, Angela, how do you do? I
didn't see you when you came in. I--I've been expecting to see you,
though; and now shall we go down together?"

Angela couldn't speak. She could only give a little nod of assent, and
yield herself to kind Mary's guidance, with a deep breath of relief. It
was only a partial relief, however. She had yet to go down into the
brilliant parlor with its crowd of Selwyn cousins, yet to face, in that
old shrunken gown with its washed sash, all those critical eyes. Oh,
what if all those eyes should look at her with a stare of astonishment,
such as Lizzy and Nelly Ryder had bestowed upon her? What if Marian
herself should give a glance of surprise at the old shabby gown? These
were some of the troubled questions that whirled through Angela's head
as she went down the stairs with Mary Marcy. And down behind them,
following closely, though Angela did not know it, came the two Ryder
girls, full of eager curiosity, for they were both of them now quite
certain that Marian had received no note of any sort from Angela. "She
didn't know enough to write an acceptance. How should she? I don't
suppose she's ever had an invitation to a party in her life," whispered
Nelly to her cousin in the first shock of surprise at seeing Angela in
the dressing-room.

"No, of course not," whispered back Lizzy; and so, confident and secure
in this belief, and in the anticipation of "fun," as they called the
displeased astonishment they expected to see Marian express at the sight
of her uninvited guest, and the guest's mortification thereat, the
conspirators stepped softly along down the stairs and across the great
hall into the beautiful brilliant parlor.

[Illustration: As the fresh arrivals appeared]

Marian was standing at the farther end of the parlor facing the doorway,
with two of the Selwyn cousins beside her, as the fresh arrivals
appeared. She was laughing joyously as they entered; but at her very
first glimpse of the approaching group, the laugh ceased, and a look of
sudden resolve flashed into her face,--a look that the Selwyn cousins,
who had been told the whole story of the fraudulent invitation,
understood at once to mean, "Here is my opportunity and I'll make the
most of it!" But to the others--to the four who were approaching--this
sudden change in their hostess's face was thus variously interpreted:
"She has seen Angela," thought the Ryder girls, triumphantly. "She has
seen the Ryder girls, and she is going t