with her mother bending over her, she
listened eagerly while Uncle Harry explained what the maids had meant,
and she sighed happily when she at last realized that the baby was safe
from harm, and that she would remain right under the roof of their
beautiful home.

When on the following day the old doctor called to see the baby, he
laughed heartily at the story of Flossie's fear, and he declared that
Flossie must have done a very fine thing for the baby. Its little pink
cheeks were fair, and the tiny spots which had so frightened its young
mother had been chased away, so the doctor said, by its long stay out in
the evening air. "Then I _did_ do something nice for that baby," said
Flossie, to which Uncle Harry responded:

"You were a brave little niece, Flossie," and Flossie was happy.

* * * * *

When the postman called on the morning of the next day, he brought an
invitation for the long-dreamed-of party.

Then the secret was out as to what kind of party it was to be.

A fancy dress party! A costume carnival!

Of course the first question that each little friend asked of the other
was:

"What are you going to wear?"

"Why, our prettiest party dresses, of course," said Mollie Merton.

Mollie, who was always very positive, was greatly surprised when Dorothy
overtook them on the way to school, and explained that each little guest
was expected to appear in a costume which should represent some
well-known character in history or story.

"And mamma says we are not to tell each other what we're going to be,"
said Dorothy; "we're to wear long dominoes over our frocks, and we'll
dance and play games, just peeping through eyeholes to see where we're
going."

"And nobody'll know who anybody is," chimed in Nancy, "for Mrs. Dainty
and Aunt Charlotte will receive, and Dorothy will walk up to greet them,
so neither of us will even know who Dorothy is."

"What fun!" cried Jeanette, and the little group laughed gaily. "Any
boys besides me invited?" questioned Reginald.

"Yes, indeed, there are ever so many boys invited," Dorothy said. "My
cousins Russell and Arthur are coming, and three of papa's nephews will
be here. I've never met them, but they're coming for a little visit of
a few days, and I'm to have my party while they're here."

"If you girls are going to wear those funny long cloaks, of course
they'll hide who you are, but you'll every one of you know us fellows,"
said Reginald