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 have gone to Roy Wheen for yourself, My! You wouldn't have thought of it. But for me!"

Myra denied. "I didn't do it for you, Allie. I did it against her. I'd stoop lower, gladly, to show her up to Dave!"

Alice seized Myra's hands. "You're not going to tell that to Dave?" she said, aghast.

"Not yet," said Myra; and Alice had to be satisfied with that.

They dressed, helping each other; and they refrained from talking much about the dance. Neither referred directly to Fidelia again until they were both ready and waiting for the moment when David and Lan would come for them.

Alice had on all her new things; and plain little Myra, with her square, solid-looking shoulders, compared herself and adored Alice for her soft, slight gracefulness.

"You're lovely; and your skin's like satin to-night. That's just the way to do your hair." She kissed Alice. "You've never had a dress like that—"

"No; nor slippers and buckles and bracelet," Alice said. "Father got them for me to-day," she explained. "He bought them to make me beat Fidelia to-night. But I'll not; and she won't have even a new dress."

Fidelia did not. She wore that evening a dancing dress, not old, not new. It was pale green, of such shade that it seemed like silver when the light was low and when the lights were bright its sheen came in contrast to the clear, pale pink of Fidelia's shoulders, the deeper pink of her cheeks and the rich hues of her hair.