favorably with her own deepening wrinkles and graying hair. For Mrs.
De Graf was vain and self-important, and still thought herself
attractive and even girlish. It would really be a relief to have Beth
out of the way for a few months.

The girl packed her own trunk and arranged for it to be taken to the
station. In the morning she entered the music room to bid the Professor
good-bye. He frowned at the interruption, for the oratorio was
especially engrossing at the time. Mrs. De Graf kissed her daughter
lightly upon the lips and said in a perfunctory way that she hoped Beth
would have a good time.

The girl had no thought of resenting the lack of affection displayed by
her parents. It was what she had always been accustomed to, and she had
no reason to expect anything different.

Patsy met her at the train in New York and embraced her rapturously.
Patsy was really fond of Beth; but it was her nature to be fond of
everyone, and her cousin, escaping from her smacking and enthusiastic
kisses, told herself that Patsy would have embraced a cat with the same
spontaneous ecstacy. That was not strictly true, but there was nothing
half hearted or halfway about Miss Doyle. If she loved you, there would
never be an occasion for you to doubt the fact. It was Patsy's way.

Uncle John also was cordial in his greetings. He was very proud of his
pretty niece, and discerning enough to realize there was a broad strata
of womanliness somewhere in Elizabeth's undemonstrative character. He
had promised himself to "dig it out" some day, and perhaps the European
trip would give him his opportunity.

Patsy and Elizabeth shopped for the next few days most strenuously and
delightfully. Sometimes their dainty cousin Louise joined them, and the
three girls canvassed gravely their requirements for a trip that was as
new to them as a flight to the moon. Naturally, they bought much that
was unnecessary and forgot many things that would have been useful. You
have to go twice to Europe to know what to take along.

Louise needed less than the others, for her wardrobe was more extensive
and she already possessed all that a young girl could possibly make use
of. This niece, the eldest of Uncle John's trio, was vastly more
experienced in the ways of the world than the others, although as a
traveller she had no advantage of them. Urged thereto by her worldly
mother, she led a sort of trivial, butterfly existence, and her
character was decidedly superfi