you up a skirt this afternoon."

Rena placed herself unreservedly in the hands
of Mrs. Newberry, who introduced her to the best
dressmaker of the town, a woman of much experience
in such affairs, who improvised during the
afternoon a gown suited to the occasion. Mrs.
Marshall had made more than a dozen ball dresses
during the preceding month; being a wise woman
and understanding her business thoroughly, she
had made each one of them so that with a few
additional touches it might serve for the Queen of
Love and Beauty. This was her first direct order
for the specific garment.

Tryon escorted Rena to the ball, which was
held in the principal public hall of the town, and
attended by all the best people. The champion
still wore the costume of the morning, in place
of evening dress, save that long stockings and
dancing-pumps had taken the place of riding-boots.
Rena went through the ordeal very creditably.
Her shyness was palpable, but it was saved from
awkwardness by her native grace and good sense.
She made up in modesty what she lacked in
aplomb. Her months in school had not eradicated
a certain self-consciousness born of her secret.
The brain-cells never lose the impressions of youth,
and Rena's Patesville life was not far enough
removed to have lost its distinctness of outline.