"Mademoiselle Juliet Capulet," he proclaimed with the grand air, and then retired behind his hand, smiling broadly. Framed in the high doorway, complete, cap and curls, softly rounding bodice, and the long, straight lines of the Renaissance, stood Juliet--Juliet, immemorial, immortal, young--austerely innocent and delicately shy, already beautiful, and yet potential of all the beauty and the wisdom of the world. "I've never worn these clothes before anybody but the girls before," Eleanor said, "but I thought"--she looked about her appealingly--"you might like it--for a surprise." "Great jumping Jehoshaphat," Jimmie exclaimed, "I thought you said she was the same little girl, David." "She was half an hour ago," David answered, "I never saw such a metamorphosis. In fact, I don't think I ever saw Juliet before." "She is the thing itself," Gertrude answered, the artist in her sobered by the vision. But Peter passed a dazed hand over his eyes and stared at the delicate figure advancing to him. "My God! she's a woman," he said, and drew the hard breath of a man just awakened from sleep. [Illustration: "I thought"--she looked about her appealingly--"you might like it--for a surprise"] CHAPTER XV GROWING UP "Dear Uncle Jimmie: "It was a pleasant surprise to get letters from every one of my uncles the first week I got back to school. It was unprecedented. You wrote me two letters last year, Uncle David six, and Uncle Peter sixteen. He is the best correspondent, but perhaps that is because I ask him the most advice. The Christmas party was lovely. I shall never forget the expressions on all the different faces when I came down in my Juliet suit. I thought at first that no one liked me in it, but I guess they did. "You know how well I liked my presents because you heard my wild exclamations of delight. I never had such a nice Christmas. It was sweet of the We Are Sevens to get me that ivory set, and to know that every different piece was the loving thought of a different aunt or uncle. I love the yellow monogram. It looks entirely unique, and I like to have things that are not like anybody else's in the world, don't you, Uncle Jimmie? I am glad you liked your cuff links. They are 'neat,' but not 'gaudy.' You play golf so well I thought a golf stick was a nice emblem for you, and would remind you of me and last summer. "I am glad you think it is easier to keep your pledge now. I made a New Year's resolution to go without chocolates, and give the money they would cost to some good cause, but it's hard to pick out a cause, or to decide exactly how much money you are saving. I can eat the chocolates that are sent to me, however!!!! "Uncle David said that he thought you were not like yourself lately, but you seemed just the same to me Christmas, only more affectionate. I love you very much. I was really only joking about the chocolates. Eleanor." * * * * * "Dear Uncle David: