hosen
favourite.

"I wish I could take you all," replied Irene, "but unfortunately the
invitation is only for one. Miss Russell says this will be the best way
to arrange it. The girl who is nearest to Rhoda's age must go. Will you
each tell me the date of your birthday, and then I shall be able to
decide. Rhoda's is on the twentieth of March."

It certainly seemed the fairest way of settling the question, and one
against which there could be no appeal.

"Miss Russell is a modern Solomon," declared Cicely. "I'm afraid I
haven't the slightest chance, because I'm only eleven and a half, and so
is Nora."

"I'm almost thirteen," wailed Beryl. "I wish I were a few months
younger. Effie, I shall be horribly jealous if the chance falls to you."

"No such luck! I am a Christmas child," returned Effie. "I believe
Marjorie is nearer."

"The twenty-seventh of February. Can anybody do better than that?" asked
Marjorie hopefully.

"Mine is the sixth of April," said Lindsay.

"About as much after Rhoda's as Marjorie's is before," said Irene. "We
must count it up exactly. Somebody give me a pencil and a piece of
paper. Let me see, the twenty-seventh of February to the twentieth of
March is twenty-one days, and the twentieth of March to the sixth of
April is only seventeen. Then Lindsay is nearer by four days."

"Hurrah!" cried Lindsay, clapping her hands, "I'm glad I wasn't born a
week later. How dreadfully sorry I am for you all, especially Marjorie!"

"My aunt says she will send the trap for us on Friday afternoon,"
continued Irene. "And we are to stay until Tuesday morning, so that will
give us three whole days at Linforth. I'm sure you'll like Rhoda, and my
other cousins too. There are eight of them altogether. Meta, the eldest,
is seventeen; she's going to study music in Germany next September.
Ralph and Leonard are fifteen and fourteen; they go to the Appleford
Grammar School, and ride there every day on their bicycles. Then comes
Rhoda, and there are four little ones. They do lessons with a governess,
but perhaps some time Rhoda is to be sent to Winterburn Lodge. Aunt
Esther says she shan't treat us as visitors; we must make ourselves at
home amongst the others."

The visit seemed an event worth looking forward to, not only on its own
account, but because Monica was to be one of the party. Lindsay could
hardly believe her good fortune, and rejoiced again and again over the
happy date of her birthday. She was in a s