y. "You always look so sweet. Why, you can take an old piece of
cloth and a couple of faded flowers, and make of it a hat that looks
prettier than one mamma pays Madame Rosenti twelve dollars for when I go
with her. I don't see how you manage to do it."

"It was born in me!" laughed the French girl, as with a quick motion she
draped one of Betty's garments about her shoulders, producing an effect
at which Betty gasped in pleasure.

"Now, why doesn't that ever look like that on _me_?" she demanded.

"Betty, you're a dear!" replied Mollie, without answering. "Now I am
keeping you. I must run back. I haven't begun to pack yet, and I know
Paul and Dodo will have my room in dreadful shape. They are probably, at
this minute, parading around in my best frocks, playing soldier," and
Mollie with a laughing kiss for her chum jumped up and fled from the
room to hurry home and minimize the work of the playful twins.

"Don't forget the time!" cried Betty, after her chum, leaning out of the
window of her room, and breathing in deep of the balmy June air. "We
leave a week from to-day."

"Oh, I won't forget!" answered Mollie. "It is altogether too delightful
for that."

Betty resumed her inspection of dresses, to determine which she should
take, while Mollie hastened home. But Betty had not long been alone when
the doorbell tinkled and Grace Ford was announced.

"Tell her to come right up, if she will," Betty directed the maid, and
the tall, willowy one entered with a rush and a rustling of silken
skirts.

"My!" gasped Betty, looking up from her position, kneeling amid a pile
of clothes. "All dressed up and no place to go, Grace! What does it
mean? No, thank you, no chocolates when I'm looking over my pretty
things. I might spot them."

"That's just what happened to me," sighed the Gibson girl. "I had to put
on my best silk petticoat, as I spilled a lot of chocolate down my
other. I sent it away to be cleaned, and that's why I'm wearing my best
one. Don't you just love the swish of silk?"

"I guess we all do," answered Betty. "Oh, dear!"

"What's the matter?" asked Grace. "Oh, but you are going at it
wholesale; aren't you?" as she surveyed the room overflowing with
clothes.

"Have to, my dear. It means an all-summer stay, you know. And I don't
know what to take and what to leave. I'm sure to want the very things I
don't take."

"Take them all, then. That's what I'm doing. Only I haven't really begun
yet. I just ran ove