e aren't hurt
because Egerton takes so little notice of poor Hedrick."

Hedrick's lips moved silently, as in prayer.

"I'd rather not," said Laura. "I doubt if I'd have a very good
time."

"You would, too," returned her sister, decidedly. "The men like to
dance with you; you dance every bit as well as I do, and that
black lace is the most becoming dress you ever had. Nobody ever
remembers a black dress, anyway, unless it's cut very
conspicuously, and yours isn't. I can't go without you; they love
to say nasty things about me, and you're too good a sister to give
'em this chance, you old dear." She laughed and nodded
affectionately across the table at Laura. "You've got to go!"

"Yes, it would be nicer," said the mother. And so it was settled.
It was simultaneously settled in Hedrick's mind that the night of
the dance should mark his discovery of the ledger. He would have
some industrious hours alone with the mysterious mattress, safe
from intrusion.

Meekly he lifted his eyes from his plate. "I'm glad you're going,
sister Laura," he said in a gentle voice. "I think a change will
do you good."

"Isn't it wonderful," exclaimed Cora, appealing to the others to
observe him, "what an improvement a disappointment in love can
make in deportment?"

For once, Hedrick only smiled.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Laura had spent some thoughtful hours upon her black lace dress
with results that astonished her family: it became a
ball-gown--and a splendidly effective one. She arranged her dark
hair in a more elaborate fashion than ever before, in a close
coronal of faintly lustrous braids; she had no jewellery and
obviously needed none. Her last action but one before she left her
room was to dispose of the slender chain and key she always wore
round her neck; then her final glance at the mirror--which fairly
revealed a lovely woman--ended in a deprecatory little "face" she
made at herself. It meant: "Yes, old lady, you fancy yourself very
passable in here all by yourself, don't you? Just wait: you'll be
standing beside Cora in a moment!"

And when she did stand beside Cora, in the latter's room, a moment
later, her thought seemed warranted. Cora, radiant-eyed, in high
bloom, and exquisite from head to foot in a shimmering white
dancing-dress, a glittering crescent fastening the silver fillet
that bound her vivid hair, was a flame of enchantment. Mrs.
Madison, almost weeping with delight, led her daughters proudly,
an arm roun