her head.

"Or, _me_," rejoined Hortense.

"Pah!" snapped Flossie. "None of us ever cared a straw for the old woman.
Queer old thing. I thought she was more than a little cracked."

"Flossie!" ejaculated Mr. Starkweather, angrily, "unless you can speak
with more respect for--ahem!--for a faithful old servitor of the
Starkweather family, I shall have to--ahem!--ask you to leave the table."

"You won't have to ask me--I'm going!" exclaimed Flossie, flirting out of
her chair and picking up her books. "But I want to say one thing while I'm
on my way," observed the slangy youngster: "You're all just as tiresome as
you can be! Why don't you own up that you'd never have given the old woman
a thought if it wasn't for May Van Ramsden and her friends--and Helen?"
and she beat a retreat in quick order.

It was an unpleasant breakfast for Helen, and she retired from the table
as soon as she could. She felt that this attitude of the Starkweathers
toward her was really more unhappy than their former treatment. For she
somehow suspected that this overpowering kindness was founded upon a
sudden discovery that she was a rich girl instead of an object of charity.
How well-founded this suspicion was she learned when she and Jess met.

Hortense brought her up two very elaborate frocks that forenoon, one for
her to wear when she poured tea in Mary Boyle's rooms, and the other for
her to put on for the Stones' dinner party.

"They will just about fit you. I'm a mite taller, but that won't matter,"
said the languid Hortense. "And really, Helen, I am just as sorry as I can
be for the mean way you have been treated while you have been here. You
have been so good-natured, too, in helping a chap. Hope you won't hold it
against me--and _do_ wear the dresses, dear."

"I will put on this one for the afternoon," said Helen, smiling. "But I do
not need the evening dress. I never wore one quite--quite like that, you
see," as she noted the straps over the shoulders and the low corsage. "But
I thank you just the same."

Later Belle said to her airily: "Dear Cousin Helen! I have spoken to
Gustaf about taking you to the Stones' in the limousine to-night. And he
will call for you at any hour you say."

"I cannot avail myself of that privilege, Belle," responded Helen,
quietly. "Jess will send for me at half-past six. She has already arranged
to do so. Thank you."

There was so much going on above stairs that day that Helen was able to
escape mos