"I'd hate to have to take one of them to a dance," said Mr. Briggs.

Missy turned thoughtful; there were sides to "achievement" she hadn't taken into consideration. "Speaking of dances," Mr. Briggs was continuing, "my aunt's going to give Louise and me a party before we go--maybe Sat.u.r.day night."

A party! Missy felt a thrill that wasn't professional.

Mr. Briggs leaned closer, across the little table. "If you're not already booked up," he said, "may I call for you Sat.u.r.day night?"

Missy was still disturbed by some of the things Mr. Briggs had said. But it was certainly pleasant to have a visiting young man--a young man who lived in Keokuk and travelled in California and attended college in the East--choose her for his partner at his own party.

Later that night at the Beacon office, after she had turned in her report of the Presbyterian ladies' fete, she lingered at her desk. She was in the throes of artistic production:

"Mr. Archibald Briggs of Keokuk is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bonner."

That was too bald; not rich enough. She tried again:

"Mr. Archibald Briggs of Keokuk, Iowa, is visiting at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bonner on Maple Avenue."

Even that didn't lift itself up enough out of the ordinary. Missy puckered her brows; a moist lock fell down and straggled across her forehead. With interlineations, she enlarged:

"Mr. Archibald Briggs, who has been travelling in California and the Far West, on his way to his home in Keokuk, Iowa, is visiting at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bonner in Maple Avenue."

An anxious scrutiny; and then "on his way" was amended to "en route."

That would almost do. And then, as she regarded the finished item, a curious feeling crept over her: a sort of reluctance, distaste for having it printed--printing it herself, as it were. That seemed, somehow, too--too public. And then, as she sat in a maze of strange emotions, a sudden thought came to the rescue:

His sister--Louise! She'd forgotten to include Louise! How terrible if she'd left out his sister! And adding the second name would remove the personal note. She quickly interlined again, and the item stood complete:

"Mr. Archibald Briggs and Miss Louise Briggs, who have been travelling in California and the Far West, en route to their home in Keokuk, Iowa, are visiting at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bonner in Maple Avenue."

As her father entered the office to take her home, Missy gave a deep sigh, a sigh of mingled satisfaction and exhaustion such as seals a difficult task well done.

Late as it was when she reached home, Missy lingered long before her mirror. With the aid of a hand-gla.s.s she critically studied her pink organdie from every angle. She wished she had a new dress; a delicate wispy affair of cream net--the colour of moonlight--would be lovely and aristocratic-looking. And with some subtle but distinguished colour combination, like dull blue and lilac, for the girdle. That would be heavenly. But one can't have a new dress for every party. Missy sighed, and tilted back the dresser mirror so as to catch the swing of skirt about her shoe-tops. She wished the skirt was long and trailing; there was a cl.u.s.ter of tucks above the hem--maybe mother would allow her to let one out; she'd ask to-morrow.

Then she tilted the mirror back to its normal position; maybe mother would allow her to turn in the neck just a wee bit lower--like this.

That glimpse of throat would be pretty, especially with some kind of necklace. She got out her string of coral. No. The jagged shape of coral was effective and the colour was effective, but it didn't "go" with pale pink. She held up her string of pearl beads. That was better. But ah! if only she had some long pearl pendants, to dangle down from each ear; she knew just how to arrange her hair--something like Lady Sylvia Southwoode's--so as to set them off.

She was engaged in parting her hair in the centre and rolling it back in simple but aristocratic-looking "puffs" on either side--she did look the least bit like Lady Sylvia!--when she heard her mother's voice calling:

"Missy! haven't you gone to bed yet?"

"No, mother," she answered meekly, laying down the brush very quietly.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Nothing--I'm going to bed right now," she answered, more meekly yet.

"You'd better," came the unseen voice. "You've got to get up early if you're going to the picnic."

The picnic--oh, bother! Missy had forgotten the picnic. If it had been a picnic of her own "crowd" she would not have forgotten it, but she was attending this function because of duty instead of pleasure.

