"I'm glad to see
your bright face, if it's only for five minutes, Miss Harlowe."

"You're a dear." Grace dropped a soft kiss on Mrs. Elwood's cheek, then
hurried up the stairs, two at a time. Pausing at the old familiar door
at the end of the hall, she knocked. There was a quick, light step. The
door opened and Kathleen West fairly pounced upon her.

"Look who's here! Look who's here!" she chanted triumphantly. The tall,
fair girl in the lavender silk kimono, who reclined in the Morris chair,
turned her head languidly, then gave a cry of delight.

"You poor girl!" Grace embraced Patience affectionately. "Whatever is
the matter?"

"Oh, just a cold," croaked Patience. "In the words of J. Elfreda, 'I'm a
little horse.'" Her blue eyes twinkled. "It's worth being sick to have
you here, Grace."

"I've been intending to come over every night this week, but I'm so
busy," sighed Grace. "The Service Bureau keeps me hustling."

"What a progressive lot of people you Harlowites are," praised Kathleen.
"Did you know that Mary is doing a story about you and your family for
our paper. Of course there are no names mentioned. I saw to that."
Kathleen flushed. She recalled a time when she had used Grace's name
without permission.

"Yes, I know about it," smiled Grace, "and I know that no names are
mentioned."

Kathleen's color heightened. Then she remarked: "By the way, that Miss
Brent must have realized a nice sum of money from her sale. When did she
have it, Grace? We didn't hear a word of it. It must have been a very
select affair. I'm sorry I didn't know of it, for I wanted to buy an
evening dress. Rita Harris bought a beauty. Tell us about this latest
acquisition to Harlowe House. How does she happen to have such wonderful
clothes, and why didn't she go to work for the Service Bureau instead of
selling them? I'm fairly buzzing with curiosity."

Grace viewed Kathleen in amazement. "I don't understand you, Kathleen,"
she said, in a perplexed tone. "I have heard nothing of a sale."

"But Miss Brent held it at Harlowe House a week ago last Saturday,"
persisted Kathleen. "It is evident she didn't wish you to know it or you
would have been there, too."

Grace's amazed expression changed to one of vexed concern. She now
understood. "One week ago last Saturday I was in New York City," she
said soberly. "Until this moment I knew nothing of any such sale. In
fact I had objected to the plan when Miss Brent proposed it to me. If
sh