Sally read magazine articles on the younger generation and its wild
ways. "Sally doesn't remember when she was a younger generation
herself," thought Miss Cornelia. "But I do--and if we didn't have
automobiles, we had buggies--and youth doesn't change its ways just
because it has cut its hair. Before Mr. and Mrs. Ogden left for
Europe, Sally had talked to her sister Cornelia ... long and
weightily, on the problem of Dale." "Problem of Dale, indeed!"
thought Miss Cornelia scornfully. "Dale's the nicest thing I've
seen in some time. She'd be ten times happier if Sally wasn't
always trying to marry her off to some young snip with more of
what fools call 'eligibility' than brains! But there, Cornelia
Van Gorder--Sally's given you your innings by rampaging off to
Europe and leaving Dale with you all summer and you've a lot less
sense than I flatter myself you have, if you can't give your
favorite niece a happy vacation from all her immediate family--
and maybe find her someone who'll make her happy for good and all
in the bargain." Miss Cornelia was an incorrigible matchmaker.

Nevertheless, she was more concerned with "the problem of Dale"
than she would have admitted. Dale, at her age, with her charm
and beauty--why, she ought to behave as if she were walking on
air, thought her aunt worriedly. "And instead she acts more as if
she were walking on pins and needles. She seems to like being
here--I know she likes me--I'm pretty sure she's just as pleased
to get a little holiday from Sally and Harry--she amuses herself--
she falls in with any plan I want to make, and yet--" And yet
Dale was not happy--Miss Cornelia felt sure of it. "It isn't
natural for a girl to seem so lackluster and--and quiet--at her
age and she's nervous, too--as if something were preying on her
mind--particularly these last few days. If she were in love