“And Mr. Martin? Talk fast. We are almost home. You know all about the girls, for I told you all that I could think of in my letters.”
“There isn’t so much to tell about Martin, Dolly. He comes from one of the oldest families in Boston, has lots of money, and plenty of brains, but he is fearfully lazy. What he needs–”
But Fred’s sentence was destined to remain unfinished, for just then the sextette came in sight of Dolly’s home, and Dolly spied in the doorway the person whom she most loved on earth. With one spring she vanished up the walk and darted into her mother’s arms.
It was all a merry hubbub for a time. Dolly’s mother seemed to Beth just an older and more mature type of Dolly herself. Dolly’s father was there, too, and the greeting given the two strange girls was cordial enough to make them feel at home and to dispel all restraint.
“You boys must try to amuse yourselves without us for a little while,” said Mrs. Alden, her arm still around Dolly. “I am going to take the girls upstairs now, and by the time we come down, dinner will be served.”
“Your old room is ready for you, Dolly, just as you left it; I have put your friends in the two little rooms across the hall. I supposed that you would want to be near each other.”
“You are correct, as usual, Motherdie. Come in and help me dress now. You always used to put the finishing touches on for me, you know. Leave your doors open, girls, so that we can talk to one another.”
“I like your friends,” Dolly’s mother said quietly, when the two found themselves alone later. “Miss Newby doesn’t look very happy, and there is an expression on her face that I do not like to see on so young a girl. I think that Miss Sutherland has latent possibilities about her.”
“Yes, and they are almost all latent as yet, but you can help to bring them out, I know. By the way, Mother, I want to brighten her up a bit. She must make a good impression on the boys this first night. Have you any rose-colored ribbons? Just put them on her, won’t you? There’s a dear. She cannot tie a bow any more than a sparrow can.”
“You do not need me any more?”