lingerie.
These last were fashioned and laundered by her own clever fingers.

"I hope we're not too fine for our girls," Norma remarked anxiously as
the four skipped, one after the other, from the taxicab at the Bridge
Street address.

"I thought of that, too, but I decided that they'd like it if we looked
our very smartest. They are too independent to feel crushed by a mere
matter of fine clothes," was Jane's opinion.

The frank admiration with which the four freshmen exclaimed over their
gorgeous escorts served to point to the accuracy of her opinion.

"You're regular birds of Paradise!" laughed Freda. "We are certainly
lucky to capture such prizes. We're not a bit splendiferous, ourselves.
But then, why should we be? It wouldn't match with our humble status."

"You look sweet, every one of you," praised Judith. "Your gowns are
dear. They are wonderfully becoming."

"We made them ourselves last summer," explained Kathie with a little air
of pride. "We clubbed together and bought a bolt of this white Persian
lawn. Ida crocheted these butterfly medallions set in Freda's gown and
mine. Then Marie embroidered the designs on hers and Ida's gowns. Each
dress is a little different from the other, yet they all look pretty
much alike."

"They are all beautiful," Jane warmly assured.

She could say so in absolute truth. Simple, graceful lines, combined
with dainty hand-wrought trimmings had produced four frocks which would
have sold at a high price in an exclusive city dress shop.

"Ah, but you are the clever ones!" bubbled Adrienne. "It is we who must
be proud of you. I would that _ma mere_ could see these frocks. She
would, of a certainty, rave with the delight. _Ma mere_, you must know,
is the true Frenchwoman who appreciates highly the beautiful handwork
such as this."

"You rather take us off our feet," smiled Marie. "We were not expecting
it, you know."

The brightness in her own eyes was reflected in that of her chums.
Girl-like, they found exquisite happiness in being thus appreciated.

"We'd better be starting," Jane presently proposed. "We could get only
one taxi, so four of us will have to go first and four more in a second
load."

Jane's anxiety to be starting lay not entirely in her natural impatience
of delay. She was not quite easy in mind regarding the reception
awaiting them. Marian Seaton had been chosen to stand in the receiving
line. That in itself was sufficient to make her believe that the