Elsie? Isn't she coming to see us?"

"Oh, certainly, dear; I told you she would be here in a few moments. Now
I will take Marjorie to her room; she will be glad to wash off some of
those horrid cinders, I am sure." She glanced as she spoke at Marjorie's
linen shirt-waist, and the straw hat, which certainly did not look as if
it had come from a New York milliner.

"Am I not to have the same room with Elsie, Aunt Julia?" Marjorie
inquired, in a tone of some disappointment, as Mrs. Carleton led the
way down a long, narrow entry, with doors on both sides.

"Oh, no, dear; you are to have a nice little room all to yourself. It
was so fortunate that we had this extra room in the apartment. We
intended using it for guests, but when your uncle wrote that he was
bringing you home with him, we decided to give it to you."

"Oh, I hope I am not going to be in the way," said Marjorie, blushing.
"I had no idea I was to have a room to myself, especially when Uncle
Henry told me you were living in a hotel. I wouldn't in the least mind
rooming with Elsie."

"But you are not at all in the way," said Mrs. Carleton, kindly. "We
seldom have guests staying with us, and shall not need the extra room.
This is Elsie's room; yours is just opposite."

At that moment Elsie's door opened, and that young lady emerged,
followed by the French maid, who was still fastening her dress. At sight
of her cousin Marjorie sprang forward, and before Elsie at all realized
what was happening to her, two eager arms were round her neck, and she
was being hugged in a manner that fairly took away her breath.

"Oh, Elsie, I am so glad!" cried Marjorie rapturously. "Isn't it too
wonderful and beautiful that we should really meet at last? Do let me
look at you; I want to see if you are like what I pictured you." And
Marjorie held her astonished cousin off at arms' length, and surveyed
her critically.

"What did you expect me to be like?" Elsie inquired, not without some
curiosity, as she gently extricated herself from Marjorie's embrace. She
had taken in every detail of her cousin's appearance in one glance.

"I don't exactly know--at least it is rather hard to describe," said
Marjorie, with an embarrassed laugh. Something in Elsie's expression was
making her vaguely uncomfortable. "I didn't think you would be quite so
grown up as you are."

"I am nearly fifteen," said Elsie, as if that fact alone were quite
sufficient to account for her "grown up" appearanc