came pretty hard
on such an active, outdoor girl as she is. Mrs. Kennedy says she thinks
Genevieve and all the rest of them would have gone wild if it hadn't
been for the girls. One or more of them was there every day. Then is
when they formed their Hexagon Club. It was worth everything to
Genevieve, as you can imagine; and Mr. Hartley declares that nothing he
can ever do will half repay them. Besides, he wants Genevieve to be with
nice girls all she can--she's had so little of girls' society. So he's
asked them to go as his guests."

"Dear me! Well, he must have some money!"

"He has. Mrs. Kennedy says he is a man of independent means, and he has
no one but Genevieve to spend his money on. So, as for this trip--in his
whole-hearted, generous Western fashion, he pays all the bills himself."

"Hm-m; very kind, I'm sure," admitted Miss Sophronia, grudgingly. "Well,
I'm glad, at least, that it doesn't cost you anything."

There was a moment's silence, then Mrs. Wilson said, apologetically:

"I'm sorry, Sophronia, but I'm afraid you'll have to stand it till the
children go--and there'll be something to stand, too; for it's 'Texas,
Texas, Texas,' from morning till night, everywhere. Genevieve herself
is in New Jersey visiting friends, but that doesn't seem to make any
difference. The whole town is wildly excited over the trip. I found even
little Mrs. Miller, the dressmaker, yesterday poring over an old atlas
spread out on her cutting-table.

"'I was just a-lookin' up where Texas was,' she explained when she saw
me. 'My! only think of havin' folks go all that distance--folks I know,
I mean. I'm sure I'd never dare to go--or let my girl.'"

"Very sensible woman, I'm sure," remarked Miss Sophronia.

Mrs. Wilson smiled; but she went on imperturbably.

"Even the little tots haven't escaped infection. Imagine my sensations
Sunday when Bettie Barker, the primmest Miss Propriety in my infant
class, asked: 'Please, Mis' Wilson, what is a broncho, and how do you
bust 'em?'"

This, indeed, was too much for even Miss Sophronia's gravity. Her lips
twitched and relaxed in a broad smile.

"Well, upon my word!" she ejaculated, as she rose to her feet to go
up-stairs to her room. "Upon my word!"

An hour later, in that same room, Mrs. Wilson, going in to place some
fresh towels upon the rack, found a huge book spread open on Miss
Sophronia's bed. The book was number seven in the Reverend Thomas
Wilson's most comprehensive enc