"How amusing!" laughed her friend. "But your other letter, Helen? Is it another proposal?"
"No; this is an invitation to attend a flower show."
"From Loyal Graham?"
"Ye-es," Helen answered, a little consciously. "But, Kathleen, how pale you are! Did you not sleep well?"
"No; I was restless," answered the girl.
She debated within herself whether she ought to tell Helen of the news Susette had brought. She concluded that she would not just yet.
"Come, we will go down to breakfast, dear," Helen said, drawing an arm through Kathleen's to lead her away.
"Susette, you need not go back yet. I shall want you after a while," said Kathleen, and the maid remained very willingly.
Down-stairs Kathleen smiled, talked, ate, and drank in a mechanical fashion. She was busy revolving schemes for escaping her threatening fate.
Kathleen had not been home from school more than six months. The idea of returning to it, and leaving the social whirl, that as yet was so new and charming, was not to be tolerated.