Bernice's jaw descended farther as Marjorie's voice rose. "There's some excuse for an ugly girl whining. If I'd been irretrievably ugly I'd never have forgiven my parents for bringing me into the world. But you're starting life without any handicap--" Marjorie's little fist clinched, "If you expect me to weep with you you'll be disappointed. Go or stay, just as you like." And picking up her letters she left the room. Bernice claimed a headache and failed to appear at luncheon. They had a matinée date for the afternoon, but the headache persisting, Marjorie made explanation to a not very downcast boy. But when she returned late in the afternoon she found Bernice with a strangely set face waiting for her in her bedroom. "I've decided," began Bernice without preliminaries, "that maybe you're right about things--possibly not. But if you'll tell me why your friends aren't--aren't interested in me I'll see if I can do what you want me to." Marjorie was at the mirror shaking down her hair. "Do you mean it?" "Yes." "Without reservations? Will you do exactly what I say?" "Well, I---" "Well nothing! Will you do exactly as I say?" "If they're sensible things." "They're not! You're no case for sensible things." "Are you going to make--to recommend---" "Yes, everything. If I tell you to take boxing-lessons you'll have to do it. Write home and tell your mother you're going' to stay another two weeks. "If you'll tell me---" "All right--I'll just give you a few examples now. First you have no ease of manner. Why? Because you're never sure about your personal appearance. When a girl feels that she's perfectly groomed and dressed she can forget that part of her. That's charm. The more parts of yourself you can afford to forget the more charm you have." "Don't I look all right?" "No; for instance you never take care of your eyebrows. They're black and lustrous, but by leaving them straggly they're a blemish. They'd be beautiful if you'd take care of them in one-tenth the time you take doing nothing. You're going to brush them so that they'll grow straight." Bernice raised the brows in question. "Do you mean to say that men notice eyebrows?" "Yes--subconsciously. And when you go home you ought to have your teeth straightened a little. It's almost imperceptible, still---" "But I thought," interrupted Bernice in bewilderment, "that you despised little dainty feminine things like that." "I hate dainty minds," answered Marjorie. "But a girl has to be dainty in person. If she looks like a million dollars she can talk about Russia, ping-pong, or the League of Nations and get away with it." "What else?" "Oh, I'm just beginning! There's your dancing." "Don't I dance all right?"