“Well, you’re a regular Western fury,” declared Bella, regarding her. “Gracious, I wouldn’t have taken you from the ‘wild and woolly plains’ as your aunt has for a year!”
“Don’t speak to me of Aunt,” commanded Grace, frowning heavily. “What has she done? Kept me out of this, the thing I wanted most of all. And besides, the ‘wild and woolly West’—why, I haven’t been educated there, as you know. It’s New England, if any place, that’s to blame for me. Oh, oh, I’ve an idea!”
Bella sat up straight, the transition was so great, to stare, as Grace ran softly to the door, opened it, and looked and listened; then locked it again, and tiptoed back.
“The very thing!” She seized Bella’s hands, and dragged her off the window-seat. “I’m going to be your Western friend; you put that idea into my head—don’t you see? dressed up. O Bella, you stupid, you owl, I’m going as your visitor; and I’ll hire my bonnet and gown, and change my hair, so Aunt won’t catch me. And—and—what joy!”
When the luckless Bella, nearly danced out of breath, was released, she made a faint protest. But she was fairly talked off her feet again; and by that time the fun of the thing had entered into her soul and clutched her. So she said “yes,” and began to plan as smartly as Grace herself.
“But mother never will take you in all this world,” she said, sobering down.
“Did you for an instant suppose I was going to let your mother know who I am?” cried Grace, bursting into a laugh. “Oh, what a sweet owl you are, Bella Drysdale! Of course I’m going to fool her too.”
“Well, she won’t let me take a stranger,” said Bella sharply, tired of being called an owl twice. “I guess I’m as smart as you, Grace Tupper. I should know better than to get up such a silly plan.”
“I’m to be Miss Strange from Omaha, Nebraska,” said Grace solemnly; “a pupil of Miss Willoughby’s boarding- and day-school. All this is true—my name is Grace Strange Tupper. And because I don’t happen to board, instead of going to her day-school at Miss Willoughby’s, isn’t my fault. I would if I could. Now, Owlie, do you see?”
“If you call me an owl again I won’t do a single thing about it,” cried Bella stubbornly; “that’s flat.”