Dot kissed her.
"When you are grown up you'll look different," she said. "You'll wear long trailing dresses—and—do your hair like this—and——"
But Alma sprang to her feet.
"What a croaker I am," she said. "I never told this to any one before. Thea—it is my very biggest secret. You'll never tell any one, will you? Never! never! Father says if I'm good I'll be beautiful enough for him. But oh, I wish I were you!"
"And I've been wishing I were you," said Dot.
"I suppose," said Alma, with one of her most wistful looks, "I suppose we're meant to be ourselves for some reason. And we must make the best of ourselves just as we are!"
And the two girls kissed each other tenderly.
"I've to be an elder sister," said Dot, with a sudden thought towards Mona Parbury.
"And I've to be an only child," said Alma, "and we've both to make the best of our state of life—eh?"