Dolly laughed. "Beth never will learn to recognize some facts; now, for instance, that subject was finally settled long, long ago." "I don't see--" began Beth. But Mrs. Alden rose hastily to her feet. "You girls must all get to bed and to sleep as soon as possible. The boys have plans for every moment of the day, and you will want to feel fresh tomorrow. Dolly, you may come over to my room for just a few minutes." The next morning there was a drive through the lovely suburbs of the city, then they came back to the Thanksgiving dinner; in the evening there was a fine concert to which Mr. Alden took them all. Friday and Saturday were full of fun and pleasure. Sunday evening came all too soon. Dolly was having a quiet chat in the library with Fred and her mother. The rest were all in the drawing-room. "I have been very much astonished at the way our guests paired off. Naturally, one would think that Mr. Steele would care to talk to Mary rather than to Beth. Mary knows what hard work and life on a farm mean. She would not be at college now, if some aunt were not paying her tuition; she told me so. I supposed that she and Mr. Steele would have ever so many things in common, but I never see them talking together at all. Mr. Martin seems really to find Mary very attractive, and Mr. Steele devotes most of his time to Beth, who is certainly his opposite in every particular." "That is just the reason Steele likes her, I presume," Fred rejoined with an air of superior wisdom. "The attraction of opposites, you know; though, for that matter, Steele quite approves of you. He thinks you are a remarkably nice little girl, for he told me so." "How horribly condescending of him," Dolly said, tilting her chin upward. Fred laughed. It was great fun to tease Dolly. "He thinks you did a remarkably fine thing in throwing the class presidency to that classmate of yours who voted for herself. By the way, her name was Hamilton, I remember; she wasn't that girl of whom Bob was talking the other night, was she?" Dolly flushed. "Tell Fred the whole story, dear, you can trust your brother." So Dolly told it, and whatever Fred thought, he kept to himself, merely promising not to mention the affair to anyone. Mrs. Alden sent the girls off to bed at an early hour, for, as Beth said, they must be awake at a most unearthly time. The boys set their alarm clock in order to be up to see the girls off. They, themselves, were not obliged to go until a later train. "We have had just a beautiful time, Mrs. Alden," Beth declared that evening. "I can't tell how much it has meant to me. I want Dolly to go home with me as soon as you can spare her, but I suppose you will want her at Christmas?" "Perhaps we could arrange a compromise," Mrs. Alden returned smilingly; "you might stop here for a week, and then we _might_ agree to loan you Dolly for the remaining time."