ecome good chums, and, of course, Gordon Powers had made sure of
Nelly's company.

As this was to be the most magnificent affair of the holiday season, it
had been decided to drive into Annapolis directly after luncheon, attend
a matinee to be given at the one funny little theatre the town boasted,
and for which Mrs. Harold had secured three stalls in order to include
"the bunch," then to go to Wilmot to dine and dress, Mammy, Harrison and
Jerome having been intrusted with the transportation of the suitcases
containing the evening finery.

All went merry as a marriage bell. When the matinee ended the boys were
sent to the right about and the girls hurried to their rooms to make
their toilets, for a six-thirty dinner had been ordered and everybody
would be present.

As the girls, excepting Stella and Gail, were all under seventeen, and
still to make their formal bows to the big social world, their gowns
were all of short, dancing length, Juno's excepted. Juno was a good deal
of a law unto herself in the matter of raiment. Her father supplied her
with all the spending money she asked for, and charge accounts at
several of the large New York shops and at a fashionable modiste's,
completed her latitude. There would be very little left for Juno to
arrive at when she made her debut.

There was no time for comment or correction when the girls emerged from
their rooms to accompany the older people to the dining-room, but at
sight of Juno's gown Mrs. Harold's color grew deeper, and for a moment
her teeth pressed her lower lip as though striving to hold back her
words. Juno and Rosalie shared one room but Rosalie had known nothing of
the contents of Juno's suitcase until it came time for them to dress,
then her black eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets, for
certainly Juno's gown was a startling creation for a school-girl.

Needless to add, the one which she was supposed to have taken to
Annapolis had been replaced by the present one at the last moment, and
Mrs. Vincent was not even aware that Juno possessed such a gown as the
one she was then wearing.

It was a beautiful pearl white charmeuse, cut low in front and with a V
in the back which clearly testified to the fact that the wearer was
_not_ afflicted with spinal curvature. Its trimmings were of exquisite
lace and crystals sufficiently elaborate for a bride, and the skirt was
one of the clinging, narrow, beaver-tailed train affairs which render
walking about as