And it isn't especially interesting to tag along with a lot of children and their Sunday-school teachers.

She wondered if, maybe, she could manage to get her "report" without actually going.

But she'd already forgotten the picnic by the time she crept into her little bed, across which the moon, through the window, spread a shining breadth of silver. She looked at the strip of moonlight drowsily--how beautiful moonlight was! And when it gleamed down on dewy gra.s.s...

everything outdoors white and magical... and dancing on the porch... he must be a wonderful dancer--those college boys always were... music...

the scent of flowers.. . "the prettiest girl I've seen in this town"...

Yes; the bothersome picnic was forgotten; and the Beacon, alluring stepping-stone to achievements untold; yes, even Ridgeley Holman Dobson himself.

The moon, moving its gleaming way slowly up the coverlet, touched tenderly the face of the sleeper, kissed the lips curved into a soft, dreaming smile. Missy went to the picnic next day, for her mother was unsympathetic toward the suggestion of contriving a "report." "Now, Missy, don't begin that again! You're always starting out to ride some enthusiasm hard, and then letting it die down. You must learn to see things through. Now, go and get your lunch ready."

Missy meekly obeyed. It wasn't the first time she'd been rebuked for her unstable temperament. She was meek and abashed; yet it is not uninteresting to know one possesses an unstable temperament which must be looked after lest it prove dangerous. The picnic was as dull as she had feared it would be. She usually liked children but, that day, the children at first were too riotously happy and then, as they tired themselves out, got cross and peevish. Especially the Smith children.

One of the teachers said the oldest little Smith girl seemed to have fever; she was sick--as if that excused her acting like a little imp!

She ought to have been kept at home--the whole possessed Smith tribe ought to have been kept at home!

Missy wished she herself were at home. She'd probably missed a telephone call from Mr. Briggs--he had said he might call up. She could hardly wait to reach home and find out.

Yes; he had telephoned. Also Mrs. Bonner, inviting Missy to a party on Sat.u.r.day night. Missy brightened. She broached the subject of letting out a tuck. But mother said the pink organdie was long enough--too long, really. And Aunt Nettie chimed in:

"Why is it that girls can never get old quickly enough? The time'll come soon enough when they'll wish they could wear short dresses again!"

Missy listened with inner rebellion. Why did old people always talk that way--that "you-don't-appreciate-you're-having-the-best-time-of-your life" sort of thing?

Next day was Friday--the day before the party.

It was also "cleaning day" at the Merriams' and, though Missy felt la.s.situdinous and headachy, she put extra vim into her share of the work; for she wished to coax from mother a new sash, at least.

But when Sat.u.r.day came she didn't mention the sash; her headache had increased to such a persistent throbbing she didn't feel like going down to look over the Bonner Mercantile Co.'s stock of ribbons. She was having trouble enough concealing her physical distress. At dinner mother had noticed that she ate almost nothing; and at supper she said:

"Don't you feel well, Missy?"

"Oh, yes, I feel all right--fine!" replied Missy, trying to a.s.sume a sprightly air.

"You look flushed to me. And sort of heavy around the eyes--don't you think so, papa?"

"She does look sort of peaked," affirmed Mr. Merriam.

"She's been dragging around all day," went on the mother. Missy tried harder than ever to "perk up"--if they found out about the headache, like as not they'd put a taboo on the party--grown-ups were so unreasonable. Parties were good for headaches.

"I heard over at Mrs. Allen's this afternoon," Aunt Nettie put in, "that there's measles in town. All the Smith children are down with it." Missy recalled the oldest little Smith girl, with the fever, at the picnic, but said nothing.

"I wonder if Missy could have run into it anywhere," said mother anxiously.

"Me?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Society Editor, disdainfully.

"Children have measles!"

"Children! Listen to her!" jeered Aunt Nettie with delight.