"What a pity Marguerite is not here," said Helen enthusiastically.
"And Josie Jordan to enliven the scene," returned Jennie with a look of mischief in her bright sparkling eyes.
"Yes, and make one feel as if always eager and ready for the fray," said Helen, "for commence as meekly as a saint that girl will have a pitched battle before one gets half through."
Jennie Montgomery's voice rang out in peals of hearty laughter and ended by infecting her companions.
"Poor Josie," exclaimed Jennie when the laugh subsided, "she is as Charlie Verne says, 'a regular romp,' but she has a big tender heart."
"I think her manner is becoming much more subdued than when I first saw her," said Phillip Lawson who had seen much of the wilful Josie at the Rutherford mansion, whither he often spent a quiet hour in the company of his friend Herbert Rutherford.
Helen Rushton was truly fond of the hoyden girl and it was only from a desire to get the others' opinion that caused her to make the above remarks.
"We need just such girls as Josie, Mr. Lawson, to keep the world in a healthy state. I'm sure it would never do to have all wiseacres like a certain young woman of my acquaintance."
"And of mine too, Miss Rushton," cried a voice from the adjoining hall.
"Josie Jordan," cried both girls in amazement on beholding the subject of their remarks standing upon the threshold, hat in hand, and her hair in wild disorder about her neck, adding: