"No, you don't, Phyl." Rosamond had kept quiet up until now but her eyes had danced mischievously. "You none of you know, but I'll tell you,"—she paused dramatically.
"Muriel has a beau." she announced. The girls all laughed, but she went on quite seriously. "He takes her home from school and he carries her books, so of course she has to grow up. Why, even the seniors watch her from the study window in silent jealousy."
Phyllis looked at Muriel. There was no denying the change now. She sighed.
"If you are going to talk like children, I'm going home." Muriel rose with what she hoped was becoming dignity, and in silence the girls watched her put on her hat and coat. Phyllis followed her to the door.
"Muriel, don't be silly," she pleaded. "We've been such chums, I can't bear to see you so changed." But Muriel refused to be comforted.
"It isn't my fault if you can't keep up with me," she said coldly, and Phyllis was too angry to answer.
She walked upstairs slowly. "I've lost Muriel," she said wistfully, but a sudden thought made her run up the rest of the way, two steps at a time.
"Girls, do you realize that this time to-morrow Janet will actually be here?" she exclaimed joyfully.
"Aunt Jane's poll parrot, so she will!" said Sally.