than any other little girl in Hanover, and later on a
French maid and other accessories necessary to being a Gorgeous Girl.
In reality a parasitical little snob, hopelessly self-indulged, though
originally kind-hearted and rather clever; and utterly useless but
unconscious of the fact. She was sent to a finishing school, after
which she thought it would be more fun to go abroad to another
finishing school and study music and art, travelling summers instead
of having a formal debut. Most of her chums were doing this and so she
went with them. The red velvet cozy corner and the music box and so on
disappeared immediately upon her first return visit. Likewise Beatrice
succeeded finally in dissuading Aunt Belle from wearing her jewellery
while travelling, though that outspoken lady never could refrain from
vivid descriptions of it to her fellow passengers.

After the European sojourn the Gorgeous Girl went in for Hanover
society and proved herself a valuable asset. She was nearly
twenty-four, almost as slight of figure as a child, as dainty as
Watteau's most delicate imaginings, with tiny, nondescript features,
lovely sunshine hair, and big dove-coloured eyes with pale-gold
lashes. Meantime, the question of a husband for this lovely young
person was before the household. She had had a dozen offers of
marriage but accepted none of them because she had plenty of time and
loads of money and she wanted to make the best of her unencumbered
youth as long as possible. Besides, it was now considered great fun to
go in for charities, she was ever so busy serving on committees, she
never had a moment for herself, and it would take months to plan a
trousseau and a wedding and decide about her house. Most important of
all was the fact that when she was about to go to the French finishing
school she had told Steve O'Valley that if he did not come to her
farewell party she would be quite hurt. She felt he did not appreciate
the honour in having been asked.

Steve, who would have lain down and let her walk over him roughshod,
said simply: "But I'm poor. I'm not in a position to meet your
friends."

"Then be rich--and I'll ask you again," she challenged.

"If I were a rich man--would you let me try?"

"See if I wouldn't." And she disappeared before he realized she had
practically said yes.

Characteristically Steve lost no time. He went to her father the day
after she had sailed, having sent her a veritable washtub of flowers
for b