which had been handed down to them as part of their family
history, Hester Alden had only listened and had taken no part in the
recital. Now, she would have evaded Erma's direct question, but Erma
was not one who would permit her inquiries to go by the board. She
repeated it. Hester answered slowly.

"When I was a year old I had neither father nor mother. My mother met a
horrible death. Aunt Debby took me. She never could talk of my parents,
so I know little of them. Aunt Debby is mother, father, sister, and
brother to me."

"Oh, forgive me, I did not know. I would not have wounded you for the
world."

Erma was on her feet. Impulsive, loving and quick to act, she put her
hands on Hester's shoulders and touched her lips warmly and
affectionately. "But you have friends. I want to be one, Hester. You
know I've always liked you and I'd love you if you'd give me half a
chance."

Hester, who responded quickly to affection, returned the embrace. "I'd
love to have you for a friend. Aunt Debby is always first, for she is my
friend, too, but you and Helen must be the next best."

The little flow of sentiment might have continued, had not Renee at
that moment, appeared in the doorway.

"I'm awfully sorry to disturb you. But could you lend me your Solid
Geometry, Helen? Did you get that original? Have you really? Isn't that
lovely! Would you object to letting me look over it for a moment?"

Helen took the book from the study-table and drawing out an original,
handed it to Renee who, sitting down, began a thorough study of the
problem she could not solve for herself.

Barely was Renee disposed of than Josephine came in. She moved
languidly. Her eyes were opened very wide, but instead of brilliance or
alertness, they spoke of sentiment and dreaminess. Josephine had made a
study of looking so. Soulful, she thought it to be; but the girls called
it by another name not so complimentary and rallied her good-naturedly
about it.

Renee was quick, in action and thought. Josephine's slowness annoyed
her. Now, she took her eyes from the paper which she had been studying
on, and cried brusquely, "If someone would only set a fire under you,
you'd get somewhere sooner, Jo. Why don't you move, when you move."

Jo was not annoyed. She moved not a whit faster. Gliding in, she seated
herself on a shirt-waist box and assumed a pose of figure which she
believed to be artistic. She showed no annoyance at Renee's speech. She
smiled sweetly