“I’ll help you. I can do it first-rate,” Godfrey said, mischievously, but Miss Rossiter declined his services, and ringing for Kitty, sent him from the room, telling him he might as well attend to his own toilet. “That’s a fact,” he said. “But my dressing won’t take long. Come, Alice, let’s go out on the balcony awhile;” and leading Miss Creighton to the glass door at the end of the hall, he brought her a chair and seated her in it. “You won’t have to dress, and can talk with me. You’ve got yourself up stunningly, especially that ball on the top of your head. Couldn’t have put that a peg higher if you tried, could you? I say, Alice, why do you want to make yourself such a fright? Do you think it is the style? It isn’t. I saw a few shop-girls and bar-maids with their heads tricked out like yours, but not one lady. I believe you would wear a boot-jack if you thought it was the fashion in Paris!” “Oh, Godfrey, don’t, please, and you just come home, too,” Alice said, with a tremor in her voice and tears in her eyes. It hurt her that he should find fault with her personal appearance within an hour of his return after so long an absence, especially as she had taken so much pains to dress for him. Godfrey saw she was hurt, and said to her, coaxingly, as he put his arm around her: “Never mind, Alice. You are real stylish anyway, and I’m so glad to see you again. I am, upon my word, and you used to write to me such nice, sisterly letters. Do you find me improved?” “Yes, Godfrey, ever so much. I knew you would be. Travel always does that,” Alice said, her spirits a good deal lightened by his few words of commendation. “And, Godfrey,” she continued, “I guess I’ll go and fix my hair now. There will be time.” She choked a little, for “fixing her hair” was a vast amount of trouble, but if Godfrey was suited, she did not care. “Nonsense,” he said, tightening the grasp of his arm about her waist, “your hair is well enough for once. Stay with me and let’s talk. Only think how long it is since you had a chance to lecture me except by letter, which does not go for much, and I’m real glad to see you, Allie. I am, by Jo——. No, I mean I am, Allie; I am trying to quit my slang, though it is like pulling teeth sometimes.” “Yes, Godfrey,” and folding her small, fat hands on her lap, Alice looked happy, and content, and satisfied. “Yes, Godfrey, I knew that trip abroad would effect great things for you.”