t must do as the girls in the office did. But in spite of it all,
she wasn't very happy and sometimes she wished she could run away from it
all and just go back to school again as her mother had wanted her to do.

When she looked at Mrs. King, somehow her beautiful face seemed to make
her want more than ever to do better. What was there about her that made
Julia love her at a distance and yet be afraid of her when she came near
her? Julia didn't know. But she did know that deep in her heart she wanted
to be like her and didn't know how. If only she had money and beautiful
things, perhaps it would be different.

One day when the leaves were very beautiful in their fall colors, a dainty
little note was left by the postman for Julia and it read,

"Dear Julia:

"I hardly know you but I am going to ask a great favor of you. Mr.
King has been called out of town and he is not willing to have me
stay in the house all alone, for it is very big and lonely since Mary
died. I wish very much that you would let me call for you at the
office this afternoon. Then we will go out in the country to see the
beautiful colors and have our supper at the Country Club. Then, when
we come home in the moonlight, I should like to have you spend the
night with me here. I shall hope that you can come.

"Sincerely,

"Margaret L. King."

Julia was so happy as she read it that she could hardly contain
herself--to go for a ride in the wonderful car; to eat at the Country
Club; to sleep at the home of Mrs. King--why, she had never even dared to
dream of such a thing. It was too good to be true.

Of course she must look her very best, so she asked for an extra half hour
at noon. She would wear her new thin waist with the very low neck, for the
girls had told her that she looked "too sweet for anything" in that. Her
silk skirt was shabby but it would never do to wear her serge, even if it
were new, when she rode with Mrs. King. As she put on the high-heeled
slippers, she noticed that they were much run over, but they would have to
do. It took her a long, long time to fix her hair just as she wanted to
have it, for one dip must just touch the next at the right angle.

Finally all was ready but the extra touches to her face. There was the
rouge for which she had spent so much money. The boss at the office had
told them that they wou