baskets on their heads
will tell you how I felt. And whenever I moved it wabbled. But they
both clapped their hands and said I looked like a dream, and of course
I would have acquired another bushel had they advised it.

"I trusted them because they look so wonderful when they are
finished,--just right,--never too much so.

"Our bell rang then, and Phyllis answered and said, 'Tell them Miss
Starr will be in in a moment.'

"There is a general apartment maid, and when we wish to be very
perfectly fine, we borrow her,--for a quarter.

"When I knew they had arrived, I leaped up, panic-stricken, and dived
head first into that pile of Nile green silk and real lace. They
rescued me tenderly, and pushed me in, and hooked me here, and buttoned
me there, both panting and gasping, I madly hurrying them on, because I
can't get over that silly old parsonage notion that it isn't good form
to keep folks waiting.

"'There you are,' cried Gladys.

"'Fly,' shouted Phyllis.

"Out I dashed, recollected myself in the bathroom, and--yes, I did that
foolish thing, Carol. Your vanity would have saved you such a blunder.
But I tore myself from their blood-stained hands, and went in to meet a
millionaire's son's mother without looking myself over in the mirror.

"When I parted the curtains, Andy leaped to his feet with his usual
quick eagerness, but he stopped abruptly and his lips as well as his
eyes widened.

"'How do you do?' I said, moistening my lips which already felt too
wet, only I didn't know what was the matter with them. I held out my
hand, unwontedly white, and he took it flabbily, instead of briskly and
warmly as he usually did.

"'Mother,' he said, 'I want you to meet Miss Starr.'

"She wasn't at all the kind of millionaire's son's mother we have read
about. She had no lorgnette, and she did not look me over
superciliously. But she had turned my way as though confident of being
pleased, and her soft eyes clouded a little, though she smiled sweetly.
Her hair was silver white and curled over her forehead and around her
ears. She had dimples, and she stuck her chin up like a girl when she
laughed. She wore the softest, sweetest kind of a wistaria colored
silk. I was charmed with her. It could not have been mutual.

"She held out her hand, smiling so gently, still with the cloud in her
eyes, and we all sat down. She did not look me over, though she must
have yearned to do so. But Andy looked me over thorough