now Mr. Norton, for now you can testify to our
good intentions in invading his house, Mr. Goodman," said Norah,
laughing.

Mr. Norton was embarrassed. "I travel for Mr. Goodman's drug house,"
he said. Clearly he was not in the habit of meeting his employer
socially.

* * * * *

"And you say they keep a shop, mammy?" This was after the guests had
departed, and Belle had done her best to explain.

"Dey is ladies, anyhow," she insisted stoutly.

"That is very evident," said Mr. Norton.

"Jus' you ax James Mandeville in the mawnin'," added Mammy Belle. "He
'lows dat Miss Marion and Miss Norah done put the moon up, shore."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST

THE RICH MISS CARPENTER

Miss Virginia was writing to her sister. She had a great deal that was
pleasant to relate, and her pen moved on smoothly. There was
Charlotte's Christmas party which, with the assistance of Alex and
Madelaine, had gone off successfully.

Lucile Lyle had been one of the guests, for as a classmate of
Charlotte's it seemed necessary to ask her; but this Miss Virginia did
not mention. She did say, however, that Charlotte's interest in Lucile
seemed to have abated. This was quite true; indeed, there was a
growing coolness between the once devoted friends.

The cause of this was a little girl, a year younger than Charlotte,
who with her father and mother had recently come to board at the
Leighs'. The Reeds were strangers in the city, and Miss Sarah had
asked Charlotte to do what she could to make Helen feel at home.

They had taken a fancy to each other, and Charlotte enjoyed playing
chaperon to Helen when she was entered at Miss Barrows's school. Helen
was a bright girl with sweet, gentle manners, inclined to look up to
Charlotte as older and more experienced than herself; and in their
daily walks back and forth the friendship grew. Lucile chose to be
jealous, and something very like what in schoolgirl language is called
a fuss, followed. They no longer wore each other's rings, and Lucile
sang no more of beauteous eyes.

Miss Virginia knew all about it, and took pleasure in mentioning to
her sister that Charlotte's good sense had come to the rescue, and an
intimacy was no longer to be feared. That Mrs. Millard had small
confidence in her powers of discipline, Miss Virginia was well aware;
but Charlotte's excellent school reports spoke for themselves.

After giving various items of neighborhood interest, she