But the next afternoon Uncle Steve was obliged to go to town, and
Marjorie felt quite disconsolate at the loss of the jolly
afternoon hour.

But kind-hearted Grandma planned a pleasure for her, and told her
she would invite both Stella Martin and Molly to come to tea with
Marjorie from four till five.

Marjorie had not seen Stella since the day they came up together
on the train, and the little girls were glad to meet again. Stella
and Molly were about as different as two children could be, for
while Molly was headstrong, energetic, and mischievous, Stella was
timid, quiet, and demure.

Both Marjorie and Molly were very quick in their actions, but
Stella was naturally slow and deliberate. When they played games,
Stella took as long to make her move as Molly and Midge together.
This made them a little impatient, but Stella only opened her big
blue eyes in wonder and said, "I can't do things any faster." So
they soon tired of playing games, and showed Stella their paper-
dolls' houses. Here they were the surprised ones, for Stella was
an adept at paper dolls and knew how to draw and cut out lovely
dolls, and told Marjorie that if she had a paintbox she could
paint them.

"I wish you would come over some other day, Stella, and do it,"
said Midge; "for I know Uncle Steve will get me a paint-box if I
ask him to, and a lot of brushes, and then we can all paint. Oh,
we'll have lots of fun, won't we?"