Next day, after consulting the rest of “The Merry Hearts,” Betty told Alice that Georgia understood, and so it happened that Tom Alison went back to Yale the day after the concert singing the praises of Miss Georgia Ames to all who would listen to his rapturous eulogies. Inquiries about her came back to Harding from brothers, cousins and friends at Yale. Also Mr. Tom Alison sent a box of Huyler’s to Miss Ames at the Belden, accompanying it with an invitation to the Yale prom.
Betty took the note and the candy over to Alice. “See what you’ve done,” she said, with a face that was sober, all but the eyes. “Of course I can’t keep them. They belong to the real Georgia—the one you wrote the note about. You must take them to her.”
“Oh, Betty, I couldn’t,” said Alice in great distress. “She would have to acknowledge them somehow, and that means that she would have to explain to Tom.”
“You mean you would have to,” said Betty severely. “Well, which is worse—for you to explain or for me to? If I answered, I should have to tell him how it was just as much. I know a lot of Yale men, and I can’t go to the prom. as Georgia Ames.”
“But you can decline,” suggested Alice desperately.
“Do you think it’s quite fair to make me do that?” inquired Betty judicially. “Of course, when he finds out, he may not want to take me; but I think he’ll see the joke. Oh, Alice, it’s too delicious! There isn’t any Georgia Ames.”
“What?” gasped Alice.
“Why,—you mustn’t tell a soul, but I’ve got to make you understand,—she’s only Madeline Ayres’s second self.”
“Madeline’s what?” asked Alice.
Betty repeated. “Well, that’s what Madeline calls her. She’s a fictitious person, you know. Madeline invented her, and we have had lots of fun making people believe she was real.”