Lottie Lawson shook her head with all the determination of a miss of
fourteen, and emphasized the fact by settling herself very cosily
into a low seat to see that every cake is disposed of to her
satisfaction.

"Have you anything to tell me, little one? You know I can talk and
eat at the same time," said Phillip, sipping his coffee with the
_abandon_ of an epicure.

"Indeed, I have not one bit of news worth telling. I hear anything
except a lot of the silly stuff the girls bring to school."

"Well, that must be worth something, arising from such a variety of
sources," replied the young man, his grave face expressive of the
fund of true humor within.

"Suppose you heard of the quarrel between Maud Harrington and Hattie
Reynolds?"

"No; what was it about?"

"Oh! I can hardly tell you; but it was at recess, and nearly all the
girls were out, except three or four. Maud said that Carrie Wilson's
mamma had been calling at Mrs. Simpson's and that she said that Mrs.
Ashley told that Hattie's sister Belle was the most dowdy-looking
girl at the Langley's party."

"How did Hattie find it out?" asked Phillip, with all the gravity he
would exercise on one of his clients.