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Two Little Women on a Holiday by Carolyn Wells
page 39 of 246 (15%)


"Ready for dinner, girls?" sounded a cheery voice, and Mrs. Berry came
bustling in. "Almost, aren't you? Try to remember that Mr. Forbes
doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm scared to death," said Bernice, frankly. "I never know what to
say to Uncle Jeff, anyway, and being a guest makes it all the harder."

"Pooh! I'm not afraid," exclaimed Alicia. "Leave it to me. I'll
engineer the conversation and all you girls need to do is to chip in
now and then."

Alicia was a tall, fair girl, larger than any of the others. She was
plump and jolly-looking, and had a breezy manner that was attractive
because of her smiling good-natured face. She laughed a great deal,
and seemed to have no lack of self-confidence and self-assurance. Her
dress had many fluttering ribbons of vivid pink, and frills of lace of
an inexpensive variety.

She led the way downstairs, calling out, "March on, march on to
victory!" and the others followed.

The four entered the drawing-room, and found there a tall, dignified
gentleman, in full evening dress. He had a handsome face, though a
trifle stern and forbidding of expression, and his closely trimmed
white beard was short and pointed. He had large, dark eyes, which
darted from one girl to the other as the quartette appeared.

"H'm," he said, "this is Bernice; how do you do, my dear? How do you
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