the Canada expedition, or any other
disagreeable subject.

About seven o'clock Mrs. Hawley made her appearance, and, greatly to
Mrs. Mencke's delight, she was accompanied by Nellie Bailey.

"Oh, Vio!" exclaimed that elated young lady, after the first greetings
were exchanged, "I have the most delightful piece of news to tell you."

Violet looked interested immediately.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I am going to Europe next month," Nellie replied, with a face all
aglow.

"Going to Europe!" Violet repeated, with a look of dismay; for her heart
sank at the thought that she was about to lose her only friend.

"Yes; mamma has finally consented to let me have a year of music at
Milan, and Mrs. Hawley, who is also going broad, has consented to take
me under her friendly wing.

"Going for a year!" sighed Violet. "What shall I do without you?"

"Oh, it will soon slip by," said the happy girl, to whom the coming
twelve months would seem all too short. "Of course I shall miss you
dreadfully. I only wish you were going too. Wouldn't it be just
delightful?"

"Yes, indeed. And why not?" here interposed Mrs. Hawley, who appeared to
have been suddenly arrested, by this remark, in the midst of an account
of a brilliant reception, which she was giving to Mrs. Mencke. "You know
I am fond of your company, and should like nothing better than to have
two bright girls with me. Belle, let me take Violet, too. She ought to
have a nice trip abroad, now that she is out of school."

Mrs. Mencke looked thoughtful, and not especially pleased by the
proposition.

"You are very kind, Althea, to propose it, but Mr. Mencke and I had
planned a trip to Canada for this month and next, and we intended to
take Violet with us."

Violet turned a cold, steadfast look upon her sister.

"I told you that I should not go to Canada, Belle," she said, quietly,
but decidedly.

"Then come with us, by all means. I am sure it cannot make much
difference whether you go to Europe or Canada, and Nellie would be very
happy to have you for a chum," interposed Mrs. Hawley.

"Indeed I should. Oh, Violet, it would be simply charming. Wouldn't you
like it?" Nellie cried, enthusiastically.

"Ye-s," the unsuspicious girl replied, though somewhat doubtfully, as
she thought of the thousands of miles that would separate her from
Wallace, if she accepted this invitation. "How long do you intend to be
absent?" she concluded, turning to Mrs. Hawley.

"Oh, I shall