“No, thanks. Oh, it is so blessed to be home, Mother. I’m going to your room at bedtime for a long talk. Will I do?”
“Very well,” and Mrs. Alden looked with pardonable pride on the tall, graceful figure of her daughter, straight as an arrow; the fair, happy face, sunny and sweet, the light curling hair, the dainty white dress and the knots of blue ribbon scattered over it, made a picture of which any mother might well feel proud.
When Dolly went into Mary’s room, she stopped in genuine surprise. “How pretty you do look, Mary. I am proud of you.” And yet “pretty” was hardly the correct adjective to apply to her room-mate. Mary’s face was fine, and now that she was dressed with some taste, the possibilities of future beauty became apparent. But it was by no means a handsome face, though it might become so in later years.
Beth came in trailing a white cashmere behind her. Dolly laughed mischievously. “Beth thinks that she can add several inches to her height by wearing long dresses. She does it on every possible occasion.”
Beth retorted merrily, and the four went downstairs, where they found the three boys as well as Dolly’s father awaiting them rather impatiently.
There was plenty of lively conversation, in which everyone took part. It was easy to see that Dolly was the light of the house, and that she was woefully missed by her home people.
Rob Steele proved to be a good talker. He had been through so much in the course of his short life, that he had an endless fund of stories on hand for almost any occasion. He was not at all conceited, but he talked well and easily.
“You must have acquaintances all over the United States,” Beth exclaimed at last. “Aren’t you always seeing people that you know?”
“Not often; you see, I was hardly in a position to make acquaintances, Miss Newby. I was doing all sorts of odd jobs, and while I will doubtless remember the faces of the persons for whom I worked, they will not recall me, and would certainly not claim acquaintanceship. However, I did see a young lady on your train whose face was so familiar to me that I bowed involuntarily.”
“I noticed you speaking to that stunning girl all dressed in brown. Who is she, Bob?”