work like a
Trojan to let him see how I appreciate his interest in me." Elise
blushed rather more than mere gratitude called for, and Judy thought
that the dish water steaming was improving her complexion greatly
already. She determined to wash next time herself and let Elise do the
drying!

CHAPTER XI.

A STUDIO TEA IN THE LATIN QUARTER.

"The only thing that worries me in this delightful arrangement of
co-operative housekeeping is the accounts," sighed Mrs. Brown at
breakfast the next morning. "I am such a poor hand at arithmetic and a
franc is so like a quarter that it is hard for me to remember it is only
twenty cents; and a sou is so huge and heavy, I feel that it must be
more than a cent. I pin my faith to a five franc piece which is like and
is a dollar. I'd turn the money part over to Molly if she were not even
worse than I am about it."

"Don't give it to me, please," begged Molly. "You know dear old Nance
Oldham used to say I could do without money but I could not keep it."

"Well, Mrs. Brown, you should not be bothered to death about it, and I
think we should elect a secretary and treasurer; and since there is no
one here fitted to fill the place, I propose a new member to our club."
Judy got up and reached from a high plate rack a funny, glazed Toby jug.

"I propose the name of Sir Toby Belch as a member of this club."

"I second the nomination and wish to offer an amendment to the motion,"
said Elise: "that the said Sir Toby be made secretary and treasurer of
this association. All in favor of this amendment say 'Aye,' contrary
'No.' The ayes have it. Now are we ready to vote on the motion?"

The result was that Sir Toby Belch was unanimously elected and Mrs.
Brown's duties were lightened. The plan was that every week the four
members of the Co-operative Housekeepers' Association should put into
Sir Toby a certain amount of money which would be drawn out for expenses
as the occasion arose. If Sir Toby should get hungry and empty before
the week was up, an assessment was to be made on all of the members and
he was to be fed, even if it did happen to be between meals for him. If
any member should be out of funds at the time, she could give an I. O.
T. (I Owe Toby) which could be cashed when convenient.

"Dear lady, you shall not be worried," said Elise affectionately. "I
believe this arrangement with Sir Toby will work beautifully."

And so it did. Sometimes Toby would get very lean and hung