Dolly hesitated about telling Bert of her plans. She wanted him to know the importance of the matter, and yet, she feared he would disapprove of the whole idea. So she put off telling him, and now the very day had arrived, and she had a feeling that he must know before he went to the party.
Dolly was dressed early. She had on her new frock, and a dainty, pretty affair it was. Made of white net, it was frilled with many little outstanding ruffles, edged with blue silk. Tiny garlands of blue forget-me-nots headed the flounces, and edged the round neck of the bodice. Her golden curls were caught back by a pearl barrette and a delicate wreath of forget-me-nots encircled her head. Dotty’s dress was just like Dolly’s, with pink rosebuds in place of the blue flowers.
Of course the quartette were to go together, but there was yet nearly half an hour before time to start. Dolly sat in her room, thinking it out, and at last decided to tell Bert.
She went to his room, and found him deeply absorbed in tying his necktie. She sat down and waited, silently, being too wise to interrupt the engrossing performance.
At last the bow was completed to the young man’s satisfaction.
“Hello, Dolls,” he said, to her reflection in his mirror. “Here for criticism or commendation?” and he looked leniently on the pretty new frock.
“Neither. And we’ve only a few minutes, so, listen, Bert, I want to tell you something.”
“Fire away,” and the preoccupied boy looked over a pile of handkerchiefs.
Dolly spoke quickly and to the point. She told him of her bargain with Bernice and all she hoped from it.
“You see, I couldn’t,—I just couldn’t leave Berwick and Dot, so I tried this plan, and I hope,—oh,—I most know it will succeed!”