ms and white cotton cloth of a
grade only moderately fine were the materials being used for certain
small garments.

"Something like it. One of Mr. Ferry's poor families was burned out the
other day--five children and an invalid mother."

"Of course--the mother's always an invalid, isn't she? I believe they
make themselves invalids on purpose. Well--it makes no difference how
important it is. Those children won't freeze in this weather, if you
don't get these things all done to-night. And I'm in a perfectly awful
difficulty. You all have simply got to help me out."

"What's the matter?" Josephine asked the question calmly, being used to
Dorothy Chase's fashion of putting things. She threaded her needle as she
spoke, as if she had every intention of continuing to work for as long a
period as she had planned to do. The other girls resumed their sewing
also. The cause of their being at work at all certainly was apology
sufficient for going on with it, in spite of the visitor.

"Just listen--and nobody is to say a word till I'm through. It's no use
raising objections--you're to do as I ask, if you care anything whatever
about my friendship." She grasped the ends of the lavender-silk parasol
lying on her lavender-linen lap, nodded her head violently, causing
several lavender plumes to nutter agitatedly upon her lavender-straw hat,
and plunged into her subject.

"I'm entertaining to-night for our new bishop--and he's a distant
connection besides. I made it an evening affair, because it's so hot, and
our new house opens up so beautifully. I planned to have some informal
music--and at this last minute Herr Braun and Madame Hafsky have failed
me. It was a misunderstanding about the date. It turns out they were
engaged for to-day weeks ago by somebody very important--they won't give
it up. I must have music--and everybody is out of town. Now what I want
is to have you four go back with me to luncheon, help me about the
decorations and things this afternoon, and then have Miss Carew sing and
Miss Ferry play for us in the evening. Neil will come back for the men
for the evening. You know I didn't ask you in the beginning only because
I knew you didn't want to be invited. But now--you _must_ come!"

It was precisely like Dorothy Chase. That was all that could be said.
Nobody said it, but Sally and Josephine thought it, and Janet and
Constance told themselves, as they sewed on, that the young matron who
made this decidedly star