Beth flushed with pleasure; she did know why. Alys had been a little bit cross the night before and she and Beth came near having a small quarrel. These violets were to say Alys was sorry. “She’s dear, too!” cried Beth, in high satisfaction, meaning that Natalie and Dirk were not her only lovable cousins, though so far she had to try not to like them a great deal better than Alys. “Aunt Alida said that you were to go with us to the hospital, Frieda. You are to get ready after you have helped me dress. But I will dress myself, so you can get ready now,” said Beth indistinctly, her face buried in the violets. “Mrs. Cortlandt is too kind!” cried Frieda tremulously. “I was wondering how I ever could wait till you got home to hear about Liebchen.” “Especially as we may not come straight home,” added Beth. “Aunt Alida is going to get ready for Christmas as fast as she can; she didn’t know how near it was till she happened to see the newspaper date this morning. If you will do my hair, Frieda, I can go on dressing alone. I do wonder what Aunt Rebecca would have said if I had had to have help getting dressed at home!” Frieda threw Beth’s dressing scarf over her shoulders as the little girl seated herself before the dressing table. Beth adjusted the pale blue ribbons that tied the neck and sleeves with the satisfaction this dainty garment always inspired. Frieda shook out the fly-away masses of Beth’s pretty hair with much the same satisfaction that Beth felt in the filmy scarf. Beth’s hair was growing beautiful under her maid’s skilful treatment and Frieda liked nothing so much as adorning Beth. She had lost her heart to her little lady at their first meeting and, since Beth had tried to help Liebchen, Frieda’s love for her was with difficulty kept within the bounds of a maid’s relation to her charge--not that Beth would have minded if it overstepped those bounds! “When I was in Germany, Miss Beth, the young countess I served had hair much like your own, but I truly believe by spring yours will be handsomer than hers was,” said Frieda, holding the golden strands toward the light. “A countess! Frieda, honest?” cried Beth deeply impressed. “I thought you were only a little girl when you left Germany.” “I went back to an aunt to be taught a lady’s maid’s work, Miss Beth,” said Frieda. “And my aunt got me into the service of the Herr Graf von Witzleben, to attend the young Grafin Elise. I was glad to come back to New York, Miss Beth. But she had beautiful hair, Grafin Elise. I mean to make yours handsomer.”