ling, a torn hem, a missing button. But if one could win a point for
correcting these little failings just the same as in chemistry or higher
math., was it not worth trying?

"Who_ever_ do you s'pose thought of it all?" Gyp asked Jerry and Graham.
The name of the Lincoln "friend" who was giving the award had been
carefully guarded.

Not one of the younger Westleys suspected Uncle Johnny who sat with them
and listened unblushingly and with considerable amusement to their
varied comments.

"Well, I'll _try_ for it," conceded Graham. "Who wouldn't? Even Fat
Sloane says he's goin' to and he just hates to move when he doesn't have
to! But _five hundred dollars_ for washing your teeth and walking a
mile----"

"And standing well in Cicero," added Uncle Johnny, mischievously.

"Do you s'pose Cora Stanton will be marked off in personal appearance
'cause she rouges and uses a lipstick?" asked Gyp, with a sly glance
toward Isobel, who turned fiery red. "I _know_ she does, 'cause Molly
Hastings went up and deliberately kissed her cheek and she said she
could taste it--awfully!"

"Cora's a very silly girl. Anyway, if she lives up to the rules of the
competition she won't need any artificial color--she'll have a bloom
that money couldn't buy!"

"Well, _I'm_ not going to bother about the silly award," declared
Isobel. "Grind myself to death--no, indeed! I don't even want to go to
college. If you're rich it's silly to bother with four whole years at a
deadly institution--some of the girls say you have to study awfully
hard. Amy Mathers is going to come out next year and I want to, too."
Isobel talked fast and defiantly, as she caught the sudden sternness
that flashed across Uncle Johnny's face.

Mrs. Westley started to speak, but Uncle Johnny made the slightest
gesture with his hand.

Into his mind had come the memory of that half-hour with Barbara Lee and
something she had said--"the stars are very far off!" _Her_ face had
been illumined by a yearning; he was startled now at the realization
that, in contrast, Isobel's showed only a self-centered, petty
vanity--his Isobel, who had been so pretty and promising, for whom he
had thought only the very noblest things possible.

But although he saw the dreams he had built for Isobel dangerously
threatened, he clung staunchly to his faith in the good he believed was
in the girl; that was why he lifted his hand to stay the impulsive words
that trembled on the mother's lips and mad