With her rather listless guide Brenda made the tour of the upper stories. There were twelve pretty bedrooms for the girls, of almost uniform size, although varying somewhat in shape. The furniture in each was the same, but to allow a little scope for individual taste each girl was permitted to decide upon the color to be used in draperies, counterpane, and china. Blue and pink were the prevailing choice, for the range of colors suitable for these purposes is limited. Nellie asked for green, and had it even to the green clover-leaf on the china; and another girl begged for plain white, unwilling to have even a touch of gilt on the china; "it makes me think of heaven," she confided to Julia, "to see everything so white and still when I come up to my room at night." Maggie had chosen brown for her room, a choice that had especially awakened the ridicule of Luisa, who had said that if she could have her own way there should be a mixture of red, yellow, and blue on all her possessions. "Why, it's ever so pretty, Maggie," said Brenda, "and you are keeping it neat; but I can't say that those broad brown ribbons tying up the window curtains are cheerful, and I never did like a brown pattern on crockery-ware; but still if you like it--" "Well, I don't like it quite as much as I expected." "Then perhaps later you can make some changes; I would certainly have blue ribbons." "Oh, I don't know, Miss Barlow, there's so many other colors, and I can't tell which I'd like the best." "I must send you two or three books for your bookshelf." "Thank you, Miss Barlow," said Maggie coldly, without suggesting, as Brenda hoped she might, some book that she particularly wished to own. Just then, to her relief, Julia passed through the hall. "Come upstairs with me and I will show you the gymnasium that we have had built. Edith, you know, paid for it all." So up to the top of the house the two cousins climbed, followed by Nora and Maggie. Two large rooms had been thrown into one, and as the roof was flat, a fine, large hall was the result. This was fitted up with light gymnastic apparatus, and Julia explained that a teacher was to come once a week to teach the girls. "In stormy weather, when we can't go out, this will be a grand place for bean-bags and similar games, and, indeed, I think that the gymnasium will prove one of the most attractive rooms in the Mansion." At this moment a Chinese gong resounded through the house. "Twelve o'clock; it seems hardly possible!" and Julia led the way for the others to follow her downstairs. From the school-room above three or four girls now appeared, and others came from various parts of the house where they had been at work, among them Concetta and Gretchen. "Let me count you," said Miss South, after they were seated; "although I can make only nine, I cannot decide who is missing." As Concetta raised her hand Gretchen tried to pull it down. "You're not in school; she don't want you to do that."