as we pleased, we would have thought it too
impossibly good to be true; but now that it has come true, we shall be
idiots if we don't make the most of it. I hope Uncle Bernard keeps to
his idea of making us each master of the ceremonies in turn. Won't I
make the money fly when it comes to my turn! Picnics and luncheons by
day, dances and theatricals by night--one giddy whirl of excitement the
whole time long. I'll take the old dear at his word, and give no
thought to expense, and entertain the whole countryside until the name
of Mollie Farrell is immortalised for ever in grateful hearts. I have
always credited myself with a genius for social life; now for the first
time you will behold me in the halls of the great, and gaze with
surprise at your sister reigning as queen over the assembled throngs?"

"In your one black dress?"

"Certainly not! I've thought of that, too. Suitable equipments must,
of course, be part of the carte blanche."

"I am sure nothing was further from Uncle Bernard's thoughts. He looks
to me like a man who would never notice clothes, or care what we looked
like, so long, of course, as we were respectable. He has more important
things on his mind."

"Humph!" Mollie tossed her saucy head. "If he doesn't notice of his
own accord, his eyes must be gently, but firmly opened. We stay at his
special request; at his special request we entertain and are
entertained; it is only reasonable that he should bear the expense of
making our appearance do him credit. I'll tell him so, too, if he
doesn't see it for himself."

"Mollie, you won't! You shan't! You never could!"

"Couldn't I? You wait and see!"

"And if you did I would never touch a farthing. I warn you, once for
all, that it is useless, so far as I am concerned."

Mollie looked at her sister's flushed, defiant face, and laughed her
happy, light-hearted laugh.

"Dear old High-falutin'! We won't argue about it. Half a dozen
invitations will show you the soundness of my position better than a
hundred discussions. Meantime, I'm going to dress. I have a horrible
conviction that that maid will return and offer to do `your hair,
madam,' so I mean to be beforehand with her."

Ruth sat still in her chair, enjoying the unwonted luxury of idling,
with no disturbing spasm of conscience to remind her that she ought to
be mending or patching, or giving Betty a music lesson, or helping Mary
to hang clean curtains in the drawing-room.