had walked with Horace in the park, and he had claimed her on the score of an affection dating back to Babylon, Priscilla had rather enjoyed infor

ly to hear that his sweetheart of Babylonian days had an imperative en

had gone early to avoid the crowd which a popular film is likely to draw even in the warmest weather, and at nine o'clock they were occupying chai

terposed with her astonishing suggestion.

ice cream. "A French orph

han's standpoint, and several from ours, it see

"Why, as far as clothes go, I neve

w, we're getting to spend lots of money for little, no-accou

swer as well as any one. But nevertheless Amy replied,

f us; and at twenty-five cents apiece, that makes a dollar a

ne as if this very simple arithmetical calculat

e times this week, and these days you can't go near a soda fountain for less than fifteen cents, and you're more likely

count up, you wouldn't believe how much you can spend and all t

th, and it's easy enough if you have something to s

ow voice. "If we're not going to have an

l myself that I had a dish night before last. I'll just think, 'Oh, well, what's twenty-five cents!' But if I'm

deal to adopt an orphan

n left without fathers and mothers, who have some relative who can give them a ho

year?" Amy exclai

was talking to me about it just the other d

t away," cried Amy. "And we'll h

me we were getting a little too extravagant. Then if you all agree, I think I'll go and telephone Mrs. Al

arrying a large bundle. "I've brought home Mrs. Raymond's dress," she

gy is. She's telephoning now, but she'

ly, pushing forward a porch rocking-chair. The small girl accepted the invit

xander is perfectly delighted, gi

bundle. "I brought home your mother's dress. Aun

tle. She left at eight o'clock, but I

ing counted it before Myrtle's eyes, she folded the bills carefully and stuffed them into Myrtl

to school any m

e going to l

," sighed the child, with a worldly-wise air that would have seemed fun

, Myrtle," protested Peggy. "And

rgie can get permit for me to work, if

han go to school?" asked

lled. She sniffed bravely as s

lained, a catch in her voice. "

e little figure went down the walk, and then

s ready for the high school already. If she could go to school four years more she'd probably be able to earn a

ve just adopted a French orphan. It seems there are

an. I suppose we can't imagine the need over there

hropy run away with you, and get the idea that we're

eed hastily. "Only I was wo

ve her an education?" Prisci

not a high-priced dress-maker, and besides she's mortally slow; one of the puttering sort, you

her weaknesses, she saw Miss Burns the following day, and the fa

r class right up through the grades, and if she could finish high school, she wouldn't need to ask a

could manage, couldn't you? What is the very least

r eyes. "She's not old enough for a sales-woman, and she's not strong e

u think you could take in plac

of escape. Cornered at last, she expressed the opinion that she could do with a hundred dollars. For some reason not quite clear in her own mind

be I should have said a hundred an

s something will come up so Myrtle won't

eekly visits to the country. The season had been a favorable one for all garden produce, but Mr. Frost was finding it difficult to get anything like the help he needed. The girls went out into the garden, picked and pulled what they wanted, paid a price which, compared with t

ity was always leading her to attempt things far too big for her. The girls had stood by her loyal

dismissing the subject. "But I don't

ggy hesitated, "that we could

o try to raise money for a little girl nobody knows about would be ho

ent hope that something might happen to aid her in the matter she had so much at heart. But the last thing sh

he men who, when out of sorts, invariable relieve their minds by criticism of the opposite sex. He had heard the

house to pay their reckoning. "It's small wonder they don't count m

beside talking," declared Peggy

say any sillier things

e, but a woman's got to talk or die. You couldn'

e enough," said

o," Amy

temptuously. "Why, I'd give you four a hund

ing to her friends, "I mo

irls might have hesitated, for a week of silence is an ordeal to the least voluble.

Amy cried, and Priscilla

nderstand when I said hold your tongues, I meant it. If there's

reed the four g

nervous. "Of course I haven'

indignation, "If you think Amy or any of h

d. "I put all four of you on your honor. No

nd explain to our familie

ost hesitated. "And talk on our f

ink of it, he was convinced that the conditions he had imposed could not possibly be complied with. Who ha

their singular undertaking to their friends. And then the four started off with their heavy baskets, chattering excitedly, as i