“I’m just going to ask,” said Betsy indignantly. “I don’t see how they dared not ask you. I am going to ask Mrs. Lynde myself why you weren’t invited.”
“Oh, no, please don’t, Betsy. I wouldn’t for the world have them think I cared.” Elizabeth had pride in the matter.
“Well, I shall find out some way.” Betsy was determined. “If you don’t go I shall stay away, and if aunt Emily asks me why, I am going to up and tell her.”
This was loyalty beyond expectation. To deliberately absent one’s self from a party such as this promised to be showed great strength of mind, thought Elizabeth. “I don’t want you to do that,” she said. “I want you to go and then tell me all about it. I didn’t really think that Bess was keeping on being so very very mad with me,” she added.
“I don’t believe it is Bess at all; I believe it is all that horrid Corinne Barker.”
“But she didn’t make out the list. I heard Bess say, myself, that her grandmother and mother were doing it.”
“You never know,” returned Betsy.
But as the days passed by there was no solution of the mystery. Christmas came and went and the fact of having no party in anticipation did not in the least interfere with Elizabeth’s enjoyment of the day. Darling Miss Jewett had given her a beautiful copy of “Little Women” and had added a photograph of herself in a pretty frame. As Elizabeth had heretofore depended upon borrowing from Betsy when she wanted to read anything of Miss Alcott’s, this first contribution towards a set of the much-prized books gave intense delight. As for the photograph, it was kissed rapturously and at the first opportunity Elizabeth hastened off to the giver to express her thanks.
After greetings and thanks were over Miss Jewett said: “And now I suppose the next excitement is the party Bess is going to give.”
Elizabeth’s face fell. “I suppose it will be very exciting to those who are going,” she answered sadly.