voice:

"Are they? I am afraid I'm not very well prepared to judge."

Mrs. Harold looked keenly at the girl, a light beginning to dawn upon
her, though she had heard little of Juno's history.

"Dear heart, forgive me if I wounded you. It was unintentional. I know
nothing of earlier experiences, you know. You are just Polly's friend to
me. Perhaps some day, if you can learn to love and trust me, you will
let me understand why I have wounded. That is for another time and
season. Just now we have but a few moments in which to 'get near' each
other, as my boys would say, and I am going to make a request which may
displease you. My little girl, will you accept some suggestions
regarding your toilet?"

"I dare say you think it is too grown-up for me. I know I'm not supposed
to wear a low gown or a train."

"I'm afraid I should be tempted to say the gown had been sent to you
before it had grown-up enough," smiled Mrs. Harold. "And certainly some
of its accessories must have been overlooked or forgotten altogether."

"Why, nobody wears anything but tights under a ball gown nowadays. How
would it fit with skirts all bunched up under it? As to the neck, it is
no lower than one sees at the opera at home. I know a dozen people who
wear gowns made in exactly the same way, and Madam Marie would expire if
I did not follow her dictates--why, she would never do a bit more work
for me."

"Then I beg of you, outrage the lady's ideas forthwith, for--" Mrs.
Harold laid her hand upon Juno's--"no dressmaker living should have the
power to place a refined, modest little girl in a false position, or
lower her womanly standards and ideals. Not only hers, dear, but what is
vastly more far-reaching, the ideals of the boys and men with whom she
is thrown. You are too young to fully appreciate this; you could hardly
interpret some of the comments which are sure to be made upon the
ballroom floor from those who are somewhat lacking in finer feeling; nor
can you gauge the influence a truly modest girl--I do not mean an
ignorantly prudish one, for a limited knowledge of the facts of life is
a dangerous thing--has over such lads as you meet."

"You have a beautiful hand, dear," continued Mrs. Harold, taking Juno's
tapering, perfectly manicured fingers in hers. "It is faultless. Make it
as strong as faultless, for remember--nothing has greater power
figuratively. You hold more in this pretty hand than equal franchise can
ever confer upon you. S