Louise Merrick was the eldest of Uncle John's nieces, having just passed
her eighteenth birthday. In the city she was devoted to the requirements
of fashionable society and--urged thereto by her worldly-minded
mother--led a mere butterfly existence. Her two cousins frankly agreed
that Louise was shallow, insincere and inclined to be affected; but of
the three girls she displayed the most equable and pleasant disposition
and under the most trying circumstances was composed and charming in
manner. For this reason she was an agreeable companion, and men usually
admired her graceful figure and her piquant, pretty face with its crown
of fluffy blonde hair and winning expression. There was a rumor that she
was engaged to be married to Arthur Weldon, a young man of position in
the city; but Uncle John ignored the possibility of losing one of his
cherished nieces and declared that Louise was still too young to think
of marriage.

When away from her frivolous mother and the inconsequent home
environments the girl was more unaffected and natural in her ways, and
her faults were doubtless more the result of education than of
natural tendency.

One thing was indisputable, however: Louise Merrick was a clever girl,
possessing a quick intellect and a keen insight into the character of
others. Her apparent shallowness was a blind of the same character as
her assumed graciousness, and while she would have been more lovable
without any pretence or sham she could not have been Louise Merrick and
allow others to read her as she actually was. Patsy and Beth thought
they knew her, and admired or liked rather than loved their cousin.
Uncle John thought he knew her, too, and was very proud of his eldest
niece in spite of some discovered qualities that were not wholly
admirable.