nic."

Mr. Carleton threw down his newspaper.

"My dear Julia," he said, "I believe you consider a tonic a cure for
every evil in the world. The girls are ready, so let us go down to
dinner, and see if Elsie doesn't make up for her loss of appetite at
luncheon."

But Elsie did not make up for her lack of appetite at luncheon. She
toyed with her food, and her color changed so often, from white to red,
and back to white again, that by the time dinner was over even her
father began to look at her curiously. But when Mrs. Carleton suggested
that she should not go to Gertie Rossiter's, where the Club was to be
held that evening, she protested that she was perfectly well, and was so
decided in her determination to go, that, as usual, she had her way.

The meeting was at eight, and Marjorie and Elsie were obliged to hurry
away from the dinner table to join the two Randolphs, as the four were
to go together in the Carletons' carriage.

"Uncle George says we might have had his car as well as not," remarked
Barbara, as they took their seats in the carriage. "He has come to spend
the evening with Mother and Aunt Jessie, and won't need it."

"Your uncle is very generous with his car," said Marjorie, innocently.
"He lent it to your mother and Aunt Jessie this afternoon, you know, and
Aunt Jessie said they had a beautiful ride."

"Oh, Uncle George would do anything in the world for Aunt Jessie,"
remarked Barbara, at which her brother smiled a rather mischievous
smile, but said nothing.

There was an unusually large gathering of the Club that evening, in
honor of the president, who, with her family, was to sail for Europe the
following day. As it was a gala occasion, no sewing was to be done, and
the boys were invited to come with the girls, and devote the evening to
dancing and games.

"I'm afraid our sewing really hasn't amounted to very much," Winifred
Hamilton remarked ruefully. "Mother says she's afraid the Blind Babies
would be badly off if they had to depend upon us for clothes, but we've
had an awfully jolly winter, and I'm sorry it's over, aren't you, Mr.
Randolph?"

"Well, summer is pretty jolly, too, you know," answered Beverly,
smiling. "I sha'n't be sorry to have vacation begin. We are going abroad
as soon as college closes."

"How nice," said Winifred, looking interested; "perhaps you'll meet the
Bells. They expect to stay over till October. I really don't know how I
shall manage to get on so long without L