I hold that sacred position towards you, and you must not let
any one malign the title," she said, laughingly.

"Oh, this was the fairy kind," replied Dorothy. "Tavia was just saying
she had promised to let hers off without further requests after the
last was granted."

"When Doro goes away to school," interrupted Tavia, "I shall either
become a nun or--"

"Go with her! How would that do?" asked Mrs. White, convinced that the
parting of Dorothy and Tavia would mean a direct loss for both.

"If I worked this year and earned the money to go next? Or do they
consider the wage-earning class debarred from boarding school society?"
asked Tavia.

Again the sentiment Tavia had expressed to Dorothy: the difference in
the classes. This was becoming a habit to Tavia, the habit of almost
sneering at those who appeared better off than herself. And yet, as
Mrs. White scrutinized her, she felt it was not a sentiment in any way
allied to jealousy, but rather regret, or the sense of loss that the
lot of Tavia Travers had been cast in a different mold to that of
Dorothy Dale. It had to do entirely with Tavia's love for Dorothy.

"Now, my dear," began Mrs. White, addressing Tavia, "you really must
not speak that way. You know there is a class of people, too prominent
nowadays, who believe that the rights of others should be their rights.
That there should be no distinction in the ownership of property--"

"Gloriotious!" exclaimed Tavia. "Do you suppose they would let me in
their club?"

"I'll tell you, girls," said Mrs. White. "Squire Travers is going to
call here this evening by appointment. And if you are both very, very
good little girls, perhaps I will have some very important news to give
you in the morning."

At this both Tavia and Dorothy "took steps," Tavia doing some original
dance while Dorothy was content to join in the swing that her partner
so violently insisted upon taking at every turn.

Mrs. White laughed merrily at seeing the girls dance there in the
honeysuckle-lined porch, and she was now more positive than ever that
their companionship should not be broken.

"All hands around!" called Tavia, at which invitation the stately
society lady could not refrain from joining in the dance herself, and
she went around and around until it was Dorothy who first had to give
in and beg to be let out of the ring.

"Oh!" sighed Mrs. White, quite exhausted, "that is the best real dance
I have had in years--quite