g it to be lovely.

When Mrs. Tanberry came in to tell her that Nelson was at the block with
the carriage, Miss Betty did not turn, and the elder lady stopped on the
threshold and gave a quick, asthmatic gasp of delight. For the picture
she saw was, without a doubt in the world, what she proclaimed it, a
moment later, ravishingly pretty: the girlish little pink and white room
with all its dainty settings for a background, lit by the dozen candles
in their sconces and half as many slender silver candlesticks, and,
seated before the twinkling mirror, the beautiful Miss Carewe, in her
gown of lace and flounces that were crisp, yet soft, her rope of pearls,
her white sandals, and all the glory of her youth. She had wound a
wreath of white roses into her hair, her cheeks were flushed, and her
eyes warm and glowing, yet inscrutable in their long gaze into the
mirror.

"Oh," said Mrs. Tanberry, "you make me want to be a man! I'd pick you
up and run to the North Pole, where no one could ever follow. And I can
tell you that it hurts not to throw my arms round you and kiss you; but
you're so exquisite I don't want to touch you!"

In answer, Miss Betty ran to her and kissed her rapturously on both
cheeks. "Am I--after all?" she cried. "Am I? Is it? Will the roses do?"
And without heeding her companion's staccatoes of approval she went
rapidly to the open bureau, snatched up a double handful of ribbons and
furbelows, and dashed out of the room in search of the disgraced Mamie.
She found her seated on the kitchen door-step in lonely lamentation, and
showered the gifts into her lap, while the vain one shrieked inimitably
with pride in the sudden vision of her mistress and joy of the
incredible possessions.

"Here, and here, and here!" said Miss Betty in a breath, hurling the
fineries upon her. "I'm an evil-tongued shrew, Mamie, and these aren't
to make up for the pain I gave you, but just to show that I'd like to if
I knew how! Good-by!" And she was off like an April breeze.

"Dance wid the han'somdest," screamed Mamie, pursuing uproariously
to see the last of her as she jumped into the carriage, "bow to de
wittriest, an' kiss de one you love de bes'!"

"That will be you!" said Miss Betty to Mrs. Tanberry, and kissed the
good lady again.

CHAPTER XVI. "Those Endearing Young Charms"

It is a matter not of notoriety but of the happiest celebrity that Mrs.
Tanberry danced that night, and not only that she danced, but that s