eyes, declined
their kindly offers, saying earnestly: "I had better begin as I am to go
on and depend upon myself entirely. Indeed, Mr. Charlie, I'd rather
walk in alone, for you'd be out of place among us and spoil the pathetic
effect we wish to produce." And a smile sparkled through the tears as
Phebe looked at the piece of elegance before her and thought of the
brown gowns and pinafores.

So, after much discussion, it was decided that she should have her way
in all things and the family content themselves with applauding from the
front.

"We'll blister our hands every man of us, and carry you home in a
chariot and four see if we don't, you perverse prima donna!" threatened
Steve, not at all satisfied with the simplicity of the affair.

"A chariot and two will be very acceptable as soon as I'm done. I shall
be quite steady till my part is all over, and then I may feel a little
upset, so I'd like to get away before the confusion begins. Indeed, I
don't mean to be perverse, but you are all so kind to me, my heart is
full whenever I think of it, and that wouldn't do if I'm to sing," said
Phebe, dropping one of the tears on the little frill she was making.

"No diamond could have adorned it better," Archie thought as he watched
it shine there for a moment, and felt like shaking Steve for daring to
pat the dark head with an encouraging "All right. I'll be on hand and
whisk you away while the rest are splitting their gloves. No fear of
your breaking down. If you feel the least bit like it, though, just look
at me and I'll glare at you and shake my fist, since kindness upsets
you."

"I wish you would, because one of my ballads is rather touching and I
always want to cry when I sing it. The sight of you trying to glare will
make me want to laugh and that will steady me nicely, so sit in front,
please, ready to slip out when I come off the last time."

"Depend upon me!" And the little man departed, taking great credit to
himself for his influence over tall, handsome Phebe.

If he had known what was going on in the mind of the silent young
gentleman behind the newspaper, Steve would have been much astonished,
for Archie, though apparently engrossed by business, was fathoms deep in
love by this time. No one suspected this but Rose, for he did his wooing
with his eyes, and only Phebe knew how eloquent they could be. He had
discovered what the matter was long ago had made many attempts to reason
himself out of it, but, fin