But her daughters were creatures apart, young princesses among admiring vassals. The country people looked with awe upon their tutors and dancing-masters and singing-teachers, their books, their clothes from the city. It had never occurred to them to include the little heiresses of Storm in their humble amusements; they belonged so palpably to a different world. The fact that this world was closed to them, because of the unforgotten scandal connected with their mother, left Jemima and Jacqueline singularly friendless; princesses, perhaps, but lonely princesses in their castle. For the first time Kate realized this. Hitherto she had felt that they three were all sufficient unto themselves, with Philip Benoix, and James Thorpe, and one or two others who came regularly to Storm. Now she said to herself with a sharp pang, "My poor babies! My little hidden, lovely girls!" Aloud she said, "A party?--that is splendid! Who are coming to the party? Some neighbor boys and girls?" "Hardly," replied Jemima, with a superior smile. "The party is coming from Lexington." Kate's face changed. She asked in quick dread, "Who are they?" It was not often that she met people from Lexington, except in the way of business, and then it was an ordeal to her. "We don't know. Isn't it exciting? Professor Thorpe is bringing them." Then Kate smiled. They would not be people who knew her. She could trust James Thorpe. "I must make myself presentable," she murmured, moving toward the stairs. The two girls heaved sighs of relief. It was evident that they had entertained doubts as to her reception of the party. Jacqueline walked beside her, rubbing a caressing cheek against her shoulder--a trick she had learned from the horses among whom she spent much of her time. "You see, Mummy, Blossom thought it was high time for us to be having some beaux." "Good Heavens--not yet!" murmured Kate. "At my age, you had several babies," Jemima reminded her, firmly; and Kate could not deny it. "So we consulted our godfather," continued Jacqueline. "It seemed to us we had at last found a use for a godfather--besides candy, and birthday presents, and things like that, which don't really count. We asked him if he couldn't find us some nice young professors at the university--attractive, dancing ones, you know, not old fossils like him." "Pleasant for James," murmured Kate. "He must be very little over forty!" "But imagine him dancing," cried Jacqueline, and dismissed him from her world with a gesture. "So Jemima suggested to him that the surest way of having you alone, the next time he came, was to bring some young professors to amuse us. And," she finished dramatically, "here he comes, the Ark simply bursting with young professors!" There was a loud honk at the door. Mrs. Kildare fled up the stairs. Jemima, following her, said in a low voice, "You don't really mind, then--about the party?" Something odd in the girl's voice arrested her. "Mind? Why should I mind, dear?"