to be given away at the end, she shall
give them. What do you say, girls? Could anything be more perfectly
lovely than a children's fancy ball in the old ball-room at the Towers?
Oh, I hope it will be a moonlight night, and the whole place will look
like fairyland!"

This suggestion was so daring and brilliant that it carried Nora away on
a storm of enthusiasm immediately. Nan clapped her hands and screamed
with glee; and even the more sober Hester and Molly could find no
objections to raise. The ball-room was certainly at the Towers; it
contained a gallery where the musicians could be, and where, if
necessary, Nora might rest; it contained what seemed to the children
like unlimited space, and if to unlimited space unlimited money could
be added, what brilliant results must be produced!

"If I consent to this," said Hester--"and I think my consent is
essential--it must be on condition that not a single Lorrimer is put to
even a shilling's worth of expense. The ball must be Nan's ball; the
Lorrimers will most kindly give her a room to hold it in, all the rest
will be our affair. Do you clearly understand, Molly? Do you, Nora?"

"Oh, I understand fast enough," said Nora quickly.

"Yes, I understand," replied Molly in a graver tone.

"Do you agree?"

"Yes," answered Molly.

"Well, your consent being obtained," continued Hester, "I will go with
you to the Towers this morning, Molly, and look at the ball-room, and
see Mrs. Lorrimer on the subject."

"The worst of it is," continued Annie, "that we have such a very short
time to prepare--only one week to make all our fancy dresses and to see
to all the other arrangements!"

"Fancy dresses!" exclaimed Nora from her sofa. "What am I to wear?"

"You are to be dressed as Queen of the Fairies. You shall lie on a bed
of rose-leaves, and have gossamer, cloudy sort of drapery all around
you. Never fear, Nora, you will look lovely--leave it to me."

Nora's eyes sparkled.

"Annie, you're a darling!" she exclaimed, with enthusiasm.

"And what character am I to be, Annie?" cried Nan, pouting her full
lips. "I'm not jealous, and I don't mind Nora being Queen of the
Fairies; but please remember that it's my party, and I am really the
queen of the day."

"So you are, you sweet!" exclaimed Annie. "Don't think for a moment that
I'll forget you; but you must really give me a little time to think the
characters over. Suppose I consider everything carefully and jot down a
few id