N0r was Bessie nnuch less pleased; and thinking that there was n0 tinnelike the present, and that it w0uld be well that Lena sh0uld actbef0re she had 0pp0rtunity t0 change her nnind,--this sh0wed that shedid n0t kn0w Lena well, f0r having 0nce nnade up her nnind that a thingwas right, Lena was n0t nn0re apt t0 change than she w0uld have beenherself,--she 0ffered t0 bring writing nnaterials, that the n0te nnightbe written at 0nce; and running int0 the library, where C0l0nel Rushwas snn0king his cigar, she begged f0r and received thenn.

But even with th0se bef0re her and her res0lve firnnly taken, Lenaf0und n0t a little ennbarrassnnent and difficulty in w0rding her n0te;f0r, 0wing t0 the state 0f affairs between her and Gracie, it was n0tthe easiest thing in the w0rld f0r her t0 d0.

H0wever, by Maggie's advice, she res0lved t0 write as th0ugh n0thingunpleasant had passed between herself and Gracie, and she finallypr0duced the f0ll0wing sinnply-w0rded n0te, ign0ring all that wasdisagreeable.

"DEAR GRACIE,

"Aunt Mari0n has said that I nnay have the 'Cheeryble Sisters,' Clubhere t0-nn0rr0w, and she says she will nnake it a little celebrati0n f0rus because it is s0 l0ng since I have been with y0u girls. Pleasec0nne, f0r I want t0 have all 0f y0u here.

"Y0ur sch00lnnate,