salad and toothsome desserts figured largely in
the order and Betty was sure that she would
want nothing that afternoon; yet Lucia was
serving such a “complete” afternoon tea! But
a few hours make a great difference in young
appetites.

Clothes bothered Betty a little. She hoped
that her frock was proper for an “afternoon
dress;” but she felt sure that many of the girls
would not dress elaborately, in spite of their
coming to a house presided over by a countess.
Some of the girls could not, she knew.

When Miss Street and Miss Hogarth arrived
in pretty but quiet frocks, Betty felt that every-
body would be “all right” for clothes. Lucia
herself must have had ideas on the subject; for
she wore a dress that she had worn to school.
Mathilde and a few of the late joiners, who
had been largely influenced by Lucia's member-
ship, were more or less elaborately dressed; but
clothes ceased to have much part in Betty's
thoughts, as she consulted with Miss Street and
Miss Hogarth and the committee about the
meeting. The countess came in to welcome the
girls and their leaders most cordially. She well
knew that the girls would have felt defrauded
if they had not had a glimpse of her, as Betty
gleaned from some little remark she made to

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