Reynolds," said
Grace. She paused before a door that faced the head of the stairs and
threw it open. It was a pretty room, papered in dainty blue and white,
with a blue and white floor rug and white enameled furniture. There were
crisp, white dotted-swiss curtains at the windows and a sheer blue and
white ruffled cover on the dressing table, while on the walls hung
several neatly-framed water color and pen and ink sketches.

The shabby, tired girl gave a long sigh of satisfaction and weariness as
she stood in the middle of the floor, her eyes eagerly devouring the
pretty room.

"The bathroom is at the end of the hall," said Grace gently. "We'll stop
for you in about half an hour."

The other girl did not answer, and Grace and Emma slipped away, leaving
her to get used to her new surroundings.

"Well, did you ever?" asked Emma, the moment they were inside Grace's
sitting-room with the door closed.

Grace shook her head. "Poor little thing," she murmured. "She can't
possibly go about Overton in those clothes, Emma. Yet I can't offer her
any of mine. She seems independent. I am afraid she would resent it. I
wonder what her story is. Did you notice she said that 'they' wouldn't
let her go to college, so she had run away from home? Suppose some one
of her family should follow her here just after we had nicely
established her at Harlowe House? We must find out everything about her.
I won't bother her with questions while she is so tired."

"I am sure she is eighteen," declared Emma positively. "That will free
her from parental sway in this state. I think it would be a greater
tragedy if she has come too late. What is the highest number of girls
Harlowe House will accommodate?"

"Thirty-two," answered Grace.

"Then let us hope that Mary Reynolds is not unlucky thirty-three. The
sooner you go to see Miss Wilder the sooner you'll know her fate. Now
I'm going on a tour of exploration and noisy admiration. I'm sure I
haven't ohs and ahs enough to fully express my feeling of elevated
pleasure at so much magnificence. And to thing that I, ordinary,
every-day me, should be asked to become co-partner to all this." Emma
struck an attitude and launched forth into fresh extravagances over the
tastefully furnished suite of rooms.

"Emma, you ridiculous creature, wind up your lecture and get ready for
luncheon," commanded Grace affectionately.

"Not until I've seen the last saw," returned Emma firmly.

For the next ten minute