“No, dear; but while I was curling it I dropped the hot iron down my back, and dared not even scream lest he find out what I was doing.” “The worst thing that ever happened to me,” said the girl with the dimple in her chin, “was in connection with Lewis. As soon as it was settled, I went to tell Emmeline, so she would give up trying to get him. I said I was his first love, and she couldn’t imagine how jealous he was. ‘Oh, yes, dear, I can,’ said she; ‘he was always so when he was engaged to me!’” “I wondered why you broke with him,” said the president. “Well, we must adjourn now, and I must say that I have never heard a subject more logically discussed than the one to-day!” Chapter IV Concerning the Heroine of To-day “Are you ready to go to the meeting of the club?” asked the blue-eyed girl, as she bounced into the room. “Why, Dorothy, dear, what is the matter? has your father gotten himself a new bicycle instead of one for you, or—” The blue-eyed girl sat up on the couch. “I don’t care if I never ride a bicycle again as long as I live,” she replied, deliberately. The girl with the dimple in her chin turned pale. “I knew it was something awful when I saw you crying with the blinds all rolled up; but I hardly thought it was so bad as that. You—you haven’t any fever or queer feelings in your head, have you?” “If I had, it would not make any difference,” she sobbed. “I—oh, I’ll get even with Effie Bittersweet if it ruins my complexion and takes me all the rest of my natural life to do it!” “Oho, it’s Effie, is it? Well, you’ll have plenty of chances to get even with her, once you are her sister-in-law!” “I wouldn’t marry Jack now, to—to spite Effie, and I—I doubt if I shall have the chance, anyhow. And as for Frances, I—” “Never mind, dear; I know she has behaved abominably, but she is punished already. Her aunt has brought her a new hat from Paris, and it is geranium pink—fancy Frances in geranium, can you? She promised it to Frances when she went abroad last fall, and Frances has been talking about it ever since. She will have to wear it, too, because her aunt is to make them a long visit, and she is too wealthy to have her feelings hurt.” The blue-eyed girl shook her head, sadly. “It is very kind of you to try to cheer me,” she said, “but I am beyond rejoicing. I only hope it is a very deep geranium pink, that’s all. Oh, Emily, what a desert waste this life is! No, don’t put another cushion back of me—I want to be just as uncomfortable as possible. You know Effie was here this morning, don’t you?” “I suppose so—I noticed that you have two portraits of Edwin on the table.” “Yes. Well, she asked me to go shopping with her, and I must say I was pleased, because she hasn’t been here since—since—” “Not since you quar—pardon me, I mean since her brother quarreled with you.” “She said she’d ask me to lunch with her down-town, but she had spent almost all her allowance.”