r bed in a pale blue silk kimono. "I feel like offering a li

who was not gifted with

orm, there would have been no Cou

she is so beautiful, so gentle

ssed me!" c

those golden baby curls of yours that do the business, I suppose. First, it was the lovely Mrs. Cartwright you wo

Barbara. "Cut off her curls

ich ended in a burst of joyous laughter. For Miss Sallie's familiar

ember that thi

rls su

ountess to-morrow, when we met her only this afternoon

r rushing things,"

o lay violent hands on me again, I will

cried three vo

eon to-morrow. She whispered it to me jus

she intends to invite the entire party-the

question. "The countess intends to invite only Mi

e we are already trying to shake her off. If we are going to see a great deal of the countess, how shall we manage? I am sure

Maud Warren to see the difference between really well-bred people like the countess and those who pretend to be. I think the Smythes are pretenders, the mother at least. She seems to be continually on the alert. I w

h impertinently. "And when you unearth her famil

s suspecting people's motives. But really I do believe that that Mrs. Smythe has a hurtful influence ove

, and we shall be obliged to handle her very carefully. If she even suspects we are

bear that misfort

is just like a blind person. She can't see anything that is good and true. She thinks

ed we would be friends with Maud, for she needed the companionship of sensible girls. He said that he hoped s

wly. "I think that Maud was impressed with

osed Ruth. "I believe he is one of those foreigners with no mone

a worldly air that contrasted oddly with her baby face. "Th

h, "Mollie the worldly

merican girl. She fell in love with his title. After she had married him she found out that his name was Jean, something or ot

red Grace, who always c

of the Count de Sonde

nceited. He reminds me of a comic opera Frenchman. He looks as though he were r

Ruth agreed. "I imagine him

sdames! bonjo

e Comte d

to Grace. She shrugged her dainty shoul

Monsieur Duval?"

the brains and strength of the company. If there is any lit

y really have a game to

ame to the count's rescue? He helped him out of a number of tight places. Of course it is ridiculous to suppose those m

ted Mollie. "I thought we were talking about Maud

th suggested, lowering her voice to a whisper

compact, child

know how we like to keep together and don't care much for any outside girl. I know we shall have to make a good many sacrifices. But Maud mu

could not foresee into what difficu

allie knocked ag

ce; it is very l

had hold of one another's hands. They were repeating their vow about Maud. Suddenly they were interrupted. Mons

moon shone brightly through the open windows and the

history is?" thought Ruth sleepily, a

ing a letter. It was a long letter, penned in close fine handwriting. When she had finished she sli