at would please
Mother!"

Oh, sure, quite a homelike little spat we had, passin' the left handers
back and forth--and inside of five minutes she has made it all up again
and is holdin' out her hand for the last gumdrop.

"You're silly; but you're rather nice, after all," says she, poutin'
her lips at me.

"Now quit that," says I. "I got my fingers crossed."

"'Fraid cat!" says she. "But here's the house, and we're frightfully
early. Now don't act as though you thought I might bite you. I'm
going to take your arm."

She does too, and cuddles up kittenish as we lands at the porte
cochere. I gets the idea of this move. She's caught a glimpse of a
little group over by the front door, and she wants to make a showy
entrance.

And who do you guess it is we finds arrangin' the flower vases? Oh,
only Marjorie and Miss Vee. Here I am too, with giddy Gladys, the
imitation front row girl, clingin' tight to my right wing. You should
have seen Vee's eyebrows go up, also Marjorie's stare. It's a minute
or so before she recognizes our little friend, and stands there lookin'
puzzled at us. Talk about your embarrassin' stage waits! I could feel
my face pinkin' up and my ears tinglin'.

"Ah, say," I breaks out, "don't tell me I've gone and collected the
wrong one!"

At that there comes a giggle from under the zippy lid.

"Why, it's Gladys!" says Marjorie. "Well, I never!"

"Of course, you dear old goose!" says Gladys, and rushes to a clinch.

"But--but, Gladys!" says Marjorie, holdin' her off for another
inspection. "How you have--er--grown up! Why, your mother never told
me a word!"

"Oh, Mummah!" says she, indicatin' deep scorn. "Besides, she hasn't
seen me for nearly two days, and--well, I suppose she will fuss, as
usual, about the way I'm dressed. But I've had a perfectly glorious
visit, and coming up in the car with dear Torchy was such sport.
Wasn't it, now?" With which she turns to me.

"Was it?" says I, and I notices both Vee and Marjorie gazin' at me
int'rested.

"Of course," says Gladys, prattlin' on, "we quarreled all the way up;
but it was all his fault, and he--oh, phsaw! Here come my dear
parents."

Takin' Gladys as a sample, you'd never guessed it; for Mother is a
quiet, modest appearin' little party, with her wavy brown hair parted
in the middle and brushed back low. She's wearin' her own complexion
too, and, while she's dressed more or less neat and stylish, she don't
sport ear da