland's girls?
Olivia Cartwright plays _Petruchio_."

"Olivia Cartwright? Is she to be in some play? She's a distant cousin of
mine."

"It's a school play--Miss Copeland's school, where Rob teaches, you
know. The play is to be in the Stuart Hendersons' ballroom." And Ruth
made known the situation to a listener who gave her his undivided
attention.

"Well, well,--seems to me I should have had an invitation for that
play," mused Richard, searching his memory. "I wish I'd had one. I
should like to see your sister act _Katherine_. I suppose it's quite
impossible to get one at this late hour?"

"I'm afraid so. It's really not at all strange that any one is left out
of the list of invitations," Ruth hastened to make clear. "You see, each
girl is allowed only six, and that usually takes just her family or
nearest friends. And if you are only a distant cousin of Olivia's--"

"It's not at all strange that she shouldn't ask me, for I'm afraid I've
neglected to avail myself of former invitations of hers," admitted
Richard, ruefully. "Too bad. Punishment for such neglect usually
follows--and I certainly have it now. I know the Stuart Hendersons,
though--I wonder--Never mind, Miss Ruth, don't look so sorry. You'll
tell me about it afterward, some time, won't you?"

"Indeed I will. Oh, it's been such an exciting day. Rob's been
rehearsing her lines all day--when she wasn't trying on. She says she
could have played _Petruchi