till the end of the week,
I'll give another and have all the youngsters." She had brightened up
at that, for her heart misgave her a little at the thought of her most
loyal friends being left out in the cold. Then she looked very grave
again when his next words were spoken. "And now, dear, we want one more
lady to make our party complete, and no one will do as well as Miss
Forrest."

Poor Nellie! She knew not what to say. Her father was, of course,
cognizant of the growing dislike to that strange girl, and had
pooh-poohed some of the stories that had been brought to his ears.
There was not a woman in the officers' quarters whom she would not
rather have invited, yet from the very first she felt in the depths of
her soul that Miss Forrest would be her father's choice. One timid
little suggestion she made in favor of Janet Bruce, since her parents
were to be of the party; but the doctor promptly scouted it.

"Why, daughter, she's barely seventeen, a girl who would not be in
society at all anywhere in civilization;" and with a sigh Nellie
abandoned the point. "Besides," said the doctor as a clincher, "I want
this a 'swell' affair; just think how much Miss Forrest's taste in
dress will help out."

Certainly his judgment was warranted by her appearance the evening of
the dinner, when, the last guest to arrive, Fanny Forrest came rustling
down the stairs and into the brightly lighted parlor. It had begun to
rain just before sunset, and she had brought Celestine with her to hold
the umbrella over her while her own jewelled hands gathered those
costly skirts about her under the folds of the gossamer that enveloped
her from head to feet. The girl, a bright, intelligent mulattress,
followed her mistress upstairs to the room set apart for the use of the
ladies, and was busy removing her wraps when Nellie ran up to inquire
if she could be of any assistance.

"Thank you heartily, Nellie," was the cordial answer. "How simply
exquisite you look to-night!" and Miss Forrest's winsome smile was
brighter than ever as she bent her head to kiss the reluctant cheek
that seemed to pale under her touch. "No, run back to your guests.
Celestine will put me to rights in a minute, and I'll be down in a
jiffy; don't wait."

And so Nellie returned to the parlor, and in a moment Celestine came
down and passed out at the front door, and then Miss Forrest's light
footfalls could be heard aloft as the guests grouped themselves about
the parlor,-