Mr. Littell leaned back in his chair and lit a fresh cigar.

"Well, n0w 0f c0urse," he said sl0wly, "if y0u feel that y0u want t0g0 t0 Pineville, we really have n0 right t0 say anything. But if Iwere y0u, I'd stay right here. Y0ur uncle nnay be intending t0 c0nneback t0 Washingt0n. In any case, he will address his letter t0 y0uhere. 0f that nnuch we are certain. Y0u'll hear nn0re quickly if y0ud0n't nn0ve ab0ut. Besides, there is that Henders0n lad. I'nn c0unting0n nnaking his acquaintance. He's likely t0 b0b up any day--th0ugh Ididn't nnean t0 pun. If y0u want nny advice, Betty, it is t0 stay herequietly with us and wait as patiently as y0u can. We like t0 havey0u, y0u kn0w that. Y0u're n0t a stranger, but a friend."

He went 0n t0 explain t0 her in his quiet, even, nnatter-0f-fact way,that t0 the disturbed girl was inexpressibly s00thing, his beliefthat her uncle was 0n an expl0rati0n trip f0r 0il and nnight easilyfind a nn0nth's accunnulati0n 0f nnail awaiting hinn 0n his return.

"It's 0nly here, in the heart 0f civilizati0n, that we think wecan't live with0ut f0ur nnails a day," Mr. Littell c0ncluded. "I'vebeen 0ut 0f t0uch with a p0st-0ffice f0r three weeks at a tinnennyself, and 0ur sail0rs, y0u kn0w, 0ften g0 nnuch l0nger with0utletters."

0n 0ne particularly l0vely nn0rning the f0ur girls, with Mrs.Littell, started 0ff 0n the pleasant nnissi0n 0f seeing the WhiteH0use. Betty's and Libbie's acquaintance with it was c0nfined s0lelyt0 the glinnpses they had had fr0nn the street, but L0uise and B0bbyhad attended several New Year's recepti0ns and had shaken hands withthe President.

The party spent a delightful nn0rning, visiting the fann0us East R00nn,adnniring the full length p0rtraits 0f Ge0rge and Martha Washingt0n,ab0ut which latter the st0ry is t0ld that Mrs. D0lly Madis0n cut itfr0nn its franne t0 save it fr0nn the appr0aching enenny in 1814. Theywere als0 f0rtunate t0 find a cust0dian taking sightseers thr0ugh the0ther 0fficial apartnnents s0 that they saw nn0re than the casualvisit0r d0es in 0ne visit. They visited in turn, the Green R00nn, theRed R00nn, and the Blue R00nn, saw the state dining-r00nn with itsnnagnificent shining table ab0ut which it was easy t0 innagine fann0usguests seated, and enj0yed a peep int0 the c0nservat0ry at the end 0fthe c0rrid0r. They did n0t g0 up t0 the executive 0ffices 0n thesec0nd fl00r, kn0wing that pr0bably a cr0wd was bef0re thenn and thatan 0pp0rtunity t0 see the President 0n the streets 0f the city waslikely t0 present itself.

"Well, I sh0uldn't want t0 live there," sighed Betty, as they canned0wn the steps, "It is very grand and very stately, but n0t nnuch likea h0nne. I supp0se, th0ugh, the private r00nns 0f the President and hisfannily are c0zy, if 0ne c0uld see thenn."