majestically.

"Asleep!" she cried. "Ah, Fortune is kind. They are asleep. How I
love these darling little twinnies,--in their sleep!"

An audible sniff from beneath the covers, and Fairy, smiling
mischievously, went into the front room to prepare for her caller.

The bell rang as she was dressing. Prudence went to the door,
preternaturally ceremonious, and ushered Mr. Babler into the front
room. She turned on the electric switch as she opened the door. She
was too much impressed with the solemnity of the occasion to take much
note of her surroundings, and she did not observe that the young man
sniffed in a peculiar manner as he entered the room.

"I'll call Fairy," she said demurely.

"Tell her she needn't primp for me," he answered, laughing. "I know
just how she looks already."

But Prudence was too heavily burdened to laugh. She smiled hospitably,
and closed the door upon him. Fairy was tripping down the stairs, very
tall, very handsome, very gay. She pinched her sister's arm as she
passed, and the front room door swung behind. But she did not greet
her friend. She stood erect by the door, her head tilted on one side,
sniffing, sniffing.

"What in the world?" she wondered. Then she blushed. Perhaps it was
something he had used on his hair! Or perhaps he had been having his
suit cleaned! "Oh, I guess it's nothing, after all," she stammered.