elped her rip aside the heavy brown paper with which the
cardboard box was wrapped. Inside were layers of tissue and then they
gazed upon the first dress, a sport outfit of green wool in lines so
plain that its daring was startling. The jacket fitted snugly with a tie
about the throat and the ends extended over Janet's shoulders.

After that came an afternoon dress, a rich brown velvet that caught and
threw back at them the morning light. The skirt was plain with the upper
half of the dress in a Russian blouse design with the plain roll collar
of cloth of gold.

"Why, it's the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen," exclaimed Janet's
mother. "How did this all happen?"

Briefly, Janet told how Roddy had taken an interest in them and in
seeing that they had attractive and striking clothes.

There was one more dress, a garment designed for classroom wear. This
was a corduroy--a deep blue that was dazzling in its intensity.

Before Janet could get it completely out of its heavy tissue wrappings
the telephone rang and when she answered Helen's excited voice came
tumbling over the wire. She, too, had received her box from Roddy--a
sports outfit, an afternoon dress and another dress for classroom wear.

"Let's wear one of our new dresses when we go to the university to
register," said Helen, and Janet agreed. Each of them had corduroys and
they decided to wear these.

Janet took the last garment, the corduroy one, from its wrappings and
hurried upstairs to try it on. Her mother hastened after her, as eager
as Janet to see how the new dress fitted and looked.

Janet wriggled into the cool, smooth garment and whirled to face her
mother. Her hair was a bit touseled and her cheeks flushed from the
excitement and the vivid blue of the dress only heightened her youthful
charm.

"You look beautiful, dear," breathed her mother. "I've never seen
anything more lovely."

Janet turned back to her mirror and gazed at the dress Roddy's agile
mind had conceived for her. It _was_ striking.

The blue corduroy hung well, fitting closely around her slim hips and
opening at the throat with a semi-military cut. A neat little pocket was
placed just above her heart. The sleeves were wrist length, rather full
at the shoulders and tapering to a close fit just above her hands where
they were caught and tied with two silver bands.

Someone came pounding up the stairs. It was Helen, who burst into the
room like a young hurricane. Like Janet, s