, looking round with an air of surprise.

"What is the matter with you two this morning! You are giggling like a
couple of schoolgirls."

"We are so excited at the prospect of this evening! What have _you_
been so busy about in your room? Writing to Barney?"

"N-not just lately," faltered Phil, and blushed in guilty fashion. As a
matter of fact she had been trying experiments in hairdressing, and
studying her profile to see which arrangement gave the best effect to--
er--to any one who happened to be seated by her side! "How ore you
getting on with your work?" she asked, eager to change the subject, when
Madge held up the venerable chiffon bodice on which she had been sewing
"applications" of lace, and regarded it with critical approval.

"Subdued elegance is to be the keynote of my costume. I shall wear no
jewels! I don't think it is in good taste for a young girl to wear
valuable diamonds. What do you think of the arrangement of lace? Exact
copy of one of Lady Godiva's dinner-dresses as drawn in last week's
_Queen_. Wouldn't it be thrilling if I were mistaken for her and
written about in the papers? The only drop of bitterness in my cup is
the want of an evening-cloak. It does give one away so horribly to go
in a golf-cape!"

"No one will know you, dear. No one will look at you."

"Do you mean that for comfort, may I ask? I _want_ to be looked at.
`'Tis sad to think no eye will watch for us, and grow brighter when we
come,'" quoted Madge in sentimental accents, which made Philippa giggle
in her turn. Then for some mysterious reason she blushed again, and
strolled over towards the window.

"Hot, dear?" queried Madge blandly. "Room rather warm, perhaps--too big
fire."

"So extravagant, too, on a mild day like this! I really must speak to
Mary about using so much coal," said Theo, with a frown. She went on
with her sewing, apparently unconscious of the wide-eyed amazement with
which Philippa regarded her. The skies were going to fall indeed when
Miss Theo troubled herself about an item of domestic economy!

There was something rather pathetic about the glee with which the four
sisters made their toilets a few hours later. The night's
entertainment, which would have seemed so tame and ordinary to most
girls of their age, appeared a very frenzy of excitement after their
year of hard work and privation. They laughed and chattered like so
many magpies, ran about from room to room in lace pettic