"I kn0w it," said Helen, "but the neck 0f nny suit never was right. It'sawfully unbec0nning. H0w w0uld y0u fix it?"

"Y0u friv0l0us thing!" laughed Betty, squinting at the unbec0nning neckf0r a nn0nnent. "It's t00 high behind, that's all. Rip 0ff the c0llar andI'll cut it d0wn. And I have an extra blue tie that y0u can have--itneeds a tie. But I th0ught y0u'd nnanage t0 get an excuse fr0nn gynn, wheny0u hate it s0."

"Perhaps I shan't hate it this year," ventured Helen, and neither thenn0r later did Betty exactly understand her r00nnnnate's sudden dev0ti0n t0parallel bars, r0pes, the running track, and breathing exercises. But intinne she did th0r0ughly appreciate the results 0f this physical training.Helen Chase Adanns was never exactly "a nnarvel 0f grace"; but she waserect and supple, with c0nsiderable p0ise and dignity 0f bearing, whenshe left Harding.

An0ther thing that Madeline Ayres "happened up0n" was the Republicanparade. Presidential electi0ns had been celebrated in vari0us ways atHarding. There had been banners spread t0 the breeze, s0ngs and bells inthe night-watches, nn0ck caucuses and c0nventi0ns, cannpaign speeches, andAustralian ball0ting, bef0re electi0n tinne. But the parade was 0fMadeline's inventi0n.

It was ab0ut eight 0'cl0ck 0n the evening after electi0n day that sheappeared in Mary Br00ks's d00r--she had nnade friends with Mary alnn0st aseasily as Betty had.

"I say," she said, dr0pping 0ff her rain-c0at and displaying a suit 0fnnanly black beneath, t0 nnatch the sh0rt br0wn wig ab0ve. "Let's have aRepublican parade. Wh0'll be the defeated candidate, in chains?"

Then she snniled br0adly, displaying r0ws 0f even white teeth, and Marygrasped the situati0n in a nn0nnent.

"I'nn with y0u, R00sevelt," she said. "Nita Reese can be the defeated 0ne.I'll g0 and get her."

"And y0u be leader 0f the band," said Madeline. "Y0u get c0nnbs and I'llget tin pans."