MEEKER'S COTTAGE
Mattie was seated at a table with her mother and two other ladies. Mrs. Helms nodded pleasantly when she saw the River Bend folk, but Margy was almost crying as she sat down at the table the waiter found for them.
"I knew it!" she declared. "I knew it! If we didn't dress up, I was sure we'd see some one we knew."
The boys laughed at her wail, but Mrs. Williamson spoke soothingly.
"Never mind, Daughter," she advised. "We have been traveling and are tired. Our dresses are dark, but they are clean and neat, and that is all that is necessary."
Poor Margy, however, during the dinner kept glancing over toward the table at which Mattie sat. Mattie wore a pink dress, with slippers and stockings to match. She came over to speak to her friends before they had finished.
"Hello, everybody!" said Mattie cheerfully. "We got here at noon. Isn't this a nice hotel? We are going to take all our meals here, so Mother won't have to keep house. Have you seen our bungalow? It is the fourth down the street. It's painted brown and white. Carrie is coming to-morrow to stay with me. I suppose you came in the car? Wasn't it hot? Where are you going to be? Oh, that part of Sunrise Beach is awfully out of date. Nobody goes there any more."
She rattled on, hardly pausing for a reply to her questions, till her mother caught her eye and signaled to her to go with her. Artie stared after her as she left the dining room.
"She's kind of dressed up, isn't she?" he ventured.
"Did you see her lovely slippers?" Margy sighed.