amera the next time
you come up."

"That will be on Monday morning."

"Good! I'll be home until noon."

Half an hour later the toot of an auto horn sounded from the driveway.

"Aw, that's Bob coming to take me home," pouted Joy. "Wish he'd wait
until I telephone. He always comes before I'm half ready."

The Colonel was at the door before the young man could ring the bell.
Bob Evans and Phil Gordon were two boys that the Colonel admired and
was always glad to welcome to the Manor.

Like his sister, Bob was light-hearted. Yet he could be serious at
times, and it is well that that was the case, for Joy's mother was a
gay, frivolous young woman, who loved to go to parties and there were
times when Joy might have been neglected had it not been for her
brother's care.

He was a slightly built boy with a head of curly blond locks that were
the envy of Joy, for her hair was neither blond nor dark and had no
sign of curl.

Phil was the opposite. He was almost as dark as Kit, a tall, handsome
fellow whose dark eyes were sombre and gave the impression that he was
brooding.

Bob seemed to bring the breeze from outside in with him as he smiled
and held out his hand to Colonel Baxter.

"Joy would never come home if I didn't drag her away, Colonel."

"That's because we are never quite willing to give up our little
sprite," replied the Colonel with Old World courtesy. "We couldn't get
along without Joy's laughter."

"Giggles, you mean," answered her brother playfully.

"Sounds just like a brother!" laughed Joy, looking up at the
pleasant-faced boy beside her.

Bob and Phil were introduced to Kit and were quite startled at the
vision of the Colonial maid.

"Having a masquerade?" asked Phil.

"Nothing like that," answered Bet. "Lady Betty Merriweather decided to
come out of her frame, and here she is."

"She's much better looking than Lady Betty, if you ask me," exclaimed
Bob, but if Kit liked the compliment she didn't show it. Lady Betty
was perfect and no one could outdo her in anything.

"Come on, Joy, hurry up. Let's get started!" said Bob suddenly.

"But we'll have to wait for Kit to get out of that dress and change to
her own."

"So Lady Merriweather isn't going to step back into the frame? Too
bad!" laughed Phil. "It was very becoming!"

The girl who appeared a few moments later in torn skirt was no less
attractive than the Colonial maid. To the eyes of the modern young
people, she seemed f