recedented
manner.

The weather was glorious, and Gertrude spent every halfpenny she could
scrape together on white frocks, and though she professed to hate
needlework, she suddenly became extremely industrious and worked
early and late, turning out dainty blouses which far outshone Denys's
creations and astounded her family. On Saturday mornings she gave up
all her usual avocations, denied herself to the general public, and
devoted her energies to the wash-tub and the ironing board, the result
of which operations she proudly displayed in a pile of muslins which
would have done credit to an experienced laundry-maid.

"People think I can't do things," she said complacently to her mother,
"Denys is not the only one who can get up frocks and make blouses."

"Very likely not," muttered Conway, who overheard the remark, "you
only do them when it is for yourself. Denys does them every day for
everybody else."

Gertrude carefully laid by her freshly got up stock of elegancies, and
stretched her tired back on the bed which they had occupied, hoping to
get half an hour's sleep before she dressed for a picnic.

"Money would have sent all those horrid frills to the laundry and
saved me a backache," she said to herself, "frills are bad enough to
make, but they are infinitely worse to iron. Of course I want money to
do things with! I don't want to be poor all my life."

Then she smiled as she closed her eyes and composed herself to sleep.

"I believe I really _am_ having my chance," she reflected. "I know
pretty nearly everybody who is worth knowing here now."

And then, as so often happened when Gertrude contemplated her
matrimonial prospects, a vision of Reggie Alston rose up before her,
and disturbed her serenity.

"Reggie _was_ a nice boy--it is a pity he is poor," she thought
regretfully, and then she suddenly sprang into a sitting posture, all
thought of sleep completely banished from her mind.

Reggie's birthday! It had come and gone weeks ago and she had missed
it--she had completely forgotten it! What must Reggie have thought?

She glanced at the clock; there was just time to scribble a note
before she dressed for the picnic, and of course, though she had no
wish to encourage Reggie's friendship, yet a birthday was a special
occasion, and had she remembered it she would certainly have written!

Why, it was on Easter Monday! No wonder she had forgotten it! Mrs.
Henchman had sent all her young party and several