eats down-town all the time lately, so I thought we wouldn't
bother to set the table for lunch. Come on and we'll have
something in the kitchen."

"No," Alice said, dully, as she went on with the work. "I don't
want anything."

Her mother came closer to her. "Why, what's the matter?" she
asked, briskly. "You seem kind of pale, to me; and you don't
look--you don't look HAPPY."

"Well----" Alice began, uncertainly, but said no more.

"See here!" Mrs. Adams exclaimed. "This is all just for you!
You ought to be ENJOYING it. Why, it's the first time we've--we've
entertained in I don't know how long! I guess it's almost since
we had that little party when you were eighteen. What's the matter
with you?"

"Nothing. I don't know."

"But, dearie, aren't you looking FORWARD to this evening?"

The girl looked up, showing a pallid and solemn face. "Oh, yes,
of course," she said, and tried to smile. "Of course we had to
do it--I do think it'll be nice. Of course I'm looking forward
to it."