come. Before you go to sleep I'm coming to your room to tell you fine
large secrets, that you won't believe for a minute, but I haven't the
time to do it now."

Then Linda raced to her room and began dressing. She let down the mop of
her hair waving below her waist and looked at it despairingly.

"That dress never was made for braids down your back," she said,
glancing toward the bed where it lay shimmering in a mass of lovely
color. "I am of age today; for state occasions I should be a woman. What
shall I do with it?"

And then she recalled Katy's voice saying: "Braids round your head."

"Of course," said Linda, "that would be the thing to do. I certainly
don't need anything to add to my height; I am far too tall now."

So she parted her hair in the middle, brushed it back, divided it in
even halves, and instead of braiding it, she coiled it around her head,
first one side and then the other.

She slipped into the dress and struggled with its many and intricate
fastenings. Then she went to the guest room to stand before the
full-length mirror there. Slowly she turned. Critically she examined
herself.

"It's a bit shorter than I would have ordered it," she said, "but it
reduces my height, it certainly gives wonderful freedom in walking, and
it's not nearly so short as I see other girls wearing."

Again she studied herself critically.

"Need some kind of ornament for my hair," she muttered, "but I haven't
got it, and neither do I own beads, bracelet, or a ring; and my ears are
sticking right out in the air. I am almost offensively uncovered."

Then she went down to show herself to a delighted Katy. When the
doorbell rang Linda turned toward the hall. Katy reached a detaining
hand.

"You'll do nothing of the sort," she said. "I answered the bell for Miss
Eileen. Answer the bell I shall for you."

Down the hall went Katy with the light of battle in her eyes and the
air of a conqueror in the carriage of her head. She was well trained.
Neither eyelid quivered as she flung the door wide to Peter Morrison.
He stood there in dinner dress, more imposing than Katy had thought he
could be. With quick, inner exultation she reached for two parcels he
carried; over them her delight was so overpowering that Peter Morrison
must have seen a hint of it. With a flourish Katy seated him, and
carried the packages to Linda. She returned a second later for a big
vase, and in this Linda arranged a great sheaf of radiant roses. As