. Thank you, Bridget." With a bright little nod, Grace
skipped joyfully up the steps and made harbor in the big porch swing.
"I'll read them as they come," she decided, "then each one will be a
fresh surprise. Hello! Here's Miriam first of all. That means Anne
delivered my message." Hastily tearing open the envelope, Grace drew
forth a single sheet of thick white paper and read:

"DEAR GRACE:

"How I wish I could suddenly drop in on you this morning for a long
talk. There is so much I should like to tell you which I haven't
time to write. Anne, the faithful, delivered your message. Don't
worry about my not waiting for you. I won't buy even a paper of
pins without your august sanction and approval. I am anxiously
looking forward to seeing you. So are Kathleen, Anne, Arline and
Mabel Ashe.

"Elfreda is with me. She is a never-failing joy, and to quote her
pet phrase, 'I can see' that there will be a vast amount of
celebrating done when you arrive. Please forgive me for not writing
much this time. I am expecting Everett and his sister at any
moment. We are going to motor down to their home on Long Island for
the day. I have decided to put in the time usefully until they have
arrived. Hence this fragmentary epistle. Kindly note my laudable
promptness as a correspondent and fall in line. With much love,

"As always,

"MIRIAM."

"I'll reply this very morning," nobly resolved Grace. "Oh!" She gave a
gleeful chuckle as she recognized a dear, familiar script. "It's from
Emma, good old friend." The chuckle continued as she perused the flowery
salutation:

"MOST GRACIOUS AND ESTIMABLE GRACE:

"Having made a triumphal return to the humble habitation of the
Deans, of whom I am which, I now derive a most excruciating
pleasure in taking up my sadly neglected pen to inform you that I
am well and hope you are the same. By this time you are no doubt
mourning me as hopelessly lost in the wilds of darkest Deanery.
Such is not the case. Though I have wandered disconsolately about
my childhood haunts and camped out despondently under the fruitful
pear-tree in our back yard, which, so far as I can remember, has
never boasted of a single solitary pear, I am by no means lost. In
fact, I am really beginning to feel quite at home. But how I miss
you! Living in a 'Graceless' world is a cros