In her excitement Maddy had risen, and with one hand resting on the

doctor's shoulder, was looking around her eagerly. Guy Remington would

have laughed, and been gratified, too, could he have heard the

enthusiastic praises heaped upon his home by the little schoolgirl as

she drove up to his door. But Guy was away in the dusty cars, and only

Jessie stood on the piazza to receive her teacher. There were warm

words of welcome, kisses and hugs; and then Jessie led her friend to

the chamber she was to occupy.

"Mother wanted you to sleep the other side of the house, but Brother

Guy said no, you should have a pleasant room; and when Guy says a

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thing, it's so. It's nice in here, and close to me. See, I'm right

here," and Jessie opened a door leading directly to her own sleeping

room.

"Here's one trunk," she continued, as a servant brought up and set

down, a little contemptuously, the small hair-cloth box containing

Maddy's wardrobe. "Here's one; where's the rest?" and she was flying

after Tom, when Maddy stopped her, saying: "I have but one--that's all."

"Only that little, teenty thing? How funny. Why, mamma carried three

most as big as my bed to Saratoga. You can't have many dresses. What

are you going to wear to dinner?"

"I've been to dinner." And Maddy looked up in some surprise.

"You have! We never have it till five, when Guy is at home; but now

they are gone, Mrs. Noah says we will have it at one, as folks ought

to do. To-day I coaxed her to wait till you come, and the table is all

set out so nicely for two. Can you carve, and do you like green turtle

soup?"

Maddy was bewildered, but managed to reply that she could not carve,

that she never saw any green turtle soup, and that she supposed she

should wear to dinner the delaine she had on. "Why, we always change,

even Mrs. Noah," Jessie exclaimed, bending over the open trunk and

examining its contents.

Two calicoes, a blue muslin, a gingham and another delaine, beside the

one she had on. That was the sum total of Maddy's wardrobe, and Jessie

glanced at it a little ruefully as Maddy carefully shook out the

nicely folded dresses and laid them upon the bed. Here Mrs. Noah was

heard calling Jessie, who ran away leaving Maddy alone for a moment.

Maddy had seen the look Jessie gave her dresses, and for the first

time there dawned upon her mind the possibility that her plain

apparel, and ignorance of the ways of Aikenside might be to her the

cause of much mortification.




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