"Oh, come along, girls; it's none of our affair," said she, but Vera's words had aroused the curiosity of the others and they loitered beside her.
All unconscious of their spying, Alene and her friends went their way. Instead of taking seats at one of the many little tables placed invitingly around, they stopped at the next counter. Alene unfastened the crimson bag and gravely searched within it.
"More show!" whispered Vera.
"Three Dill pickles, please; you need not wrap them up," said Alene, laying a nickle on the counter.
Then Vera made a hasty retreat amid the raillery of her friends.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE GARDEN PARTY
"Letters for the whole bunch!" cried Lafe Bonner, coming into the sitting-room on his return from the post-office. "Hugh Bonner, E—s—q—Esquimau—wonder why they call his nibs that? Master Donald Bonner, Master Roy Bonner, Little Claude Bonner, Master Walter Bonner and—" Lafe stammered and got very red when he saw the address 'Gen. Lafayette Bonner.' "One for me, too," he continued hurriedly; "and last for Mrs. L. Bonner."
All the members of the family in reach took their letters, and Ivy, seated at her new writing desk in the corner next to the window, turned round expectantly, saying,