"See," said Katy, as Clover came into the room a little before tea-time.
"Miss Petingill has brought home my new dress. I'm going to wear it for
the first time to go down stairs in."

"How pretty!" said Clover, examining the dress, which was a soft,
dove-colored cashmere, trimmed with ribbon of the same shade. "But Katy,
I came up to shut your door. Bridget's going to sweep the hall, and I
don't want the dust to fly in, because your room was brushed this
morning, you know."

"What a queer time to sweep a hall!" said Katy, wonderingly. "Why don't
you make her wait till morning?"

"Oh, she can't! There are--she has--I mean there will be other things
for her to do to-morrow. It's a great deal more convenient that she
should do it now. Don't worry, Katy, darling, but just keep your door
shut. You will, won't you? Promise me!"

"Very well," said Katy, more and more amazed, but yielding to Clover's
eagerness, "I'll keep it shut." Her curiosity was excited. She took a
book and tried to read, but the letters danced up and down before her
eyes, and she couldn't help listening. Bridget was making a most
ostentatious noise with her broom, but through it all, Katy seemed to
hear other sounds--feet on the stairs, doors opening and shutting--once,
a stifled giggle. How queer it all was!

"Never mind," she said, resolutely stopping her ears, "I shall know all
about it to-morrow."

To-morrow dawned fresh and fair--the very ideal of a September day.