Betty, and I'm particularly glad just now, for I want to consult
you all about something."

"How fine," said Dorothy. "I love to be consulted, don't you,
girls?"

"You see," continued Mrs. Hamilton, "I am going to borrow a daughter
for a whole year, and I thought you three would be the very ones
to help me make her happy."

"We will. We'd like to," answered the girls. "How old is she?"
asked Charlotte. "And what's her name?" put in Dorothy. "I always
like to know the name before I begin to think very much about a
person."

"Her name is Ruth Shirley, and she's just fourteen, I believe. She
lost a very lovely mother about a year ago, and now her father is
obliged to go abroad on business, so I suspect the poor child will
feel lonely and homesick for a while."

"We'll give her all the good times we can," said Betty warmly.
"When do you expect her, Mrs. Hamilton?"

"In less than three weeks, I think, and that reminds me that I
want you all to advise me about making her room pretty. Let's go
and look at it now and discuss ways and means."

"Oh, you are going to give her the pink room," cried Dorothy as
they entered it. "I think this is the loveliest room in the house."
It was a pretty room, with its delicate pink and white paper, its