ssessions to have in
this crisis and gradually Rosemary managed to achieve something
approaching harmony among her staff. Only Fannie Mears resolutely
refused to be won over.

"I'm just as good a cook as you are," she said to Rosemary one
afternoon, "and anyway, if I'm not, cooking isn't the most important
thing in school." (Fannie, you see, wasn't exactly logical.) "I'll
serve as a waitress," she went on "because I have a good deal of
class feeling and I don't want the other grades to say we made a
failure of our dinner. But I want you to know that I don't like it
one single bit and I think you are anything but fair."

Despite such small troubles, Rosemary enjoyed her responsibility and
as she was free from nervousness and had faith in her skill and
ability, the prospective dinner, under her planning, took shape
nicely and gave every evidence of being a success. Nina Edmonds was
in charge of the tables and waitresses and as she really knew how to
lay the service correctly and had clever ideas for decorating,
Rosemary was sure the dining room would present an attractive
appearance.

She went home early the day the dinner was to be given, to dress,
and found everything carefully arranged on her bed by Winnie who had
devoted half a day to the laundering of the white frock and cleaning
the white shoes. There was no school Institute Day, but Rosemary, of
course, had been busy all day, preparing for the dinner to follow
the close of the meetings.

"You look like my girl," said Doctor Hugh, kissing her when she came
down to the hall and found him waiting. "I thought I'd run you over
to the school--you don't want to get tired out before the evening
has begun, you know. And what time do you think the fireworks will
be over? Do you have to stay after dinner is safely eaten?"

"No, Miss Parsons has three women who are coming in to clear up for
us," answered Rosemary. "Usually we have to wash our own dishes,
that is, after every cooking lesson; but Miss Parsons said as soon
as the dining room was cleared, we might go, unless we want to
attend the reception in the gym. Jack said he might come and if he
does he'll bring me home."

"There'll be no if about it," announced the doctor decidedly. "I'll
drop in around half-past nine and bring you home in the car. If I'm
a bit later, you wait for me in the gym and then I'll know where to
find you."

Aunt Trudy and Winnie and Shirley and Sarah crowded to the door to
watch Rosemar