"Don't be silly, Randy."
He persisted. "Keep still while I take it out——"
He found the pin and unwound the white cloth. "There," he said, drawing a long breath, "you look like yourself again. You were so—austere, you scared me, Becky."
He was again hugging his knees. "When are you going away?"
"On the twenty-ninth. I shall stay over until next week for the Merriweathers' ball."
"I didn't know whether you would feel equal to it."
"I shall go on Mary's account. It will be her introduction to Truxton's friends, and if I am there it will be easier for her. She has a lovely frock, jade green tulle with a girdle of gold brocade. It came down for me with a lot of other clothes, and it needed only a few changes for her to wear it."
"You will be glad to get away?"
"It will be cooler—and I need the change. But it is always more formal up there—they remember that I have money. Here it is forgotten."