-Lantern, Shelby following a day later with Shashai, Star, Madame
Goldie and Old Duke. So far so good out in the stables. Within the
school Nelly was learning the difference between being the daughter of
patrician blood come upon misfortune, and cheerfully making the best of
things, and some extremely plebeian blood slopped unexpectedly into
fortune, and trying to forget its origin. Had not Nelly possessed such
loyal old friends as Peggy and Polly, and made such stanch new ones as
Rosalie, Natalie, Stella and Marjorie, her position might have been a
very trying one. And now only eight days remained before vacation would
begin. Already the girls were in a flutter for June week at Annapolis.
Would it be fair? Would it be scorching hot? Would there be moon-light
nights?

"There'll be moon-light if the old lady has half a chance to show
herself," said Polly's assured voice and nod.

"We had a new moon on the eighteenth," said Peggy. "That means brim-full
in June week, and, oh, girls, won't it be fairy land! How I wish,
though, you were all to dance the German. I can't help feeling selfish
to leave you out of that fun."

"You aren't leaving us out. We understand that even the Little Mother
can't ask her boys to take a girl to the German! But we aren't likely to
pine away with all the other fun afoot," cried Natalie gaily, doing a
pirouette across the room just by way of relieving pent-up anticipation.

"Helen said she might be invited to dance the German after all. Dear
Paul's Mamma has a grease with a first classman," laughed Rosalie.

"When I see her on the floor I'll believe it," said Juno.

"Where is Helen tonight?" asked Marjorie.

"Up in her room. Lily has a sick headache and she went up with her.
Guess that cousin of Helen's who came down from Baltimore, Foxy
Grandpa's daughter, or niece, or something, I believe, and spent this
afternoon with her, gave those girls too many chocolates. Wasn't she
the limit? And big? Well, I'll wager that woman was six feet tall, and
she was made up perfectly outrageously. Her skin was fair enough, and
her color lovely and I never saw such teeth, if they weren't store ones,
but there was something about the lower part of her face that looked
queer. Did you notice it, girls?" asked Polly.

"I did. There was such a funny dull tinge, like a man who had just been
shaved," commented Rosalie, with a puzzled frown.

"Her voice struck me funniest. Do you remember Fraeulein Shultz who w