and one of the most intelligent
mortals I ever met!"

Eleanor's description made Mrs. Courtney smile. "One would be led to
think you had met all kinds and conditions of mortals in your long, long
life, child," remarked she.

"Sometimes I think I am very much older in life than _seems_ to be,"
mused Eleanor. "I feel somehow, that I have lived many centuries before
this queer modern experience."

"You must have been reading theosophical books, my dear," remarked Mrs.
Courtney, eyeing Eleanor closely.

"No, I never have. I'm not interested in any such form of research--not
yet," she laughed.

"Nolla, we ought to be going--really! Every time we come here to talk
boudoir decorating we switch off into some byway of personal interest,
and that makes us come again to get down to work," said Polly, rising and
adjusting her hat, preparatory to saying good-by.

"But what about our round-trip to the South Sea Isles?" was Mrs.
Courtney's query.

"It isn't coming off, at once, is it? You've got to find a group who are
companionable, and you've got to get the yacht," said Eleanor.

"It may not take me more than a week to do both. When I make up my mind
to a thing, I generally do it," returned Mrs. Courtney.

"We'd have to gain the consent of our parents before we could even
_think_ of taking such a marvellous voyage," declared Polly.

"But the main point is this: would you really care to go, or would you
prefer staying in New York to continue your profession?" asked Mrs.
Courtney.

"We'd love to go with you, but I'm not sure I'd want to remain away from
my work for a whole year," was Polly's thoughtful answer.

"If we entertained any ideas of taking the voyage, the best time for us
to start would be next Fall. Then we could spend our entire winter in the
tropics and escape the heat in the equator in the summer, or rainy
season, by sailing home again."

"Oh, it sounds great! It remains to see who would go," said Eleanor. Then
the girls said good-by, and started away, full of the unusual invitation
they had heard that afternoon.

"I'm sure mother and father would not wish me to go," said Polly, after
the subject had been exhausted.

"Of course, you couldn't offer the excuse that you were going for
advancement in your profession--as we did when we wanted to tour Europe,
you know."

"Leaving the thrilling trip out of our minds for a time, I want to ask
you if you suspected anything troubling Dalky, lately?" said Poll