any" to her heart's content and of the very kind she
loved--bright, merry, fun-loving girls who devoured her dainties with
a frank zest that delighted her, filled the quaint old rooms with
laughter and life, and chattered to her of all their plans and frolics
and hopes. There was just one little cloud on Miss Sally's fair sky.

"If only Cousin Abner's girls would come!" she once said wistfully to
Mary. "Nobody can quite take the place of one's own, you know. My
heart yearns after them."

Mary was very silent and thoughtful as she drove back to Trenton that
night. Two days afterwards, she went to Mrs. Gardiner's lawn party.
The Reed girls were there. They were tall, fair, handsome girls,
somewhat too lavishly and pronouncedly dressed in expensive gowns and
hats, and looking, as they felt, very much on the outside of things.
They brightened and bridled, however, when Mrs. Gardiner brought Mary
Seymour up and introduced her. If there was one thing on earth that
the Reed girls longed for more than another it was to "get in" with
the Seymour girls.

After Mary had chatted with them for a few minutes in a friendly way,
she said, "I think we have a mutual friend in Miss Sally Temple of
Golden Gate, haven't we? I'm sure I've heard her speak of you."

The Reed girls flushed. They did not care to have the rich Seymour
girls know of their connection with that queer old cousin of their
father's who lived in that out-of-the-world spot up-country.

"She is a distant cousin of ours," said Beatrice carelessly, "but
we've never met her."

"Oh, how much you have missed!" said Mary frankly. "She is the
sweetest and most charming little lady I have ever met, and I am proud
to number her among my friends. Golden Gate is such an idyllic little
spot, too. We go there so often that I fear Miss Sally will think we
mean to outwear our welcome. We hope to have her visit us in town this
winter. Well, good-by for now. I'll tell Miss Sally I've met you. She
will be pleased to hear about you."

When Mary had gone, the Reed girls looked at each other.

"I suppose we ought to have gone to see Cousin Sally before," said
Beatrice. "Father said we ought to."

"How on earth did the Seymours pick her up?" said Helen. "Of course we
must go and see her."

Go they did. The very next day Miss Sally's cup of happiness brimmed
right over, for Cousin Abner's girls came to Golden Gate at last. They
were very nice to her, too. Indeed, in spite of a good