sion, but if you will only
perk up you can do far better than I. Look smiling and self-possessed,
and as if you were rather conferring than asking a favour."

It was admirable advice, but, alas! Hope was not the girl to carry it
into effect. Her cheeks would flush; her voice _would_ shake; she
looked so unmistakably the amateur that, in spite of her charming
appearance, she met with but scant success wherever she went. No one
actually refused her circular, but the manner of its acceptance was so
lukewarm and careless that it would have depressed the stoutest heart.
Even Madge looked downcast when home was reached, but she was smiling
again by dinner-time; and what was more, Philippa and Theo were smiling
too, with a mischievous enjoyment which seemed strangely unsympathetic
to the crushed adventurer.

For several days no explanation was forthcoming; then came an afternoon
when housekeeper and author arrayed themselves in all the splendour they
possessed and sallied forth on a mysterious errand. Hope wondered,
questioned, and was amiably snubbed for her pains; but at five o'clock
back came two flushed, triumphant conspirators, only too eager to tell
the tale of their adventures.

"We have been working for you, my dear," cried Phil, nodding cheery
encouragements at the dear, pretty sister who had grown to look so
pathetically pale and wistful of late; "but the idea came from Madge, so
you have to thank her most of all. Well, we sallied forth, and went the
round of the shops where you had left your circulars. Theo took one
direction, I took another, and we met at the Stores. The first shop I
went into was empty, and I had quite a long talk with the man. I wanted
to know what entertainment he could provide for a juvenile party. He
suggested a magic-lantern--cinematograph--Punch and Judy--conjurer. I
looked profoundly bored, and drawled out, `So terribly commonplace!
Have you nothing _new_?' He declared there was nothing else, and I was
feeling very baffled and angry, when suddenly he remembered your
circular, and began searching for it in a drawer. I regarded it with
judicial calm, thought the terms rather high, but on the whole was much
taken with the idea. The difficulty, of course, was to withdraw without
settling anything definitely; but some other people came in, and I
murmured polite nothings about `thinking it over,' and beat a retreat.
At the next place my pumping failed, for the wretch had forgotten