er the day that she left
Warwick Hall. It had been forwarded from there. She had grown so
accustomed to his weekly letter that she missed it when it did not come,
and had wondered for several days why he had failed to write. Now she
confessed to herself that she was glad the fault was with some postal
clerk, and that Jack had not forgotten. She turned to the last page.

"I don't know why I should be telling you all this. I hope it does not
bore you. I usually wait till my hopes and plans work out into something
practical before I mention them; but lately everything has gone so well
that I can't help being sanguine over these new plans, and it makes
their achievement seem nearer to talk them over with you. It certainly
is good to be young and strong and feel your muscle is equal to the
strain put upon it. This old world looks just about all right to me this
morning."

When Mary came dancing out of the fitting room a few minutes later her
first remark was so nearly an echo of Jack's that Betty smiled at the
coincidence.

"Oh, isn't this a good old world? Everybody is so obliging. They are
going to make a special rush order of altering my dress, and send it out
by special messenger early in the morning, so that I can have it to take
out to Eugenia's. I'm holding fast to my new spring hat, though. I can't
risk that to any messenger boy. Phil will just have to let me take it in
the automobile with us."

Promptly at the hour agreed upon, Phil met them at the milliner's. As
Betty predicted he did laugh at the huge square bandbox which Mary clung
to, and inquired for the bird-cage which was supposed to be its
companion piece. But Mary paid little heed to his teasing, upheld by the
thought of that perfect dream of a white hat which the derided box
contained. Her only regret was that she could not wear it for him to
see. Joyce and the mirror both assured her that it was the most becoming
one she ever owned, and it seemed a pity that it was not suitable for
motoring. The wearing of it would have added so much to her pleasure.
However, the thought of it, and of the new dress that was to be sent up
in the morning, ran through her mind all that afternoon, like a happy
undercurrent. She said so once, when Phil asked her what she was smiling
about all to herself.

"It's just as if they were singing a sort of alto to what we are doing
now, and making a duet of my pleasure; a _double_ good time. Oh, I
_wish_ Jack could be here to s