And so, when the question came up before the committee, public spirit was so much in favour of Bernice that she was chosen Queen by a large majority.
“Oh!” sighed Dolly in absolute content, when she heard of it. “I am so glad! Is it really true? Dotty, we’ve won something, anyway! I don’t know whether Bernie will feel that I did anything to help, but I did!”
“You bet you did!” cried Dotty, “and I’ll see to it that Bernice knows.”
“Be careful,—you know she hates to owe it to my efforts—”
“But that was her bargain.”
“I know, but still, she squirms when she thinks I just plain coax people to be nice to her.”
“I should think she would! Isn’t it horrid, Doll, to win favour that way?”
“Of course, it seems so to us; but you know how Bernie is. I suppose, Dot, if she had a mother like the rest of us have, she’d be different.”
“I s’pose so.”
The night of the carnival came. A perfect night, clear, cold, and illuminated by a kindly moon, which was somewhat eclipsed by the lights that surrounded and glorified the little Berwick lake.