m mother long enough and I do want to write to
Esther. She has got to come to see me for a few days, or else I am
going to her. Don't worry; I shall not forget the seven points of our
Camp Fire star."

CHAPTER XXIII

FAREWELLS

One morning in May two months later two girls were in the
much-discussed back bedroom overlooking the Ashton garden. It was very
much the same kind of cheerless day outdoors that it had been when they
had first met each other after a lapse of many years. And then of
course neither one knew of the closeness of the tie between them.
However, at the present moment they were busily engaged in packing two
steamer trunks that were standing open before them.

"I never shall get all this stuff in if you don't come and help me,
Esther," Betty protested in the spoiled fashion of an earlier time.
And since Esther never would cease to believe that the whole world
should be grateful to Betty for the honor of her presence in it, it is
doubtful whether her methods of spoiling "The Princess" ever would be
entirely given up.

"Sit down, dear, or else run and see Polly and Mollie and Mrs. Wharton
for a few moments. You are tired and I can finish putting the things
in for you without any trouble. Poor Polly is kind of pathetic these
days, I think; she is so desperate over our going away and leaving her
behind, and then, though she tries her best not to show it, she is
jealous of our being so much together. I am sorry for her, because it
is pretty much the same way that I used to feel toward her. And of
course I have tried to show her that no one can take her place with
you; but she is so low-spirited and so unlike herself that there is no
convincing her of anything agreeable."

Betty had sunk into a low chair and was rocking thoughtfully back and
forward knitting her brows.

"Mother and I both consider that Mrs. Wharton is making a mistake in
not allowing Polly to leave Woodford for three years; for she will
probably grow so tired of it by that time that she will never want to
come home again--that is, if she goes on the stage. When it was
decided that we were to go abroad mother suggested to Mrs. Wharton that
she let Polly come over and join us later. She thought it would be
very much more apt to distract her attention than if she stayed on here
with nothing else to dream about."

"And what did Mrs. Wharton answer?" Esther queried, turning from her
own trunk and beginning to straighten o