uences--though I am so sorry," added Eleanor. "Poor Madge will be
so disappointed."

An hour later a book dropped from the apple tree to the ground,
bringing a scurry of leaves with it. Madge Morton descended after her
book, swinging herself down without a thought of her dignity. "Oh, dear
me!" she exclaimed. "Why did I have to drop my book when I had only a
few more pages to read? I suppose it is nearly luncheon time now, and I
ought to see what has become of Nellie."

Madge strolled lazily along under the fruit trees. Now and then she
stopped to look critically at the heavily-laden branches. Mr. William
Butler, her uncle, owned a fruit farm, consequently the girl was
interested in their autumn and winter crop of apples.

At the gate of the orchard she paused to peep at her book for another
stolen moment and came face to face with her cousin. Although it was
not yet midday, Eleanor Butler had on a white company frock and her
hair had been freshly braided. Madge did not see her cousin at first.
Nellie eyed her sympathetically, but at the same time her face wore an
expression of disapproval. "Where have you been, Madge?" she demanded.
"You've gone and done it this time, I can tell you; I have been looking
for you for more than an hour."

"Sorry, Coz," returned Madge lightly. "Did Aunt Sue want me? I have
been reading in the orchard. But why are you dressed so bravely? We
can't be having a party at this early hour of the day."

Nellie looked serious. "We have not had a party," she returned, "but we
have had some visitors. We had iced tea and cakes on the front porch,
too."

"Lucky me, to have escaped the company, Eleanor. It is much too warm
for morning callers, even if it is September," declared Madge
indifferently. "I'll wager that they talked gossip and bored you and
Auntie dreadfully."

"They did no such thing," replied Eleanor, nettled by her cousin's
bantering tone. "If you'll stop talking a minute, I'll tell you who our
visitors were. You'd never be able to guess in a thousand years. Our
old friends, Mrs. Curtis and Tom, have been to 'Forest House' to see
us. They were passing through the town on their way to Richmond and
stopped over between trains."

"Take me to them, take me to them!" cried Madge, setting off for the
house on a run, closing the orchard gate behind her with a force that
caused it to shut with a resounding bang.

Nellie followed her tempestuous relative, calling, "You can't see them.
T