re really too tired to stand
longer, and the reason for the occupancy of the corners of the
apartment was self-evident. There was no other available space. For
the center of the chamber was littered to overflowing with trunks,
suitcases and valises, in various stages of being packed, and from
them overflowed a variety of garments and other accessories of a
journey.

"Oh, dear!" sighed Cora Kimball, as she gazed helplessly about, "will
we ever be finished, Bess?"

"I don't know," was the equally discouraging reply. "It doesn't seem
so; does it?"

"I'm sure I can't get another thing in my suitcase," spoke the
smallest girl of all, who seemed to shrink back rather timidly into
her corner, as though she feared she might be put into a trunk by
mistake.

"Oh, Marita! You simply must get more in your suitcase!" exclaimed
Cora, starting up. "Why, your trunk won't begin to hold all the rest
of your things unless you crowd more into the case."

"The only trouble, Cora," sighed Marita, "is that the sides and top
aren't made of rubber."

"There's an idea!" cried a plump girl, in the corner nearest the
piano. "A rubber suitcase! What a boon it would be for week-ends, when
one starts off with a Spartan resolution to take only one extra gown,
and ends up with slipping two party dresses and the 'fixings' into
one's trunk. Oh, for a rubber suitcase!"

"What's the sense in sighing after the impossible?" asked the girl
opposite the plump one. "Why don't you finish packing, Bess?"

"Why don't you?" and the plump one rather glared at her more frail
questioner.

"Now, sisters!" cautioned Cora, as she gazed at the Robinson twins,
"don't get on one another's nerves. Let's have another try at it. I'm
sure if we go at it with some sort of system we'll be able to get all
the things in. And really we must hurry!" she exclaimed, looking at
the clock on the mantel, which pointed to the hour of four. "I
promised to have all the baggage ready for the man at five. That only
gives us an hour----"

"Cora Kimball!"

"Only an hour!"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Thus the three girls exclaimed in startled tones as they fairly leaped
from their chairs in their respective corners, and caught up various
garments.

Then, as the apparent hopelessness of the situation overcame them
again, they looked at one another, at the trunks and suitcases that
already held their fair share of articles, at the accumulation on the
floor, and then they sighe