ed her nose, was almost invisible when
viewed by this artificial illumination. She struck one satin slipper
from under the edge of her dress and lifted her skirts high to see her
feet. They looked Perfectly Wonderful also. She did not know them as
her own feet.

Elinor had gone to find Ross to show him the completed debutante, so
Arethusa had time alone in which to admire to her heart's content.

She curtsied to the figure in the mirror, a long, sweeping,
old-fashioned curtsey that ended with a "cheese," and the billowy gown
spread itself out around her shimmeringly like the party frock of some
belle of long ago; the "Former Belle" of her little book might have
curtsied and looked just so. This charmed her utterly, and she did it
again and again.

Then Arethusa suddenly leaned close to the mirrored figure and kissed
its face fleetingly.

"Oh, but you are beautiful! Beautiful! I'm so glad you're beautiful!"

And Ross and Elinor, arriving at the door just in time to hear the
exclamation, slipped away again lest they should spoil her rapture in
this impersonal admiration of her own fair self, by letting her know
that they had heard.

Mrs. Chestnut was sending a youth by name of Harrison to escort
Arethusa to the Party, a youth who did not want to come. He had fully
intended to go alone to the festivities since his own particular
inamorata was already provided with company, and thus he would have the
best of chances to show this lady a "real time."

But Mrs. Chestnut, being his own blood aunt, felt perfectly privileged
to call upon him in emergencies, and so his carefully laid plans were
all upset with the "country jane" shoved upon him for the evening.

He was one of the few beaux of Lewisburg who possessed an
automobile--entirely his own--in which to carry ladies to Parties. When
he appeared with it, he handed the cocoon that was introduced to him as
Arethusa into the back seat and climbed, ungraciously, in front all by
himself. Conversation on the road to the Party was clearly an
impossibility, so Arethusa reviewed her knowledge of the article on
"Lepidoptera," and recited under her breath a few selections of the
Poetry she had deemed most appropriate for use on this occasion. She
was as ready for eventualities as she knew how to be.

Mr. Harrison dumped his cocoon in the dressing-room and departed, in
search of a little refreshing man-talk before taking up his arduous
duties in connection with Arethusa.

As