a picture of that lady came to her mind.

Rhoda laughed. “I want to be there when you do it,” she said. “But tell me, why are you so anxious to have the party over and done with? I thought you loved to plan parties.”

“I do, generally, but I’m so afraid that I’m going to have a fight with Nan before this one is over that I don’t know which way to turn. We’ve never had a fight as long as we have known one another. Wouldn’t it be just my luck to have one over something nice I was trying to do for her!”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have a fight. Nan won’t let that happen. Anyway, the party is tomorrow afternoon, so there is only one more day to wait.” Rhoda’s face was alight, for she, too, found it hard to wait.

“Have you been able to find out,” she continued, “what it is that Laura’s committee has bought for a present?”

“No, not yet,” Bess answered. “I’ve asked, but they vow they won’t tell unless they know what the refreshments are going to be.”

“And I won’t tell that,” Rhoda confirmed a previous stand. “Besides, I think it’s more fun, if the committees do keep their decisions secret. It’s like Christmas when every cupboard and closet in the house is brimming over with surprises.”

“Yes, isn’t it. Do you know, I’ll bet I won’t sleep a wink tonight,” Bess admitted. “I’m so excited about the whole thing.”

“Sleep tonight!” Rhoda exclaimed. “Why, I haven’t slept for a week!”

“I wouldn’t have either, if I had had your job,” Bess admitted. “I think it is the hardest one of them all.”

“I liked it,” Rhoda smiled. “How did your end of it work out?”

“You’ll see for yourself, tomorrow,” Bess looked mysterious, too. “I’ll just say this, Dr. Beulah is the most charming person I’ve ever come across. She wrote the sweetest note thanking us for the invitation! And she offered to help us in any way she could. In fact, do you know what she’s done?”

Rhoda shook her head.

“She’s solved the problem of what to do with Nan until everything is ready. She asked her if she would mind going down to the village tomorrow morning on an errand that will take her all day. Then she asked her to call Mrs. Bagley and bring her up here for Sunday afternoon tea. And did Nan ever fall for it? It did my heart good. She’s going to be the most surprised person in this county tomorrow!” Bess rubbed her hands gleefully. It was fun putting something over on Nan!

Sunday was a grand day, bright and clear and fresh as only an early spring day can be. The crisp ruffles of the curtains in Nan and Bess’s room waved slightly in the breeze. Nan dressed herself in a fresh looking dark silk print as she breathed deeply of the soft, warm air.

“Oh, it’s good to be alive!” she exclaimed, “and this is one of those days when you feel sure there is nothing but good in store for you.”

“Maybe so,” Bess responded as unenthusiastically as she could, for she was afraid to let Nan even guess at her own excitement. “My only hope is that there is a good breakfast waiting downstairs in the dining hall. This being Sunday, I would like orange juice and pancakes and sausage and some good hot cocoa with whipped cream swimming around on top.”

“Ugh!” Nan made a wry face. “You and Laura Polk and your whipped cream. I don’t see how you can bear to have it for breakfast.”

“Don’t let it trouble you, darling,” Bess was in an extraordinarily pleasant mood, “we won’t get it. You’ll never catch Mrs. Cupp feeding us whipped cream at any time. Says it’s not good for our school-girl complexions.” With this, she went off to bathe and dress.

“You don’t mind,” Nan called after her, “do you, if I don’t wait for you this morning. I want to go to early chapel so that I can go down to the village on the bus.”

“Run along, and forget me,” Bess urged her. “I’m going to take my own lazy time about dressing this morning. I’m going to late breakfast and late chapel and late everything. I’ve got spring fever with a bang.”

So Nan went off and left a houseful of schemers behind her.